A new semester brings a fresh new start during the doldrums of this frigid winter: new classes, fresh grades, and another opportunity for academic success. One of the most consistent ways to ensure academic success is through regular school attendance.

At Pierz Schools, regular school attendance is considered one of our highest priorities. Research has proven that regular school attendance is a necessary component and a strong indicator of success both in school and in future work endeavors. As parents, you can set your children up for a lifetime of success by making regular attendance a priority. We strive to partner with parents to ensure students attend school.

While of the utmost importance for both schools, the attendance policies for each school vary slightly. Click for the full article and information on attendance policies in both schools.

At Healy High School, students are allowed up to 10 absences per semester. All absences meeting the “exceptions” criteria listed below will not be counted toward the 10 allowed absences. Absences beyond 10 will all be considered unexcused, and therefore counted towards truancy. The only absences that are not counted towards this policy are absences that are excused:

1. School Sponsored Activity
2. Court Appearance
3. Illness accompanied by doctor's written validation. Physicians' excuse for absence must be provided to the high school office within 3 days of returning from an absence or they will not be honored.
4. College Visits pre-approved by the School Administration. Pre-approved visits are limited to two (2) per semester for high school students.
5. Religious activities pre-approved by the School Administration
6. School meetings with a counselor, principal, or other school staff that is approved by the Principal
7. Funeral

At Pioneer Elementary, any absence that is beyond 15 days in a school year will be considered unexcused. After 7 unexcused absences, students are considered 'habitually truant' by state statute and the school is required to report to Morrison County for ‘educational neglect’. Exceptions to this include: 

1. Absence accompanied by a physician’s note stating the child could not be in attendance because of injury, illness, or surgical procedure. (Notes from physician or dentist appointments, not illness, will be considered parent excused and will not be an exception.)
2. Absence because the school nurse has sent a child home because of illness or injury
3. Absence because of a funeral 
4. School sponsored activity
5. Court appearance
6. Religious activities pre-approved by School Administration

The average Pioneer Elementary student attends 95% of the scheduled school days, and misses less than 8.5 days of school per year!

Building Strong Foundations

Each school day offers valuable opportunities for learning, growth, and connection. Missing even a single day can mean lost opportunities to grasp new concepts, participate in discussions, and build relationships with teachers and peers. Studies show that students who attend school consistently in their early years are more likely to develop strong foundational skills in reading, math, and critical thinking.

Setting the Stage for Future Success

Attendance habits formed during childhood often carry over into adulthood. Students who attend school regularly are more likely to graduate, pursue higher education, and succeed in the workforce. Conversely, chronic absenteeism can significantly hinder a student’s progress and confidence.

Fostering Social Connections

School is not just a place for academics; it’s also where children develop important social and emotional skills. Regular attendance helps students build friendships, collaborate on projects, and learn how to navigate social dynamics—all essential skills for life beyond the classroom.

How You Can Help

Here are some tips to support your child’s attendance:

1. Set a routine: establish a consistent bedtime and morning schedule to ensure your child gets enough rest and arrives at school on time.
2. Take phones out of the bedroom. Keep your child’s phones and devices in an office or other designated space where their sleep won’t be interrupted, and they won’t be tempted to go online.
3. Communicate the importance of attendance: talk to your child about why attending school is essential for their future.
4. Plan Ahead: schedule appointments and family trips outside of school hours whenever possible.
5. Monitor attendance: keep track of your child’s attendance and address any patterns of absenteeism early. Get to know Synergy ParentVUE!
6. Seek Support: if your child is facing challenges that make attending school difficult, reach out to their teacher, school counselor, or principal. We’re here to help!

Together, we can ensure that every student attending Pierz Schools has the opportunity to thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. Let’s continue to make this school year one of growth, learning, and achievement. Thank you for your partnership in making regular school attendance a priority.

Parents and Caregivers,

Thank you for all you do.  Our community and our schools are blessed that we have a  place where so many people (parents, grandparents, friends, community members, and school staff) provide guidance, love, and support for children. Guiding children provides both the most rewarding role in life and also the most challenging.  

Our Schools have taken a bold step to do what we know is best for children, by developing a plan to alleviate the ongoing stressors of

• overwhelming bombardment of pressured expectations from real and fake companies from all over the world,

• the thundercloud of chatter that hangs over the heads of everyone on social media, 

• the pressure to broadcast what might be cool, to respond to all the other broadcasts, and to beat others to whatever the story is, whether it is real or fake.

• being included on other’s social media posts during the school day, whether they approved or had no idea their photo was being shared to the world.

All of these, and many more, add up to a weight that teenagers now have to carry around, that for centuries, teens in their developmental years across our planet did not have to bear.

We now have mountains of evidence that this new burden our society has added to the lives of young people is absolutely correlated to greater anxiety, stress, inability to focus, poor retention, and a host of other negative consequences.  And the fact is, with the exception of a few who monitor a medical condition, most all of us, and certainly children, do not really need it.

We are asking for your support in making this social behavior change for your children, knowing that as parents, and school staff, we will likely be challenged by children who do not want to do it.  Undoubtedly, many teens do not believe we really will follow through.  Some teens have spent so much time interacting with the addicting algorithms the companies sell, that right now they do not know how they can make it seven hours without it.

This is one of those moments where if we partner in doing this well, we can look back years from now and realize it was one of the best decisions we made for children.  For some, it will be hard.  But to some degree, that also shows why it is necessary. It should not be difficult to set a device down for seven hours and live life with humanity. 

We believe that if our students are allowed the chance, they will learn how to interact and spend their school day learning. You are about to give your child a better school experience.  It might take a month, six months, a year before your child feels it or believes you, but it almost certainly will turn out that way if we stick with it.

Sincerely, 

George Weber, Superintendent 

As you may know, Minnesota students take the Minnesota Comprehension Assessments (MCAs) to determine if they are on track in their education, identify areas to improve learning and instruction, and give the state as well as the nation an indicator of comprehension and competency among elementary and high school students.

Pioneer Elementary and Healy High School received the results of those tests earlier this year, and once again we are celebrating the success of our staff and students. Pierz Schools take great pride in many things, but in particular our passion and commitment to student success in the most critical foundational skills of Reading and Mathematics.

The test results show the percentage of students who proved they have tested as ‘Proficient’ in all of the standards for each grade level; meaning, they have learned and understand the grade level material being taught to them. Every student in Grades 3-8 across the state takes a Reading test and Math test. There is an additional test for 10th Grade Reading and 11th Grade Mathematics

The chart above compares Pioneer Elementary with the state data (all elementary schools in Minnesota) in math, showing the state average is 49.98% proficiency in math. Simply put: about 50% of all elementary students testing in math MCAs were proficient or higher on the math standards. To be clear, that is not meant to mean only 50% “passed”. Passing is a lower score than showing proficiency. To some degree, one could say that testing at proficient means you can perform most all of the standards. 

Compare the state average of 49.98% with the average for Pierz, which is 79.27% performing at proficient or better. This means about 80% of the students who attend Pioneer Elementary School showed they were proficient in math. Again, many of those were much higher than proficient, but about 80% were at least that.

That is an astounding difference and an amazing accomplishment. In these types of comparisons, a 5% difference is pretty significant, especially when large numbers of students are being counted in the data. Additionally, looking at the data it’s clear that schools in our region are fairly consistent in the 40 to 50% proficiency range.

Chart key: 

Pierz Pioneer Elementary School results compared to elementary students grouped three different ways.  

1) State – all elementary students in Minnesota

2) County – all elementary students from the four other districts in Morrison County

3) Bordering Pierz – all elementary students from the seven different districts that border Pierz School District.

We then made that same comparison with all the grade 7-11 students in Pierz vs. state and schools in Morrison County and those schools bordering Pierz school district. Then we made the same comparisons when we combined grades into the whole district.

It should be noted that when we compare Pierz to Minnesota, we are using a very high standard: Minnesota students score among the highest in our nation. And yes, Pierz outshines even that high standard.

We consider these results one of, if not the most important indicator of school success.  We understand that in many cases, teachers face challenges in terms of taking a new group of students and getting them to be motivated to learn these challenging concepts.  We understand that children come in with various challenges that can sometimes make it hard to focus, complete their work, or embrace the positive and caring attitude that is a key part of learning. But we also believe in our hearts that leading children to achieve these results is not only possible, but in a way that reaches each child’s specific needs and learning styles. We are blessed to have assembled an amazing group of teachers, paras, and principals who operate from a culture of ‘above-and-beyond’ effort and confidence that ensures success, year-over-year for our extraordinary students and families. 

Each year, the U.S. Department of Education works with state departments of education to identify and nominate outstanding schools for this coveted award based on student academic achievement measures and progress toward closing achievement gaps. Through a rigorous review process, the U.S. Department of Education awards several hundred outstanding schools annually, to celebrate their achievement. This prestigious award serves not only as a symbol of exemplary American schools, but also as inspiration for schools across the nation. It affirms the hard work of students, educators, families, and communities in creating safe and welcoming schools where students thrive.

The National Blue Ribbon School Award is the highest Academic Award in our Nation. The Schools that are selected have to be in one of two categories.

1. Achievement Gap – Some schools get selected because they have done amazing work at Closing Achievement Gaps for certain groups of students.
2. Exemplary High Performing – Other Schools get selected because they have demonstrated Exemplary High Performance for the entire school.

Pioneer Elementary School was selected in the category of High Performing Schools. Meaning, we have the highest achieving students (the top 15%) in English and mathematics as measured by state assessments. See the full address from Secretary Cardona and learn more about the National Blue Ribbon Schools Award.

“While awardee schools represent the diverse fabric of American schools, they share some core elements. National Blue Ribbon School leaders not only articulate a vision of excellence and hold everyone to high standards, but they also stay close to the real action of teaching and learning. Faculty are valued and supported through meaningful professional learning and opportunities to work as colleagues and peer supporters. Data from many sources drive instruction and student support services to ensure every student is set up to succeed. Families, communities, and educators work together toward common goals.” —U.S. Department of Education

We are thrilled to welcome the newest members to the Pierz Pioneer family! Be sure to give them a warm Pierz welcome when you see them at Open House night (Monday, August 26) and throughout the year!

Elementary and High Schools selected as High Reliability Schools Model Site 

Pierz Pioneer Elementary School and Pierz Healy High School announced today that they have been awarded, and accepted, the designation of  a High Reliability Schools (HRS) Model Site.

As part of the nationally-recognized Marzano Institute for Effective Schools’ HRS Framework that helps schools focus on specific, research-based conditions for continuous school improvement, the designation of a High Reliability Model Site lifts up  schools that have the capacity to produce consistently high achievement results with students year after year.  

Pierz has been on a journey with HRS for more than five years, working with nationally-recognized educational leaders to develop its own internal set of teams, structure, and consistent checking of outcomes in order to be considered as a Model Site.  It is an ongoing process to evolve through the five levels HRS identifies and schools are constantly tracking outcomes and making any needed adjustments.  

The five levels that the Marzano model examines include:

1. Safe and Supportive Collaborative Culture

2. Highly Effective Teaching 

3. Guaranteed and Viable Curriculum

4. Standards Referenced Reporting

5. Competency Based Education

“It takes sustained and committed leadership at every level of a school to create the conditions for all students to succeed,” said Kassidy Rice, Sourcewell’s senior director of education solutions. “Today, we celebrate Pierz for their dedication to implementing the HRS framework, while setting a benchmark for schools as a Model Site.”

Being selected as a Model Site will allow Pierz to access national experts in these areas who will work directly with staff.  It means other schools will visit Pierz to learn and see what is working well.  It also means Pierz will build relationships with other highly effective schools who are achieving amazing results.

Pierz Superintendent George Weber added: 

“We, at Pierz Schools, are very blessed to have enough stability, consistency, and hard-working positive people throughout our system to allow these components to provide the building blocks of our students’ educational experiences.

• Consistently high success requires teachers and other staff to master and implement skills and approaches that meet the various learners in a way that creates the best learning day and builds learning throughout the school year.

• It requires parents and students to support their teachers and their school and navigate the expectations and standards as children develop.

• It demands united leadership over time, where School Board, Administration and Teacher Leaders stay the course and hold to our core mission.”

Hello Pioneer Elementary Families, 

As we’ve turned the page to a new year and a new semester, we have a myriad of things happening at Pioneer Elementary. This is the time of year that we look to maximize student learning. Routines are in place and better than ever. Students have built strong relationships with their teachers and classmates. Teachers are poised and ready to prepare our students for the end-of-year achievement goals and assessments. The upcoming end-of-year assessments are ones we celebrate as we have consistently outpaced our regional peers in all areas. We have top-notch students here at Pioneer and it shows in all that they do! Here are a few highlights of what we’ve been up to this year and more importantly, where we are headed.

Leaning into Literacy

Literacy, which includes all things reading and writing, has been our focus at Pioneer. Teachers have worked tirelessly on early-out and in-service days to hone our instruction around reading and enhance our techniques with students. This year, we have been particularly focused on the area of building vocabulary and background knowledge. Having a solid foundation in words and their meanings is critical to understanding what we read. For example, if you’ve never heard of the game of Cricket, it makes reading a text about it extremely difficult. However, a text around a more familiar topic, such as farming or wintery weather, becomes exponentially easier. 

In the world of reading, the saying “Knowledge Matters” holds true and it’s built through science, social studies, and music as well as the everyday experiences we share with our children. 

One particular focus of training this fall and again last week with Mary Jorhal, literacy consultant from Sourcewell, was on oral language and the “big, bold audacious” words we speak with students. So…don’t be surprised if your student comes home asking you if your day was “delightful” today or if the weather is going to be “horrendous’ tomorrow!

READ Act

There’s been a fair amount of new legislation this year and of particular importance to Pioneer is the READ Act. Within this act are guidelines for teacher training as well as curriculum selection that will help students gain the skills to read and comprehend. Not surprisingly, many of our teachers have already taken or are in the process of taking this training. The training, LETRS, has already become instrumental in our instructional planning and a turning point for many teachers in their classrooms. We look forward to rolling out the READ act within Pioneer and are thrilled to announce we already have many of the portions of the act already in place!

One-of-a-Kind

As you walk the halls of Pioneer, you will not find a more caring and dedicated group of people working with students. From the playground to the classroom, students are learning to navigate their world, find their passions, and build positive relationships that will impact them for a lifetime. We are definitely ONE-OF-A-KIND and we thank you for entrusting your children and their learning to us!

Mr. Tom Otte, Principal

Ms. Wendy Becker, Assistant Principal

Happy New Year Pierz Families!

We welcome our students back this week recharged and ready to finish out the last week or so of our first semester. We thank all of you for your continued communication and partnership in helping Healy to be a thriving learning environment for all of our students.  

Our 2023-24 Focus

We have had two main areas of focus this year in our school: Literacy and PRIDE. Our teachers have been engaging in professional learning around literacy and have been implementing strategies in their classrooms to both engage students at a higher level and to give students the skills they need to learn well wherever they are, whether it be reading a blueprint, analyzing a piece of art, or solving a complex problem.

PRIDE, our other big focus, stands for Perseverance, Respect, Integrity, Discipline(self), and Empathy. We believe these skills will help our students to be successful in their lives in and beyond school, especially in their work, career, and relationships. Our teachers and staff have been asked to embed learning around these virtues, as well as opportunities to reflect on and use these skills in their classrooms.  

Great Things We’re Seeing

Students excelling in arts, academics, and activities.  

Our bands and choirs have had several concerts already this year. The groups have been working very hard and put on excellent performances. Thank you to all the families who have attended to support our students. It is meaningful when the community supports our students’ efforts. Our visual art students have been producing beautiful pieces of art both for class to meet standards and as a way to celebrate holidays. Notably, all students K-12 were a part of a flag project for Veterans’ Day and our 7-12 art students produced ornaments to hang in the hallway for our most recent 9-12 music concert.  

Academically, our students have been working hard to continue the legacy of academic excellence here at Healy. We have a significant number of students participating in concurrent CLC and PSEO classes to earn college credit. All 10th-grade students participated in the PreACT in November. We are so proud of the work that all of our students have put forth this semester to continue to learn and grow in their classes.

So many of our students have been participating in athletics and activities in our school. From football to basketball to gymnastics, FFA, and Spanish Club—our students are challenging themselves to learn, work with others, compete, and pursue activities they enjoy.

Growing our Partnership

Personal Devices

Our school policy this year is that students are to keep their phones and other personal electronic devices in their lockers. Overall, we feel this has been successful so far, with teachers reporting that students are more focused in class. We continue to ask for your partnership in teaching our students the importance and responsibilities of digital citizenship.

As we partner in working with children, we ask that you communicate with our teachers if you have questions or concerns about a specific class. They are committed to helping all students.

Thank you for all that you do and for the support you provide our students and our schools!

—Beth Cooper, 10-12 Principal and Corey Egan, 7-9 Principal

Minnesota Community Education Association Celebrates Regional Champions

[Brooklyn Park, Minnesota] – [October 26, 2023] – The Minnesota Community Education Association (MCEA) is proud to announce the honorees of the Regional Community Educator of Excellence Awards for this year. These awards recognize the outstanding contributions made by dedicated individuals across the state who have demonstrated exceptional commitment to their communities, the field of community education, and the pursuit of collective learning.

Each year, MCEA recognizes the outstanding work of community educators who go above and beyond to make a positive impact on their local communities. These individuals are the unsung heroes who, through their dedication and tireless efforts, enhance the lives of community members by providing valuable education and resources.

This year, we are thrilled to extend our heartfelt recognition to the Regional Community Educator of Excellence Award Recipients, who have displayed unwavering dedication in their service to their communities and have been instrumental in advancing the cause of collective learning.

The Regional Community Educator of Excellence Award is a testament to the remarkable work carried out by educators who have not only excelled in their roles but have also made a profound difference in the lives of those they serve.

As the Minnesota Community Education Association, we are committed to supporting, promoting, and celebrating the community education field. The recipients of these awards embody the values and dedication that make community education such a vital part of our society.

We were proud to announce and present the award winners at our Annual MCEA Statewide Conference on Thursday, October 26th in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota. Their stories and achievements inspired others to continue striving for excellence in community education.

For more information about the Minnesota Community Education Association and the Regional Community Educator of Excellence Awards, please visit https://mn-mcea.org/awards-and-recognitions/

About the Minnesota Community Education Association: The Minnesota Community Education Association (MCEA) is dedicated to supporting, promoting, and advocating for community education in the state of Minnesota. MCEA serves as a resource for community education professionals and strives to enhance the quality and availability of lifelong learning opportunities for all Minnesotans.

Congratulations to the following 2023 Minnesota Community Education Association Regional Community Educator of Excellence Award recipients.  

Region 1 Jennifer Lawhead - Austin Community Education

Community Education Director Austin Community Education

Region 2- Crystal Fleck - New Ulm Community Education

Program coordinator New Ulm Community Education.

Region 3 - Emily Watts - Osseo Area Community Education

Adult Basic Education Program Coordinator at Osseo Area Schools

Region 4 - Jenny Nagy - Prior Lake-Savage Area Community Education

Adult and Community Engagement Coordinator at Prior Lake-Savage Area Schools. 

Region 5 - Laurie Thrush - Hastings Community Education

Hastings Senior Center & AWD Coordinator.

Region 6 - Stephen Keeler - Fridley Community Education

Community Education Director - Fridley Public Schools

Region 7 - Tricia Jessen - Bemidji Community Education

School Age Child Care Facilitator at Bemidji Area Schools Community Education.

Region 8 - Kristal Berg - Proctor/Hermantown

Director of Community Education for both Proctor Public Schools and Hermantown Community Schools.

Region 9 Sarah Funk - Pierz

Director of Community Education at Pierz Schools.  

Media Contact: 

[Matt Dickhausen] 

[Executive Director]

[MN Community Education Association] 

[320-455-2407}]

[mdickhausen@mn-mcea.org]