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New Ulm's ISD 88 Foundation Newsletter 
November 2014
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Mission: to enhance the quality of education in District 88
while creating partnerships between our schools, our communities, and alumni. 
 * * *  Stay Connected . . . Stay Informed  * *  *

ISD 88 Foundation Board
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Letter form the board chair:
Welcome to the first edition of the ISD 88 Foundation newsletter! It has been an exciting and inspiring journey to get to this point, starting with the first "Can we start a foundation?" meeting held in December 2011. The resounding answer from the community was YES, and "it is something New Ulm Public has needed for awhile."  I said “yes” because I believe all children deserve a quality education – regardless of their background or the size of their town.  And, it has been a pleasure working alongside a dedicated board pulling together to get the ISD 88 Foundation off the ground…to make a difference in New Ulm.
 
Fast forward to November 2014 – we’ve been busy! The ISD 88 Foundation, with the generous support of like-minded individuals and businesses, is now ready to make a difference for the children attending New Ulm Public. We will begin disbursing funds for classroom projects through our granting program beginning in January 2015. These grants will encourage teachers (and their students) to dare-to-dream, to do some outside-of-the box things that are outside the district’s budget.
 
In 14 months we have raised over $250,000 as a part of our early launch phase, and we are off to a great start as we work towards reaching our goal of raising $1,000,000. We are extremely grateful to all that have chosen to support the Foundation in its launch, and have chosen to enhance the quality of education at NU Public. The gifts to the endowment will provide the District with an ongoing source of funds, and will continue to impact the students of ISD 88 into perpetuity.
 
Thank you for your interest in New Ulm Public Schools and the ISD 88 Foundation. We are glad you are connected, and hope you stay connected! Watch your inbox for newsletters a few times a year, and be sure to check out our website and Facebook page.

Sincerely,
Tracie Vranich
Chair, ISD Foundation 
 
Coming Soon! NUHS
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District 88 Happenings:

On August 12th, voters approved a $46.9 million building referendum to benefit the students of ISD 88, and the community as a whole. Soon a field somewhere in New Ulm will become the new home of New Ulm High School and a source of Eagle Pride!

The ball got rolling in December 2013 when 35 citizens of District 88 met monthly and examined facility needs of the district. First identifying several key challenges - lack of classroom, fine arts, and athletic space; classrooms that aren't meeting changes in teaching strategies; and the need for safe and secure school entrances. After exploring several options, the task force ultimately recommended constructing a new high school and remodeling the existing school buildings. The majority of voters in August agreed this was the way to go.

What’s next? The opportunity to build a new high school is both exciting and daunting. The ISD 88 school board and administration quickly turned their focus to finding the best location for the new facility, and are currently seeking public and staff input on the design. Contact them if you have any ideas to share.

Building a new 9-12 high school is only part of the changes funded by the referendum. The existing high school will be remodeled and become a middle school for grades 5-8, grouping like-aged students for better educational delivery. Jefferson Elementary will serve students in grades 1-4; and Washington Elementary will be home to the district’s Pre-K, kindergarten, ECFE programs, and the district’s community education center.

All very exciting, and all will provide a tremendous benefit for students and the entire community. Strong, progressive schools allow us to better meet the educational demands of tomorrow’s workforce, better supporting the employment needs of the communities serviced by District 88.

When? Groundbreaking for the new high school is planned for spring 2015, with doors opening to students fall 2016 - which just happens to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the completion of the existing high school! 

Stay tuned for future newsletters with progress reports on the building projects.

ISD 88 Hall of Fame
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Alumni Happenings:
Remember all of the hoopla of Homecoming Week at NUHS in your day? Homecoming Court, Battle of the Classes, the Parade... Well this year brought a new addition, the inaugural ISD 88 Hall of Fame.  (Photo of Induction Ceremony MC, Jim Senske, retired teacher and coach.)


The Hall of Fame festivities kicked off with one of the six inductees leading the Homecoming Parade - a highlight of her life, according to Nancy Noyes Silcox. Recognition at the Friday night football game followed, where two of the three living inductees were in attendance. The BIG event took place on Saturday, September 20th, where five NUHS alumni and one retired teacher were formally inducted into the ISD 88 Hall of Fame. Held at historic, and beautifully decorated in purple & white, Turner Hall, where Turner's famous stuffed pork chops were on the menu along with a vegetarian option. Old school New Ulm melds with new age eating! 

The Inductees spanned many years and a variety of vocations, which is no surprise. New Ulm High School was established in 1857, and over the past 157 years many of our alumni have gone on to distinguish themselves in careers that span many disciplines – education, business, arts, public service and athletics, to name a few. We are thrilled to finally have the chance, with the start of the ISD 88 Hall of Fame, to recognize some of those that walked the halls of NUHS and went on to leave their mark. Our 2014 Hall of Fame inductees are - 
   David Benson, Class of 1961
   Wanda Gag, Class of 1912
   Joe Harman, Retired 1966
   Kirk Gregg, Class of 1977
   Nancy Noyes Silcox, Class of 1963
   Terry Steinbach, Class of 1980

Besides hearing inspiring stories about the inductees that evening, we were also treated to some humorous stories from Jim Senske... looking forward to more from him next year! And thanks to Jim for all he did to get the ISD 88 Hall of Fame off to such a great start.

To read the full bios of this year's inductees, or to find out more about the nomination process, go to our website. 
Save the date! Eagles Extravaganza - March 27, 2015
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