Dear Northfield Public Schools Families:

We are into the final stretch of the school year! Thanks, as always, for your partnership and support.

At the board meeting last week, Wold Architects and Engineers presented a substantial update about the Reimagine Northfield High School project. Sal Bagely, the project’s principal architect, reported the work of the core planning team and activities subcommittee. The presentation explained the evolution of the floor plans from conceptual to more substantial. While the designs are in process and only “on paper” right now, there is a more discernible floor plan.

• You can view the presentation slide deck here.

• You can watch Ms. Bagley’s presentation to the board here.

• You can listen to this recap by KYMN radio’s Logan Wells here.

Right now, the team from Wold is working on numerous fronts. They are meeting with user groups for input. User groups are representatives of the people who most often use the spaces. A team from the district and Wold met with Xcel Energy’s energy design assistance team last week, focusing on how to make the facility as energy efficient as possible. Soil borings and a traffic study are also being completed.

You can continue to get updates about the Reimagine Northfield High School project on our website. Again, thank you to the voters who overwhelmingly approved these projects.

As always, please contact me with any questions or feedback about the district.

Sincerely,

Matt

--

Matt Hillmann, Ed.D.

Superintendent

mhillmann@northfieldschools.org | 507-663-0629

The district’s annual parent satisfaction survey was conducted in February 2025, and showed a third consecutive year of improvement. Here are the survey highlights:

• There were 457 respondents, down from 690 respondents in 2024.

• The overall rating is 4.10, an increase over last year’s 4.05 overall rating.

• There was an improvement in the Likert scale score for 13 of the 15 indicators.

• The organizational net promoter score increased to 43.27, up from 37.52 in 2023-24.

• The site level net promoter score increased to 42.5, up from 36.40 in 2023-24.

• There was an improvement in the “Top 2 Box” score. The “Top 2 Box” score is the sum of those who responded “Agreed” and “Strongly Agreed” to each indicator. It improved to 79.31% from 78.05% across the 15 indicators.

• The greatest strengths as indicated in the survey results are listed below.

• “I am treated with respect at this school.” Score: 4.38 (up 0.04 from the previous year’s survey), Top 2 Box: 89.20%

• “I believe my child has the necessary classroom supplies and equipment for effective learning.” Score: 4.32 (up 0.09 from the previous year’s survey), Top 2 Box: 89.23%

• The greatest opportunities for growth as indicated in the survey results are listed below.

• “I receive positive phone calls, emails, or notes about my child from school.” Score: 3.40 (down 0.02 from the previous year’s survey), Top 2 Box: 52.64%

• “I regularly receive feedback from school staff on how well my child is learning.” Score: 3.44 (down 0.01 from the previous year’s survey), Top 2 Box: 52.97%

You can view the district report here.

A collaborative effort between the Northfield Chamber, Workforce Development, Inc., Northfield High School, and numerous community partners culminated in a successful Work Readiness Fair held on Tuesday, May 6. The event brought local businesses directly to NHS students to discuss summer job opportunities, future career paths, and essential "soft skills." The event aimed to connect students with potential employers and provide valuable insights into the world of work. The fair focused on employment options for 16 and 17-year-old high schoolers in the area, and discussed those employability skills that make all the difference in job applications, interviews, and performance.

The event facilitated crucial conversations around topics such as:

• Effective job application strategies
• Successful interview techniques
• Essential workplace skills (e.g., communication, teamwork, problem-solving)
• Expectations of employers

The Work Readiness Fair proved to be a valuable experience for both students and employers, fostering stronger connections between the school and the wider Northfield business community.

Northfield’s annual Memorial Day program will take place at Memorial Field at 9:00 a.m. In the case of inclement weather, the event will be held at St. Olaf’s Skoglund Auditorium.

There will be no school Monday, May 26 in observance of Memorial Day. School will resume on Tuesday, May 27.

The school board meeting will be held on May 27 instead of May 26 due to the holiday. The meeting will begin at 6:00 p.m. and will be held in the district office board room.

The Northfield School District will host a Juneteenth event on Thursday, June 19 from 11:30-1:30 at the Northfield High School auditorium. Here are the event details:

• Date: Thursday, June 19, 2025, 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
• Location: Northfield High School auditorium
• Guest Speaker: Minnesota Department of Agriculture Assistant Commissioner Patrice Bailey
• Lunch to follow
• This event is free and open to the public. This event is paid for by grants and private donations.