This Week at MGPS
Go Dragons!
Learning Center vs Study Hall or Resource Room
At McClusky-Goodrich Public School, we believe that every student can be successful, but not every student needs the same support to get there. Being student-centered means looking beyond labels and focusing on what each child needs to learn, grow, and feel successful at school.
Our Learning Center is one way we are putting that belief into action.
Students may use the Learning Center for additional instruction, small-group intervention, reteaching, extra practice, organization and study skills, or individualized academic support. Students with IEPs may also receive services within this space when appropriate and consistent with their individual plans.
Most importantly, the Learning Center reflects our commitment to being proactive rather than reactive. A student should not have to struggle for an extended period of time—or qualify for special education—before receiving additional help.
Through our Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS), we use student data, teacher observations, assessments, and progress monitoring to identify needs and provide support as early as possible. As students' needs change, their supports can change too.
By asking, “What does this student need to be successful, and how can we provide it?”
That is the heart of our Learning Center and the direction we continue to move as a district: removing barriers, responding to individual needs, and ensuring that every Dragon has opportunities to grow and succeed.
We have two teachers that teach the Learning Center model this year: Mrs. Jones and Mrs. Neff.
Attendance Matters Month
We know that one of the simplest and most powerful ways we can support student success is by helping our students be at school, on time, and ready to learn each day.
Attendance is about much more than a number on a report. Every day at school is an opportunity for students to build relationships, develop confidence, practice new skills, participate in experiences, and feel connected to their school community. When students miss school, they don't just miss assignments—they miss conversations, instruction, friendships, routines, and moments that are difficult to recreate.
We also understand that life happens. Children get sick, appointments are necessary, and families face circumstances beyond their control. Attendance Awareness Month isn't about making families feel guilty. It's about recognizing the important partnership between school, students, and families and working together when attendance becomes a challenge.
As a district, we want families to know that we are here to help. If there are barriers making it difficult for your child to attend school consistently, please reach out. Sometimes a conversation is the first step toward finding a solution.
Because when our Dragons are here, they belong, they connect, they learn, and they grow. 🧡 Every student. Every day. Every opportunity.
Suicide Prevention Month
Schools can bring exciting moments, but it can also bring stress, challenges, and times when things feel overwhelming. We want every student to know that you never have to face a difficult moment alone.
The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline provides free, confidential support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Students can call, text, or chat 988 to connect with a trained crisis counselor who will listen and provide support.
We also encourage students to reach out to a trusted adult—a parent or caregiver, teacher, counselor, coach, administrator, or another adult they trust.
At MGPS, we want every Dragon to hear this message clearly: You matter. You belong. Asking for help is a sign of strength. 💜
Growing Together: Learning From Our Own Experts
Some of the most meaningful professional development comes from the expertise already within our own school. By relying on our staff to teach and support one another, we recognize their strengths, build collaboration, and create learning that is directly connected to the students we serve every day.
On August 28, our in-house special education team, Mrs. Neff and Ms. Sease, provided professional development for staff focused on Individualized Education Programs (IEPs). They reviewed what an IEP is, how to interpret the forms and understand each student's plan, where general education teachers can locate important information regarding accommodations and modifications, and how the special education team will communicate and collaborate with staff, students, and families throughout the year.
In addition to learning more about IEPs, we also utilized the expertise of Mr. Williams and Mrs. Andrea Lauer to provide additional staff training on Infinite Campus, our new student information system. They worked directly with staff to answer questions about entering grades, weighting assignments, navigating the system, and even going back to the basics of, “How do I get into this new system?” As we continue learning and adjusting to Infinite Campus, having knowledgeable colleagues available to provide hands-on support has been invaluable. Their willingness to share their time and expertise reminds us that professional growth doesn’t always require bringing someone in from the outside—sometimes our greatest resources are the people working right beside us.
When we learn from one another, we strengthen our entire team—and ultimately provide better support for every student.
COMET Training
On Friday 9/11/26, Lea Mittleider our Sheridan County Extension Agent arranged for training from Adriana Drusini, NDSU Extension Program Coordinator - Farm and Ranch Stress on COMET Training.
COMET stands for Changing Our Mental and Emotional Trajectory. It is a short, interactive mental-health training designed to help everyday people recognize when someone may be struggling and feel more comfortable starting a supportive conversation.
COMET was originally developed with rural community members and mental-health professionals. Rather than expecting participants to become counselors or “fix” someone's problems, the training teaches them how to notice concerns, listen, have a meaningful conversation, and help connect someone with appropriate support when needed.
Mountains, Valleys, and a Whole Lot of Play Dough
Third grade has turned into a geography workshop. With play dough in hand, our young geographers are shaping mountains, carving rivers, and pressing out lakes and valleys of their own design. Along the way, they're discovering how these natural features give a place its character, and they're wrestling with a big idea: what it really means for land to rise above — or dip below — sea level. Hands-on, a little messy, and exactly the kind of learning that sticks.
Big Dragons, Little Dragons!
Our high school students headed down to the elementary building this week to mentor our first graders and our 4th/5th grade class. Mentoring is one of the quietest but most powerful things we do in a small school. Younger students get a role model who feels close enough to imagine becoming, and older students discover that someone is watching, learning, and looking up to them. Those few minutes together build patience, confidence, and a sense of belonging that carries far beyond the classroom.
A Gift That Keeps the Beat!
Last month, our music teacher, Mrs. Lacsina, posted a project on Donors Choose requesting rhythm instruments for our elementary music classes, along with percussion sticks and mallets for our high school band. We're happy to share that the project was fully funded a few weeks ago, and many items have already arrived at school.
A sincere thank you to the donors who made it possible, including one of our own community members, Mrs. Donna Lipp, and the Young Sheldon School Initiative from New York. Students have already started putting the new instruments to use in class, and they have been a wonderful addition to our music program.
100 Years Under This Roof!
This month marks 100 years since this part of our school first opened its doors. A century of students has walked these halls — learning, laughing, and growing up within these same walls. The desks and the technology have changed many times over, but the purpose of this building has not: it has always been a place where our community's children are cared for and challenged.
It feels fitting that the building reaches its 100th birthday just as we replace its windows. New glass in century-old walls is a good picture of what we try to do here — honor what was built for us, and keep it ready for the students still to come. Happy 100th birthday to a building that has held a hundred years of our stories.
A Fresh Start for First Grade.
After water damage from a roof leak last summer, we are excited to say that reconstruction inside our elementary building is finally complete! Mrs. Swanson and her first graders showed incredible flexibility, beginning the school year while their classroom was still under construction.
The wait was worth it! Her classroom now features beautiful magnetic dry-erase boards stretching from one end of the room to the other, completely transforming the learning space. It is brighter, more functional, and gives our youngest Dragons even more room to learn, create, collaborate, and grow. Sometimes an unexpected challenge leads to an incredible improvement!
Bringing Independence, One Cubby at a Time.
As our 4th and 5th graders transition to a departmentalized structure, switching classrooms after lunch, they needed a space to keep their materials organized and ready to go. These new cubbies are about more than storage—they're helping students build organization, responsibility, and preparedness as they take another step toward transitioning to the high school building.
A huge THANK YOU to our amazing custodian, Kody, and Mr. Houser for building these cubbies for our students!
