Welcome to our first Warroad School Newsletter!  We are excited to offer this new communication tool that will help keep you informed of some of the many great things happening here at Warroad ISD #690.  While the District is a busy hub throughout the year, August brings a new level of excitement as we prepare to welcome back our students.  The Building and Grounds team have been hard at work making our school spaces inviting, the Culinary team have been preparing some new delights, the Transportation department has our buses in top condition, and the Staff are gearing up the classroom spaces.  It takes so many people to ensure that each and every student feels welcomed and engaged, but we have a dedicated group of individuals with a heart for every child. 

I am excited to welcome some new faces, and even some familiar ones in new places.  Cara Brekke will be joining Michelle Wyckoff at the front desk in the High School office, Mrs. Comstock will be adjusting to the new PreK-12 Principal position, and we have several new teachers and paraprofessionals.  Our Student Success Center (SSC) that began in January 2024 was very successful and we look forward to having Mrs. Steinmetz continuing to lead there, joined by Mrs. Christian and Mrs. Soiney who will be working with the ADSIS team from within the SSC.  Many thanks to our American Indian Education team of Mrs. Smith and Mrs. Grapentine for the beautiful mural they designed and painted, making the space even more inviting! 

One of our large projects this Summer that is nearing completion is the Football Field Turf and Track Resurfacing project.  It is currently on pace to be completed prior to the start of the school year.  It is exciting to see that area transform.  We will be able to make much better use of our outdoor space, no matter the weather.  We also will be spending significant time this year with various focus groups as we recognize and determine what the Warrior Way means to us on a daily basis and how it affects the experience of every person in the district. 

Financially we begin our year in a strong position.  We have been good stewards of the additional operating dollars that were approved in 2022. They have allowed us to follow through on promises to bring back some of the programs including some of our Dual Credit College courses such as Physics and Statistics.  We have also been able to slowly bring our fund balance closer to the 12-15% maintenance goal.  While not there yet, we are making steady progress to ensure strong financial accountability balanced with additional opportunities for our students. 

I am excited to see you all as the new year begins on Tuesday, September 3, 2024.  Let’s make it a great year together as Warriors! 

Sincerely,
Dr. Shawn W. Yates

The Warroad School District Special Education Department provides special education services to students from birth up until a student turns 22. Special education services fall under the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The purpose of special education is to provide a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) using specially designed instruction for students with disabilities.. Minnesota recognizes thirteen disability areas with specific qualification criteria for each. A student’s disability must significantly impact how a student accesses general education curriculum. 

As in any public school setting, the Warroad School District must provide students with disabilities access to an education. IDEA provides students equal opportunity stating that, “Disability is a natural part  of the human experience and in no way diminishes the right of individuals to participate in or contribute to society…”

The Special Education Department at Warroad Schools is committed to providing opportunities for students with disabilities to achieve their fullest potential by ensuring access to individualized instruction, support services, and inclusive educational environments. Our goal is to empower students to develop academic, social, and life skills that will enable them to succeed in school and beyond. We work closely with families, educators, and community partners to create a collaborative and supportive learning environment that respects and values the unique abilities and contributions of each student.

Back-to-School Tips:

• Relieve some of the back-to-school jitters by talking with your student about the opportunities of the upcoming year.

• Talk about your student’s feelings.

• Review your student’s Individualized Education Plan (IEP).

• Establish and start practicing morning and evening routines for the upcoming school year.

• Practice school skills at home.

• Attend the open house on August 28, 2024 from 3:00 - 6:00 pm. 

  
  

The 24-25 student council had their first meeting of the year and had an excellent turnout! They hosted an annual scavenger hunt, this year, adding a few new stops: Mayor Bob Marvin's home, Bloomin' Creations, Scoops, and the fountain. They also stopped at Doug's Supermarket. Each stop had a leadership theme where they delivered a flower to a stranger, enjoyed a cup of ice cream, carried out groceries, wrote a letter of appreciation, and made a wish. They then met as a team and were challenged to create a house out of random objects. The goal was to see which team could make the lightest house.

Student Success Center Goals:

• Establish and maintain Credit Recovery* for the district and increase the number of credits recovered to improve the graduation rate.

*Credit Recovery is extra work that a student is required to complete to earn credit for a class that was originally failed.

• Establish a welcoming environment to build relationships which foster student success.

• Provide the individual academic support needed by students seeking assistance for classroom success to reduce credit recovery needs.

This year, because of student needs, Summer School was expanded from just two weeks to a total of six weeks split into two sessions of three weeks each with the purpose of helping students fix academic gaps to be ready for the next school year.

For the upcoming school year, the Student Success Center has credit recovery assistance planned for 6:30 am - 7:30 am, Tuesday - Thursday each week and 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm, Monday - Thursday each week.. Additionally, the Student Success Center will be open throughout the school day for students needing academic support and/or an alternative location to work with the ultimate goal of preventing future credit recovery needs.

Catherine Steinmetz - Student Success Coordinator
catherine_steinmetz@warroadschools.org
218-386-6045

The Technology Department will begin Chromebook check-out during Open House on August 28th from 3-6pm in the High School Gym. For those of you who cannot make it during Open House, we will also have a window on August 29th from 8am -12pm. For those of you in Grades 7-12 who are opting in for a take-home device, the insurance fee is $40 and can be paid online in Infinite Campus. There are also 2 forms that need to be signed in Infinite Campus, those are the Policy 524 Acceptable Use and the Chromebook Rental Agreement. We strongly encourage you to fill these forms out ahead of time to speed up your visit during Open House.

Over the summer the Technology Department has been hard at work ensuring that we are ready to welcome back students in the fall. Some of our notable projects this summer include expanding Fiber internet to the NW Angle School, this is a huge upgrade over the old and slow DSL connection we had previously. We were actually the first client to receive fiber up in the Angle and it will positively impact our students ability to access the digital resources and curriculum they need. We were also able to upgrade the Robotics Lab computers thanks to a generous donation from Marvin. We will be installing 27 high end Dell computer towers that are specially designed for 3D Animation, AutoCad Drafting, and Video Production/Graphic Design. This will have a positive impact on our CTE program with Mr. Culleton for years to come, and will ensure our students graduate with the modern computer skills that colleges and or companies are looking for.

We would like to send out a reminder that should you need help accessing Infinite Campus or Schoology, please reach out to either the Elementary Office or High School office first. Otherwise, if you have any general questions about the Technology Department, you can reach out to the Technology Director, Andy Mesich, via email at andy_mesich@warroadschools.org.

Dear Students, Parents, and Community Members,

As summer winds down and the new school year approaches, I am filled with excitement for what lies ahead. We are nearing the completion of several key projects in our area, most notably the road construction and football field. Since my return to Warroad five years ago from Grand Forks and Minneapolis, this is the first major construction we’ve experienced. While it temporarily extends our daily commutes by a few minutes, the long-term benefits will be well worth it.

I am particularly enthusiastic about the new structure within our administrative team. I have immense confidence in Brita Comstock as our K-12 Principal, John Larson as Dean of Students, Mark Chamernick as Dean of Students and Athletic Director, and Brent Cole as Director of Transportation and Community Education. This exceptional team is poised to lead Warroad Public Schools towards continued improvement and enhance the educational experience for our students.

Lastly, I am excited about our teachers. We are in the process of hiring new educators and supporting our current staff through the new administrative structure. This will help address daily challenges such as attendance and phone usage, ensuring our teachers have the tools they need to educate our students the Warrior Way.

One more item to call out as informational piece. Over the last few years our administrative team, board members, and many others, helped get ISD 690 where we are today financially. This is not a piece that is eye catching or talked about much, but it probably one of the most important things. Especially as you start to hear and read updates on districts fighting to get out of a hole. These teams, and the work that they have been doing, has set us up to be able to focus on key issues within education. From providing elective courses to help students get new experiences to providing students with Chromebooks and ending with growing enrollment throughout WPS. All of these things, paired with the financial stability, is why I am excited for what lies ahead in ISD 690!

Best,

Blayke Nelson
Warroad School Board | Chairperson
510 Cedar Ave | Warroad, MN  56763
C: 218-452-0531 | www.warroad.k12.mn.us

Back row (left to right): Matt Schreiner, Blayke Nelson, Gus Booth
Front row (left to right): Cindy Drost, Laurie Thompson, Brenda Solar

ISD 690 School Board

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