Luverne School District student enrollment grows

Preliminary enrollment figures at Luverne Public Schools show an increase in the student body.
The district’s enrollment could grow by at least 50 students, according to information presented to Luverne School Board members during their regular monthly meeting Thursday, Aug. 25.
Those numbers could go up or down as the school doors open Sept. 6.
Luverne Elementary School has 40 new students registered for the 2016-17 school year, according to Elementary School Principal Stacy Gillette.
“Our net increase from last spring is about 20,” she said when contacted after the meeting.
“This is partially due to a smaller fifth grade moving to the middle school and a larger kindergarten class this year.”
Elementary staff is preparing for 102 kindergartners, a number that is up from the mid-70s average. Staff is also preparing for 107 fourth-graders.
“We’ve ordered more chairs,” Gillette told board members.
At the middle/high school, 38 new students have enrolled for the upcoming school year, an increase of 28 students.
“That number has already changed slightly today,” said Middle/High School Principal Ryan Johnson on Friday. “We will, of course, know specifics come Sept. 6.”
Six new teachers were welcomed to the district this week, filling all but one open instructor position. The part-time industrial arts instructor may go unfilled at least for the first semester, according to Johnson.
He estimated there was a 20-percent chance that an instructor agreement could be reached by Sept. 6 to teach the two industrial arts courses offered this fall.
If not, students who have enrolled in those courses would be assigned different options, Johnson said.
 
In other business, board members:
•Approved hiring six new paraprofessionals: Jessica Buntjer, Angela Sneller, Kairie Franken, Jill Arp, Ashley Monier and Christie Mounce.
•Accepted the resignations of paraprofessionals Jessica DeKam, Jacqueline Altman and Stacy Ommen and food service employee Gladys Siebenahler.
•Hired Jodi Nelson, assistant cross county coach; Greg Antoine, head girls’ tennis coach; and Phil Paquette, head boys’ hockey coach.
•Approved Josh Crabtree and Dan Serie as volunteer football coaches.