Spring Break and Spring Ahead

Spring Break and Spring Ahead
Posted on 03/09/2015

The week of March 16 will mark spring break in the Menomonie Area School District. Whether traveling, working, spring cleaning, or just relaxing, students and staff members will have the opportunity to enjoy some time away from the daily routine that we all have become so accustomed to over the past several months of school. Spring break can also be used to take a step back to review the progress that has been made so far this school year, and to get ready for the final push toward graduation and the last day of school before summer vacation.

From the central office perspective, this time of year is important for getting ready to finish the year strong and continue making preparations for the future. There has already been much discussion regarding the planning that is taking place for next year’s budget, but we also will continue to monitor this year’s figures to bring the budget in on target. The continued analysis and evaluation of instructional programming and staffing will lead to important decisions as employee contracts for next year are considered and updates to curriculum resources are ordered. Plans for summer school programming are well underway, and a schedule for summer cleaning and maintenance at our facilities is becoming a more pressing priority.

With the spring election just weeks away, the community will have the opportunity to elect officials who will play a critical role in setting policy, approving budgets, and setting the future vision for our school district. Running for the three available seats are current school board president, Colleen Davis, and new school board candidates Urs Haltinner, James Swanson, Semone Thomas, and Todd Welch. To help electors make an informed choice for this very important decision, a candidate forum will be held on Tuesday, March 24 at the United Methodist Church located at 2703 Bongey Drive. The public is welcome to attend the forum that is scheduled to start at 7:00 p.m.

The weather has already started to change, so more children can be seen using the sidewalks, parks, and bike paths in Menomonie. It won’t be long and students from MHS will be traveling almost daily to Wakanda Park for baseball and softball events. We all need to remember the importance of slowing down and diving with caution when children are present, and please remember that it is illegal to pass a school bus when the blinking red lights are on.

Should school stakeholders have any questions about the school board candidate forum, or anything else in our school district, I invite you to visit the Administrative Service Center on Pine Avenue or contact me at 715-232-1642. More information about our schools can be found on the school district website (www.sdmaonline.com) and on Twitter (www.twitter.com/sdmaonline).