NEW ULM – The District 88 School board celebrated the return of students to school buildings this fall, during Thursday school board meeting.

Superintendent Sean Koster said fall activities have already begun in August, including girls tennis, girls and boys soccer, volleyball, cheer leading and football practices starting.

“It is great to see so many students engaged and participating,” Koster said. “their energy is contagious and sets a positive tone for the school year.”

New Ulm Public School is implementing a staggered start to school. The first day of class for 5th and 9th grades students is Tuesday, Sept. 2. Grades 1st-4th and 10th-12th, will return to school Wednesday, Sept. 3. New Ulm Public’s Kindergarten class will start last on Thursday, Sept. 4.

Koster said after a long summer of empty buildings it will be great to have all students back by the end of next week.

On the faculty side, New Ulm Public has 10 new teachers, two new social workers and a new Early Childhood Family Education (ECFE) coordinator on staff.

Homecoming week starts Sept. 22 and concludes with a home football game against Worthington, Friday, Sept. 26.

Koster also acknowledged the recent school shooting at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis, Superintendent Sean Koster said his heart went out to all those where affected by the act of violence. He said these incidents have a ripple effect that impact every educator and students.

“As a district we are working with staff to help talk with students who will have questions about this,” he said. Mental health support and resources will also be important part of the conversation for students and staff.

Koster said the school continues to work with local law enforcement and the school resource officer (SRO) to keep school buildings secure. Koster said there are ongoing updates to the school’s crisis management plan, but these are kept confidential for security reasons.

Koster said it is a balancing act. The school tires to prepare for every scenario, but the act of drilling for every emergency situation can be disruptive and traumatizing for students on it’s own.

The school was already planning a practice relocation drill for student, scheduled for Sept. 12.

In other news, the board approved the adoption of the New Ulm Public Schools’ paraprofessional handbook. Koster said the only changes to the handbook were training requirements and calendar days for workshop and training.

The handbook now states all paraprofessionals working in Title I, Special Education or intervention in the district must by highly qualified paraprofessionals as required by statue statute and all paraprofessionals working with students are required to complete professional training required or mandated by the state and local governing bodies.

The school calendar has four days scheduled for paraprofessional workshop days and are required work days.

The next school board study session will be held 5 p.m. Sept. 11. The next regular school board meeting will be held 5 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 25. Both meetings will be held in the district board room, 414 S. Payne Street.