Congratulations to the class of 2014! This marks an important milestone for our students and our community. Educating our youth takes all of us by providing support, direction, mentoring and opportunities that molds them and prepares them to be great community members.

I want to personally wish each and everyone of the New Ulm graduates all the best. You are only limited by your drive and ambition in life. “To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream, not only plan, but also believe.” – Anatole France

The school year officially ends on June 4. Students will be finishing up school projects, participating in activities to celebrate their achievements and completing final coursework in the next week and a half. This is a transitional time for students and parents. Once school is done, students are now at home all day and hopefully parents can find beneficial activities and work for them. I highly recommend that you continue to support reading throughout the summer. This is the one skill that will help all students to succeed in school and life.

Over time, we all accumulate stuff. It can be found in the basement, the attic or the garage and you wonder how many years have gone by and you haven’t used it. This is true with schools as well. Times change, equipment gets replaced and updated, the requirements of programs change and we end up with excess stuff. New Ulm Schools has a policy on how to properly dispose of obsolete equipment and materials.

In the first two weeks of June, we will sponsor an on-line auction where community members and the general public can go to and look at the equipment and materials available and then offer up a bid. The web address is www.k-bid.com. We will post the complete New Ulm Auction link on our webpage, once the auction goes live. On June 17th and 18th those who win the bid can come to pick up their items. Our custodial staff will be on hand to help people find their items.

The school district will hold a building referendum on Aug. 12. Information about the referendum will be mailed to district residents around July 7. The mailings will contain information about district building needs, proposed plans and meeting dates and locations for our informational sessions. We will hold meetings in Lafayette, Courtland, Hanska and New Ulm. The meetings are planned to occur the last two weeks of July. The web tax calculator will be posted on our website so anyone can see what the actual tax impact of their property will be. Please call the district offices anytime you have a question.

Go Eagles!