I know it’s not something teacher or students really want to hear right now, but the 2024-25 school year is already upon us.
Area students and teachers will return to the classrooms in the next week or so, and some have already started. In the Minot Public School District, this year will be a little bit different.
This school year, we’ll welcome two new groups of students and staff to Minot: The Bulldogs from Central Middle School, and the Sentinels from Minot North High School.
I’ve lived in Minot my entire life, and I don’t remember another time when we’ve had the ability to improve our local educational opportunities like we do in 2024. The openings of the new Minot North and the renovated Central Middle School represent two big victories for our community. As Minot has grown, so has the need for a second public high school, and I’m glad that our residents finally recognized that need in approving the expansion plan a few years ago.
But I consider the two new schools even bigger victories for our children and future leaders. The educational and extra-curricular opportunities that are now available will be life-changing for students and staff alike. The addition of Minot North allows students to be spread out over two high school campuses, alleviating growing concerns about potential over-crowding in classrooms.
Educational opportunities and extra-curricular options play an important role in the lives of our students, and adding Central Middle School and Minot North High School enhances those options. Of course, we didn’t build a second high school simply because of sports, speech, drama, and other extra-curricular activities, but there will be endless opportunities for more students to be involved in these activities than ever before.
And that’s a good thing for our students – and for our community as a whole. Active and engaged students at all levels is key to them growing and maturing into active and engaged adults.
One of my favorite activities as mayor is visiting classrooms to speak about city government, and about Minot’s future as a community. I’m always amazed at how much even our young students already know about municipal government, and how willing they are to absorb new information about how their local city government operates on a daily basis. It’s one of the best parts of my job as mayor. One main item of discussion I like to have when I’m in local classrooms is to get students thinking about civic engagement and how they can serve their community from a very young age.
I’m a firm believer in giving back to your community whenever possible, even in small ways. When you give back, whether it’s to your neighbor by helping them shovel a sidewalk or getting involved in your church or your school, the result is a feeling of pride, and an enhanced feeling of community spirit. Giving back to your community, and even being on the receiving end of those efforts, can send a powerful message to other residents in Minot.
This school year, I hope to visit as many schools and classrooms as possible, sharing a message of engagement, positive energy, and the power of a smile. So don’t be surprised when you see some active and hard-working students, whether they’re Bulldogs, Sparks, Mystics, Magicians, Patriots, Sentinels, or Rockets, out in our community making it a better place to live, work and thrive.
I hope everyone – from teachers to students to parents to staff members – has a great school year.
You can find more about what’s happening at the City of Minot at minotnd.org, or find us on Facebook and Twitter. We’d also encourage you to sign up for our monthly electronic newsletter on our website.
