• Falls Elementary Principal Jerry Hilfer said Monday he had been in contact with law enforcement throughout the day following the arrest of a sixth grader as the alleged caller who left threats of violence on the district’s voice mail system.
Superintendent Don Langan said the communication system was successful and over 97 percent of parents were contacted. Within seconds, the system generated 2,056 calls, Langan said. The administration has received positive feedback on the system throughout the day, he said.
• The Falls School Board approved in a 4-1 vote to appoint Michelle Hebner to the vacant board position. Hebner is expected to serve until January and the position will be open for the November election. Board member Roger Jerome voted against the motion. He stated his vote was not a reflection of Hebner, but his support of another supported.
• The board approved creating a new position of elementary school counselor. Langan said it was a position that is needed in the district. Currently the safety net that catches students is the special education program and other types of resources are needed for students.
• Falls High School Principal Tim Everson updated the board on the proposed open lunch policy. A possibility that has been discussed is to have open lunch twice a month and have the option only available to seniors. Everson said one or two trials of open lunch are possible this spring, but the policy wouldn’t be put in place until the fall.
• The board received data released in the University of Minnesota and the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities’ 2008 report on recent high school graduates who took developmental/remedial courses.
Of the 430 graduates of FHS between 2003 and 2006, 57 percent continued onto a post secondary education in the form of public colleges and universities. Of that percent, 22 percent needed to take remedial courses.
In Minnesota, 52 percent of students continue onto public higher education and 37 percent of those students take a remedial course.
Langan noted that the Falls school district’s 22 percent is the lowest in the region and also one of the lowest percentages in the state.
But Langan pointed out that other numbers are more important, such as the grade point average of students continuing onto higher education and the number of FHS graduates receiving bachelor’s degrees.