SARTELL -- The new school year is off to a great start inside the Sartell-St. Stephen School District.

Superintendent Jeff Ridlehoover says there is a lot of enthusiasm, laughter and learning inside each building.

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He says some of their district wide goals this year will focus on student instruction and an increase in mental health support.

We have some new personnel in our buildings with a student mental health advocate and student mental health therapist, both were brought into the district via grants. We added a counselor in the high school to destigmatize the counseling office and welcome students. All students in the high school will also be meeting with their counselor three times a year to really personalize their experience with an adult in the building.

Ridlehoover says these are just a few areas efforts the district is making this year to increase the overall student experience.

He says over the summer months, the school board continued to update the district's comprehensive and strategic plan, a process which started last year.

Ridlehoover says that plan is expected to be brought before the board later this month.

That draft includes a revised Mission Statement, a brand new Vision Statement and is associated with a set of core beliefs and some strategic directions that will really guide our work.

Ridlehoover says if the plan is approved, he will begin working with his staff to use that plans framework to create a district operational plan to help with goal setting throughout the different school buildings.

 

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