NUACS elementary students gathered on the St. Anthony’s playground before the start of school. The playground served as a drop-off spot for parents, but also a chance for kids to meet with teachers before entering the building. Cathedral High School also held its first day on Tuesday.

NUACS President Julie Brandt said the first day went very well. The cooler temperatures kept things cool in Cathedral. Brandt said earlier this month the building was extremely warm, but the drop in temperature cooled the building down.

Brandt this this year NUACS has three new staff members. Crystal Ibberson has taken over as St. Anthony Elementary Principal and the high school has brought on two new teachers. Kayla Rush will teach accounting and personal finance. Walker Schouviller will teach 7th-9th Grade social studies.

Cathedral has also expanded its offering of college credit courses.

The Helget twins, Landon and Lorayle, are excited to start their first day of Kindergarten at St. Anthony’s.

This year NUACS will be working to a capital campaign to cover upgrades to Cathedral High School. The upgrades are for HVAC, plumbing, electrical and lockers. Next summer, the school hopes to complete asbestos abatement before starting the new capital projects.

This year, NUACS school has around 420 students between St. Anthony and Cathedral. Brandt said about 185 students are in Cathedral, with 245 students in St. Anthony.

“We’re pleased with this because it means the lower grades have more students, meaning with growing larger classes,” Brandt said.

The largest class at NUACS is 3rd Grade with 42 students. The 1st Grade class also has a larger class with 40 students. The senior class is one of the smallest, with 25 students.

Brandt said this year the school could look forward to an early Homecoming week, which will run from Sept 14-20.

The St. Anthony students gather at the playground entrance after the first bell of the new school year.

The school’s theater department will be performing “High School Musical” the second weekend in October.

St. Paul’s Lutheran had its first day for 1-8th Grade. The preschool and Kindergarten class will start on Wednesday. This year, St. Paul’s Lutheran will have 47 students in preschool and 314 students in grades Kindergarten through 8th Grade.

Markgraf said the largest classes in the school are the 4th Grade and 5th Grade, which have 42 and 45 students, respectively.

“The day went off smoothly,” Principal Peter Markgraf said. “It was a pretty easy day. It was a lot of training. Letting the kids know how the cafeteria works, where to store their folders and note books.”

This year St. Paul’s Lutheran has four new teachers. Husband and wife teachers Justin and Rachel Hansen joined the school. Rachel Hansen is teaching 1st and 2nd Grade and Justin is teaching 5th and 6th Grade. Emma Dorn joined the school as a 3rd and 4th-grade teacher. Dorn is a recent graduate from Martin Luther College, having graduated last year. Sara Strackbein is serving as the release-time teacher and assists with grades 1th through 6th.

Before the start of the first day of class, St. Anthony 4th Grade teacher Melissa Mack talks with her students from last year who are now 5th Graders. L to R: Melissa Mack, Colton Horejsi, Rachel Hendrickson, Adi Fischer, Annalina Collins and Ava Pagliari.

Markgraf said the greatest change to St. Paul’s Lutheran ground is the addition of the Ninja Cross course. The Ninja Cross is a series of play features laid out as an obstacle course. Unlike traditional playground equipment, kids using the course would run through the obstacle course, competing to complete it in the fastest time.

The school began installing the Ninja Cross early in the summer. The last adjustment to the course was made on Tuesday. St. Paul’s building and maintenance manager Mark Weinhert said a piece of the equipment need to be raised further off the ground to make it more challenging for the students. A special dedication ceremony was held for the Ninja Cross after school.

After the dedication, a few students tried out the course to see if they could complete it. Joel Guenther, a 7th Grade student, became one of the first to complete all seven pieces to the course.

Guenther said the hardest part of the course was the spinning wheel, which requires a lot of upper-body strength. He said the last piece of the obstacle course–a vertical wall–was the most fun feature.

Now that the Ninja Cross is fully installed, the rest of the school will be free to test it.

St. Paul’s Lutheran principal Pete Markgraf and Pastor Jeff Bovee welcomes students back the school Tuesday.

The students at St. Paul’s Lutheran gather in the gymnasium Tuesday morning for the first opening service of the school year. Pastor Jeff Bovee welcomes the students back with a sermon and introduces the theme for the school year: “Praise the Lord on My Soul.”

Fifth Grader Gavin Remus crosses the street with his First Grade sister Breck Remus after the first day of school at St. Anthony’s. Sixth graders Oliver Nelson and Leo Magus serve as crossing guards.

Tuesday was also the first day St. Paul Lutheran’s Ninja Cross course was open. The last adjustment to the course was made Tuesday morning. That evening, members of New Ulm Optimist Club and members of St Paul’s Lutheran staff attend a dedication ceremony for the new Ninja Cross at the school. From left to right: Volunteer, Llyod Schauer, Optimist Club member Dani Budahn, St. Paul’s building and maintenance manager Mark Weihert, Optimist Club member Sheldon Rieke, Optimist Club member Betty Uehling, Optimist Club member Liza Altmann and St. Paul’s Principal Peter Markgraf.

Seventh Grader Joel Guenther was one of the first students to try out all of the features of St. Paul’s new Ninja Cross course. Guenther said vertical wall is his favorite part of the Ninja Cross.