⏰ Reading time: Three minutes, 31 seconds

Dear Northfield School District Families:

On April 20, Northfield Middle School will serve as host for a free heart screening event for young adults aged 14-24. The event is sponsored by the Patrick Schoonover Heart Foundation, more commonly known as “Play for Patrick.”

According to its website, “Play for Patrick” was created to “honor & remember Patrick Schoonover who passed away at the age of 14, due to Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA), caused by undetected heart defects. The goal of the foundation is to bring SCA awareness, education, prevention and eliminate SCA in kids.”

The screening will include:

• Family Health History Questionnaire

• Height/Weight check

• Blood Pressure Assessment

• EKG (electrical activity of your heart)

• Echocardiogram (to check the structure of your heart)

• Physician Consultation

• Participants and their parents will also receive hands-on CPR & AED awareness training. Let's prioritize our heart health together!

‍SCA is the leading cause of death among student athletes and heart screenings like the one hosted on April 20 can help identify those with less detectable conditions.

» You can register for the event here.

This event aligns with the district’s strategic commitment to partnerships and people. Many thanks to Northfield High School senior Evan Loe and alumnae Erica Loe for their effort to bring this amazing service to our community.

Sincerely,

Matt

--

Matt Hillmann, Ed.D.

Superintendent

mhillmann@northfieldschools.org | 507-663-0629

The district’s annual parent satisfaction survey was conducted in January/February 2024. Here are the survey highlights:

• There were 690 respondents, up from 440 responses in 2023.

• The overall mean improved from 4.00 in 2023 to 4.05 in 2024.

• There was improvement for 11 of 15 survey indicators (one remained the same as last year).

• The greatest strengths as indicated in the survey results are listed below. The “Top 2 Box” indicates the percentage of respondents who selected “strongly agree” or “agree” with the statement.

• "I am treated with respect at this school." Score: 4.34 (up from the previous period by 0.03), Top 2 Box: 89.22%

• "I believe my child's learning is a high priority at this school." Score: 4.24 (up from the previous period by 0.08), Top 2 Box: 87.75%

• The greatest opportunities for growth as indicated in the survey results are listed below. The “Top 2 Box” indicates the percentage of respondents who selected “strongly agree” or “agree” with the statement.

• "I regularly receive feedback from school staff on how well my child is learning." Score: 3.45 (down from the previous period by 0.12), Top 2 Box: 58.59%

• "I receive positive phone calls, emails, or notes about my child from the school." Score: 3.42 (down from the previous period by 0.16), Top 2 Box: 54.36%

• All indicators that improved did so by a minimum of 0.10 points on a five point scale over the previous year.

• You can view the district report here.

The Northfield News will publish a special section on May 28th, 2024, featuring Northfield High School and Area Learning Center graduates. If you would like your graduating senior featured in this special publication:

• Complete the form linked here.

• Submit your child's senior photo with the file titled “last name-first name”
  (example: buxton-byron)

• The deadline for entry is April 29, 2024. Late entries cannot be accepted.

• For all questions regarding the Northfield News Senior Spotlight, please contact Philip Weyhe philip.weyhe@apgsomn.com or Pamela Thompson pamela.thompson@apgsomn.com.

*If you feel that this does not apply to you or your graduating senior, please ignore this message.

• The Northfield High School (NHS) Knowledge Bowl team had a very strong showing at the Regional competition, taking two out of three possible spots to qualify for the State Meet. The Raiders will compete at State on Thursday, April 11, and Friday, April 12. Congratulations Knowledge Bowl participants! (Picture at right.)

• The NHS Robotics team participated in the Minnesota 10,000 Lakes First Robotics Regional Competition. The team produced its best robot in the last few seasons and had great learning experiences during the season. (Picture at top)

• The school board held a regular meeting on April 8.
• Board packets, table files, and meeting videos are located on our website.
• You can listen to Superintendent Hillmann’s recap on KYMN radio.