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NEW ULM – During Thursday evening's study session, New Ulm High School's Principal Mark Bergmann focused on the variety of learning opportunities for students during his building update.
Currently offering 188 different courses with a total of 474 sections, the school added three new teaching staff this school year, bringing the total to 46. Staff members added included Special Education teacher Heidi Vandergaen, Choir teacher Olivia Jones, and English teacher Grace Palmquist.
In addition to staff members, Bergmann said that the school increased the number of online courses offered by 11.
"They're the same courses we offer, they're just new by being online," Bergmann said.
NUHS has seen an increase in students registering for online classes.
"The largest class [online this year] is 27, the smallest is 10, and the average is 17," Bergmann said. "The next step is to become a supplemental school through the state of Minnesota so we can draw enrollment from other students in the state."
Bergmann said that around 90 kids are taking at least one online class, with some taking as many as three.
Currently online classes are only offered to grades 10-12.
For NUHS students, classes online are just one of the many opportunities that allow them flexibility with their schedules.
"We have what I would consider a flexible high school," Bergmann said.
The school offers night classes, early bird classes, college credits, and open hours allotted to college study time if enrolled in a college course.
"They're at an age where they want to be able to make their own decisions," Bergmann said.
Open hours that come from early bird, night, or college classes usually line up so students can start late, get a two hour lunch, or finish school early.
Bergmann said that students often go straight to work after finishing school early.
"It really prepares them well for college," Bergmann said, "I've had students after they've graduated say their roommate doesn't know what to do with themselves because they have all this free time."
Another way NUHS prepares students for life outside of school is by offering an internship program that gets them firsthand experience in work fields they are interested in.
Bergmann praised counseling and the credit recovery system at the high school for their role in freedom and flexibility for the students.
"We had kids that took summer school so they could take internship," Bergmann said, "so we give them opportunities and pathways so if they make a mistake they can fix that mistake."
Students are not the only group benefitting from the schedule variety.
"I was shocked at the number of teachers that wanted to do the online classes," Bergmann said.
Teachers are required to teach five classes with an additional hour of prep and an hour of duty.
"If they only had to teach four classes in person and one online there's some flexibility there," Bergmann said.
Teachers who offer college courses receive flexibility as well.
"If it's a four credit class, they only have to meet four days a week," Bergmann said, "or they can meet five days a week and end [in May] the same as when college ends."