Esko residents talk about school's future

Just under 20 community members attended a community listening and input session at the Esko school auditorium Monday, Oct. 25 to share what they like about the school and their concerns about what is lacking or needs upgrading.

Educational consultants Lynn Dyer and Glenn Chiodo of ICS of Duluth have been conducting sessions with stakeholders of the school to determine needs as the school board prepares to develop a comprehensive strategic plan for the next 10 years.

"Always focus on what's best for the kids," Chiodo told the group. "You are a close-knit community centered on the school. Focus on access and diversity."

Three goals of the plan are:

• Enhance classroom education

• Outline a long-term facilities plan for the school district

• Engage the community and the district stakeholders in the process.

Superintendent Aaron Fischer spoke to the group before the session began.

"We are primarily focused on the facilities," he said. "We did a 10-year plan 11 years ago and checked off the last item to fix the school garage last spring. Kudos to the school board that got it done."

Board president Jeff Salo explained that the ICS staff met with the board a month-and-a-half ago and met with the staff after that. This session was about hearing from the community members.

The consultants would meet with students the next day, he added.

"The input from the kids is great," said Chiodo. "They have no political agenda. They are usually spot on."

Both the board members and administration left the auditorium to allow the community members to speak freely.

Chiodo explained that another staff member of ICS, Kevin Wormuth, had been to the school and measured every high school room. The elementary classrooms had been done in the past.

"We measured every space," he said. "The Minnesota Department of Education has categories of what the spaces should look like. We will assess and compare the spaces to the guidelines that MDE has. The spaces are rated by education adequacy."

In the past, the stakeholders would write their responses to questions on notes that would then be attached to a board and categorized. The main goals would be listed and members of the group would place red dots next to items that were seen as their highest priority.

That procedure changed due to Covid concerns. Members of the group and those participating away from the auditorium were logged in to a Zoom session from their computers, iPads or cellphones and entered their responses to questions in the chat box.

Challenges listed by the community members included lack of internet access for the rural community, poor water quality, special education, lack of support for mental health programs, lack of room to grow, and lack of connections to technical colleges.

Some of the priorities, if funds were to be unlimited, were to have an indoor soccer facility, occupational and dyslexia support, more support for teacher needs, better food options, world-class fitness facility for the kids and the community, more resources for funding special education, a building wing or lab for use by local colleges and technical schools, high-speed internet and therapy dogs.

When asked what the headlines would say 10 years from now, members of the group responded with ideas including Esko schools maintaining the high graduation rate, providing a well-rounded education as well as "Best place to work and live," "High school kids mentor elementary kids," and the "Esko school helps each kid find his or her niche."

The biggest facility needs were listed as more space for music and visual arts, acquiring more property adjacent to the school to expand its footprint, updated science classes, expanded technical arts classrooms, more room for STEM instruction, improving the parking lots for students, staff and visitors, expanding the footprint for the library and increasing technologies for K-12.

Advice for the decision makers included a better fitness facility, improved elementary soccer field, gender-neutral restrooms, cafeteria improvements, and improved traffic flow around the building during bus and car dropoff and pickup times.

Chiodo explained that all of the information gathered will be presented to the board.

"The board will analyze the information," he said. "We can help if the board wants us to. They make the plan, not us."

Another community meeting will be announced in the future to present all of the information that was gathered by the various stakeholder groups.

"Our part will be done real quick," Chiodo said. "We will be ready with a report within 30-45 days and then set up a meeting with the school board. It won't be months down the road."

Superintendent Fischer returned to the auditorium and spoke to the group.

"The board will be in charge and make the final plan," he said. "The board will present the plan back to the school and community."