Northland Pines

Changes and adjustments to operation of the Northland Pines school district in response to COVID-19 were reviewed by the district board of education this week that allows more community use of school facilities, additional leave for staff affected by the pandemic, modifications for student athletes, and vaccinations.

District administrator Scott Foster of all school staff and students they have had lower positive cases than the county.

After 55 days of in-person and hybrid classes Northland Pines district administrator Scott Foster gave a report on how the district is coping with the COVID pandemic and more importantly how the students and staff are accepting the changes and challenges.

“We have about 1500 persons involved with the challenges counting students, teachers, bus drivers, and food service and all have adapted well and adjusted,” Foster said. “Our main goal of continuing in person teaching is working and the kids have adjusted to wearing masks, which we thought would be an issue, but is not.”

 Restrictions for conducting winter sports, school music concerts, and gender topics were part of the discussion last week by the Northland Pines policy committee with reports to the school board for any final decisions to be made by the full board.

District administrator Scott Foster indicated they have five winter sports to consider using WIAA guidelines, these being boys and girls hockey, boys and girls basketball, and cheer/dance which will start in mid-November. 

It costs $3.55 to feed a child one meal in Vilas County. That’s 28-percent more than the average cost of the same meals average cost in Wisconsin as a whole according to Feeding America.

Feed Our Rural Kids or FORK is an organization that supports families in the Northland Pines School District.

Kathy Martin is the owner of Hillbilly Hollow. She’s holding a Soup Walk Fundraiser to help raise money for FORK.

Reopening Northland Pines school district to in-person instruction on Sept. 1 was approved by the school board with the intent for all students to stay in session and create the safest environment possible for all students and staff but be prepared for multiple options for change should change be needed.

Northland Pines administration continues to examine ways to allow students, staff, and public to utilize the district resources as well as identifying alternatives to provide an educational learning environment for the next school year.

The district school board will look at three alternatives for back-to-school plans which include face-to-face instruction, a blended approach, and going full virtual.

Construction monitoring for Pleasure Island Road was approved by the Eagle River city council recently along with creating the roadway design in preparation for a request for proposals this fall for the estimated $1,166,657 project from Highway 45 at Highway G south to Highway 45 across from Airport Road.

MSA was awarded the design phase for a lump sum of $89,740 and construction monitoring at a not- to-exceed cost of $63,350.

After working out details to host senior graduation in the parking lot at the middle-high school, everything changed after the state determined drive-thru ceremonies do not comply with the Governor's current Safer-at-Home order.

The Northland Pines school board approved setting a non-traditional graduation ceremony on Sunday, May 31 starting at 1:00 pm in the large parking lot of the middle-high school. “We need to recognize the accomplishments of our seniors,” Scott Foster, district administrator said. “We will plan to have a 'social gathering' sometime in the future. There is no perfect solution but we need some type of action to recognize this milestone in their lives.”

The Northland Pines school district will try to provide options for senior graduation. District Administrator Scott Foster said  “I'm looking up to three options knowing there is always the chance it won't work for some families and some kids.” Foster spoke recently to the district policy committee.  "My first thoughts are for graduation ceremonies in late June or early July at the school. Second, if that falls through, we may hold a virtual option in the parking lot in cooperation with the radio station.

Several motions were approved by the Northland Pines school board recently,  including continuing the school calendar related to COVID-13 and bids for the Land O' Lakes elementary school.

Northland Pines school district board of education approved last Monday expanding the 4K program to four days per week district wide from Monday through Thursday with Friday off.

Many of the reasons for this change beginning in the 2020-21 school year are for equality across the district, consistency for students, parent interest, closing the achievement gap early, research supports it, and it brings high quality programming that supports social, emotional, and academic needs of young students.

The Northland Pines finance committee voted this week to recommend expanding 4K district wide from two days per week to four days when the full district board meets Jan 27.

District Administrator Scott Foster said parents in the Eagle River elementary school area are requesting the expansion. The 4K program currently is four days in Land O' Lakes elementary, Charter, and Montessori schools.