Viking Newsletter

September 2024

In this issue

New Year, New Milestones - Supt. Sara Paul
Let’s hear it for Vince!
Spreading that Viking spirit

Supporting Viking Vittles
Save the date: Joe Beckman free program!
NBAPS at MSBA
Announcements
Ella reaches 2,000 points
Community Ed - Jan./Feb. Highlights
Generosity from our Viking Community

New Year, New Milestones

Dear Families,

Welcome to the latest edition of our Viking Newsletter! As we kick off the new year, we're excited to share the incredible achievements, community spirit, and opportunities shaping North Branch Area Public Schools (NBAPS).

This month, we celebrate Vince Crudo, the first student in North Branch Area High School history to complete the Ford Ace Program, preparing him for a future as an automotive technician. We also applaud senior Ella Kuhlman, who reached an incredible milestone by scoring 2,000 career points in basketball. These accomplishments are two examples of the the dedication and perseverance of our students.

As the City of North Branch continues to approve new housing developments, we’re excited to welcome new families to our schools. Some people may wonder if our current school facilities can handle the upcoming increase in student enrollment. I am pleased to share that NBAPS is prepared for this growth. In the past, NBAPS served 3,850 students. Over time, enrollment steadily declined, hitting an enrollment low point of 2,500 students in 2019. However, since then, we’ve reversed the trend of declining enrollment, and we now serve approximately 2,700 students. As our Viking communities grow, we have room in our facilities to grow. We are assessing our current building capacity to identify potential shifts needed to accommodate our growing enrollment. This proactive planning ensures we continue to provide safe, innovative, and supportive learning environments for all.

We have some great community events coming up, and we invite you to join us for an inspiring event with Joe Beckman on February 20 from 6–7:15 p.m. Joe’s message of building self-worth, resilience, and meaningful connections promises to leave a lasting impact. Don’t miss this opportunity to prioritize human connection and strengthen our Viking community!

Thank you for your ongoing partnership. Together, as families, staff, and students, we’re building a thriving and connected Viking community, one milestone at a time.

SKOL! Vikings!

Sara Paul

Superintendent

spaul@isd138.org

Viking Pride

Let’s hear it for Vince!

Staff from NBAPS and Anderson Koch Ford came together Wednesday afternoon to celebrate student Vince Crudo (center in blue/green hoodie), who recently completed the Ford Ace Program. The Ace Program consists of 16 online training modules that prepare students to become an automotive technician. Vince is the first student in NBAHS history to complete the program, and he did it in a record time of only one semester!

Spreading that Viking spirit

The North Branch Educational Center received two new murals over winter break. The helmet logo is located in the cafeteria. The horn tips are over 11’ off the floor! The Viking “V” is located just inside the front door. Middle school art teacher, Lee Ann Falen, completed the murals and is pictured for scale along with her granddaughters, Reyna and Veyda. See more photos here.

Supporting Viking Vittles

In November, the NBAMS Student Council sponsored a food drive in support of Viking Vittles. The results were amazing! The total number of food items teams collected surpassed 1000! Each item was used to stock the NBAMS Viking Vittles Care Closet. These items are sent home with students whose families have requested assistance. This successful food drive has provided numerous weeks worth of food to middle school families in need. You can learn more about Viking Vittles here.

Save the date!

All are invited to join NBAPS for a FREE fun and inspiring talk about building self-worth, resilience, confidence, joy, and strong connections. Joe Beckman brought his message to students, now it's your turn! Thursday, Feb. 20, 6 - 7:15 p.m. See flier above for more details.

It was amazing to see NBAPS staff and students taking center stage at the Minnesota School Boards Association's (MSBA) annual conference!

Left: Viking Students lead learning at the MSBA Conference - discussing the district's new cell phone policy and implementation. Participating students included Blake Hunter, Shakarah Jackson, Logan Hammel, Austin Stemler, and Nora Toussaint.

Center: The NBAHS Air Force JROTC presented the colors for the opening ceremony at the Minnesota School Boards Association annual conference.

Right: NBAPS staff shared their stories on the "power of partnership" and their experiences with Viking Teacher Registered Apprenticeships. Through registered apprenticeships, NBAPS is doing its part to address future teacher shortages and providing staff opportunities to "earn while they learn." To see a video about this program, click here!

Announcements

Attention Parents of Incoming Kindergartners!

Join us for Kindergarten Parent Information Night at North Branch Area Education Center!

Date: Tuesday, February 4

Time: 6 – 7:30 PM

Location: 38705 Grand Ave, North Branch, MN

Come learn about our kindergarten program and all it has to offer your child. Plus, child care will be available!

It's Restaurant Week!

Next week is NBAEF's Restaurant Week! Visit restaurants on the days listed on the flier and a portion of the cost will be donated to the North Branch Area Education Foundation. See the flier for details specific to each restaurant and thanks to the restaurants and the NBAEF!

Join us for a Patron Tour

Interested in attending NBAPS' Friday, Feb. 14 Patron Tour? Patron Tours start at 7:45 a.m. and end at 12:30 p.m. Guests enjoy refreshments in the morning, tour every site in the district, and finish the half day with a lunch provided by high school ProStart students. In between guests visit classrooms and talk with staff, students, and leadership. It's a great way to learn more about NBAPS from early childhood all the way through high school! To attend, contact Pat Tepoorten at 651-674-1018 or ptepoorten@isd138.org.

Apply for educational benefits

The 2024-25 Application for Educational benefits is now available here or through your WordWare lunch account. Benefits to qualifying families include discounts on activities and more.

Get the App!

Stay up-to-date with access to district and North Branch Area Early Learning events, documents, news from administrators, student stories, and even emergency notifications. You can download the app for free on Google Play or Apple App Store.

Android: https://bit.ly/3phcIA7

iPhone: https://apple.co/3p6NNPA

More news

Ella reaches 2,000 points

SKOL! and congratulations to senior Ella Kuhlman - she scored her 2000th career point in a 56-55 win over Zimmerman on Thursday night. She scored a career high 39 points in the game and for the second time in a week broke North Branch's single game scoring record (34 pts at Grand Rapids on 1/4, 39 pts at Zimmerman on 1/9).

Community Ed - Jan./Feb. Highlights

North Branch Area Community Education has so many wonderful things happening this winter, from learning the sport of BMX to walking club and cooking classes. Check it out!

Generosity from our Viking Community

SKOL! and thanks to members of the NB American Legion Auxiliary who delivered donated school supplies to the Middle School earlier this week!

About North Branch Area Public Schools

Email: ptepoorten@isd138.org
Website: www.isd138.org
Location: 38705 Grand Avenue, North Branch, MN, USA
Phone: (651) 674-1000
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nbapschools
Twitter: @nbapschools