During Monday’s meeting, the Becker School Board heard about a project called One Book One School taking place in the middle school.

One Book One School is a program which the middle school has adopted. For February, the book selected was Wonder by R. J. Palacio. 

The purpose of the program is to have every student in the school read the same book and to connect, through activities and discussions, over the shared reading. 

The book is about a fifth grader who has a deformity. He attends public school for the first time, and learns about being himself and accepting others. 

Books were purchased for each middle school family through ESSER funding. Students will keep the books after the end of the month. 

Open Forum

Sandy Clemen spoke about LGBTQ rights. She says she knows several LGBTQ students, and says that they deserve to come to school and feel welcome just as all other students do. She mentioned this as she had heard an individual in the community hoped to make a presentation contradicting previous presentations about LGBTQ students. 

Student Report

Student representatives Kayla and Medeline gave an update on the sports’ and clubs’ activities since the last board meeting. Stories on these groups can be found in the sports section of the paper. 

The school hosted a solo and ensemble band event Wednesday (two days after the board meeting).

There will be no school Feb. 21 in observance of Presidents’ Day.

Feb. 25, student council and Dream Team will host a skating day at Kolbinger Park. Free food and hot chocolate will be provided for any students who want to come skate and socialize. 

Feb. 26, the student council will host a semi-formal dance from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. Students who buy their tickets during lunch period will get a two dollar discount. 

Superintendent’s Report

MSBA (Minnesota School Board Association) updated some policies with technical revisions: nothing that makes any large changes in school policy. Policy 491, which had its first reading at last month’s meeting, was rendered moot after a Minnesota Supreme Court ruling.

March 16, the Minnesota Association of School Administrators (MASA) will be virtually attending the Capitol as legislators discuss the Governor’s “Supporting Children and Families” budget plan. 

COVID-19 counts for the school increased significantly in January, and a number of classrooms had greater than five percent of students absent, and 20% of all staff. However, in conversation with Sherburne County Public Health, it’s predicted that this number will peak soon.