The 2020-2021 school year is around the corner and we are excited to welcome everyone back!
Additional Stories
A generation or so ago, people didn’t just retire from work – many of them also withdrew from a whole range of social and communal activities. But now, it’s different: The large Baby Boom cohort, and no doubt future ones, are insisting on an active lifestyle and continued involvement in thei…
Last week, Governor Walz and his team delivered additional guidance for schools regarding reopening. The full guidance may be reviewed on the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) website. The guidance outlines a data-driven process to help districts decide how best to deliver instruction.…
August is Happiness Happens Month, started by the Secret Society of Happy People in 1999. The society has three purposes for August: recognize and express happiness; listen to others talk about their happiness; and don’t rain on other people’s parades. These sound like some good ideas for an…
In an effort to raise awareness, educate our community and assist families who have been touched by Alzheimer’s disease, this month’s article will highlight creating an emergency kit, in the event an emergency situation arises for yourself, and/or the person you are caring for.
I am fortunate to live in this wonderful community and have opportunities to build relationships with members of both the school, and broader, community.
The COVID-19 pandemic has unsettled the country’s employment picture for months and will likely continue to do so for a while. However, the nature and terminology of this disruption varies greatly among individuals – some have seen their jobs disappear, others have been “furloughed” and stil…
With all of the uncertainty and implications from Covd-19, this has been a very unprecedented year. The advent of shelter in place, working from home and social distancing has resulted in a noticeable increase in the use of city’s parks, trails and outdoor open spaces. This has allowed resid…
My name is Sara Paul, Superintendent at North Branch Area Public Schools (NBAPS) and one of North Branch’s newest residents! Everyone has made my family and I feel so welcome since we arrived and all of us thank you for making North Branch feel like home so quickly.
Summer is in full swing and the days of extreme heat are upon us! A recent study performed by Climate Central highlights the vulnerability of the elderly when it comes to heat.
In an effort to raise awareness, educate our community and assist families who have been touched by Alzheimer’s disease, this month’s article will highlight how friends, family, faith and community organizations can reach out and support someone who may be caring for someone with Alzheimer’s…
Over the past few months, just about everyone has felt the loss of some type of freedom, whether it’s being able to travel, engage in social gatherings or participate in other activities we previously took for granted. Still, as we prepare to observe Independence Day, it’s comforting to real…
Summers at North Branch Area Public Schools (NBAPS) are a busy time for the staff that work year-round. There are always so many things to do to prepare for the next school year; cleaning and preparing our spaces, managing construction projects, coordinating transportation, creating schedule…
Dr. Alan Zimmerman, a favorite motivational speaker of mine, uses that title phrase often and gives the credit to his second grade teacher for putting him on the path to success by teaching those virtues.
What an extraordinary school year it has been. We are filled with gratitude for the incredible community support we have experienced this year.
It’s unfortunate, but true: During this period of economic uncertainty, one of the busiest “industries” has been financial scamming. But it goes on even during normal times, too, so you’ll want to know what to look for, and how to defend yourself.
Summer will be here before you know it, and along with it, an important date for all the dads out there—Father’s Day, Sunday, June 21. Although most sons and daughters don’t need a specific date to celebrate the most important man in their life, every dad gets his special day on the calendar.
Somewhat lost in the events of the day is the wrapping up of construction this summer. This is the school district’s last of three summers devoted to making the improvements the community approved in the spring of 2017. Here’s a summary of construction areas to be aware:
With five kids — four of whom go to school ranging from 10th grade to kindergarten during the 2019-2020 school year — to say this year was an adventure would be an understatement.
As many of you know, I am leaving North Branch Area Public Schools (NBAPS) at the end of June to assume the role of Executive Director of the Minnesota Association of School Administrators. Though I am proud to continue serving education and educators, leaving this wonderful place saddens me.
The past 10 days since the death of George Floyd has been very difficult and challenging days. We are inundated with the news stories, videos, newspapers and social media regarding incidents of looting, protests, violence, and anger being demonstrated by members of our national and local com…
The recent market volatility has affected just about everybody’s financial and investment situations – so, if you were planning to retire soon, will it still be possible?
June is National Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Month, which has been observed since 1991 as a way to promote growers and the grilling season. As the peak season for many early garden crops find their way into markets, it is the perfect time to take advantage of these freshly picked fruits and …
Navigating this temporary COVID-19 landscape has presented a wide variety of challenges for educators. Of particular concern has been how best to honor the Class of 2020 while also adhering to the pandemic guidelines from the state.
In an effort to raise awareness, educate our community and assist families who have been touched by Alzheimer’s disease, this month’s article will highlight Minnesota Department of Health’s tips to reduce COVID-19 anxiety.
It is time once again to honor our senior citizens. We are seeking nominations for the male and female Isanti County 2020 Outstanding Senior Citizen Awards. Nominees must be residents of Isanti County and must be age 70 by June 1, 2020. This award recognizes one male and one female outstandi…
Social media has taken on new importance as students, families, staff, and community members look for new ways to follow happenings at North Branch Area Public Schools (NBAPS). A look at our most recent quarter shows a significant increase in interactions at school district social media plat…
Among the events North Branch Area Public Schools (NBAPS) had to cancel this spring was the Kindergarten Round Up at the end of March. Staff were looking so forward to giving families a sneak peek at the brand new facilities we are providing kindergartners starting in the fall of 2020.
Memorial Day, May 25, is a time to remember the sacrifice of those who came before us. There are nearly 10 million American veterans of senior age. Even more seniors have lost friends or family members.
May is National Bike Month. Of course, millions of Americans enjoy biking, so there’s reason to celebrate. But even if you’re not much of a rider, you can apply some of the guidelines and lessons of bicycling to other areas of your life – such as investing.
In spite of the disruption being caused by COVID-19 in our world, the city of Cambridge has continued to work to provide essential services its citizens. Here are a few things that have been happening from the finance viewpoint:
As educators, we’ve dedicated our life’s work to children and education, so I’ve always felt schools were important to not only educate our students, but to serve our community. The past months have challenged us to do just that.
Never, would we have anticipated to end the 2019-2020 school year in this way. However, the last days of school - Distance Learning - are fast approaching. Allow us the opportunity to thank everyone for the dedication and commitment that has been provided to support the education of our stud…
In these times of uncertainty we are rightfully recognizing those who have risen to the occasion and are performing essential tasks that make it possible for the rest of us to isolate and protect ourselves and loved ones. We talk about teachers, custodians, support staff, and bus drivers goi…
Our school buildings belong to the community and, under normal circumstances are used by a wide variety of interests beyond the school day. We are a place to gather; a place for community. While we aren’t allowed to host groups and events during the COVID-19 response, we are doing everything…
As an investor, you’ll always need to deal with risk of some kind. But how can you manage the risk that’s been made clear by the recent volatility in the financial markets? The answer to this question may depend on where you are in life.
In an effort to raise awareness, educate our community and assist families who have been touched by Alzheimer’s disease, this month’s article will highlight tips on coping during this challenging time of sheltering in place, while keeping ourselves, and others, safe and well.
At North Branch Area Public Schools (NBAPS), we know how challenging the COVID-19 response period has been for many families. Chisago County experienced 2,858 unemployment insurance (UI) claims in all of 2019. In 2020, UI claims stood at 4,693 as of April 14. At this early stage of 2020, UI …
To the seniors, the graduating class of 2020, thank you! The sacrifices you are making during this difficult time will never be forgotten. To all students of Braham, you are severely missed. For every day that goes by, I walk the empty hallways of the school, wishing for your return! I miss …
It has been more than a month since the Cambridge-Isanti boys basketball team reached one of its season goals by winning the section title.
On April 23, 2020 Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minnesota Department of Education Commissioner Mary Cathryn Ricker announced the extension of Minnesota Schools Distance Learning through the end of the school year, Friday, May 29, 2020. This announcement will give our families and educators…
During this unprecedented time, your staff at North Branch Area Public Schools (NBAPS) continues to provide essential services in a wide variety of areas, but they do need your help!
Over the past several weeks, many of us have been working from home in response to the “social distancing” necessitated by the coronavirus. Nonetheless, we still have opportunities to get outside and enjoy Mother Nature. And now, with the 50th anniversary of Earth Day being celebrated on Apr…
At the end of each season, students who participate in Activities (sports and fine arts) are invited before the school board to be recognized for the hard work and effort they put into competing and performing. As we were unable to honor those students in person last Thursday, I sent the fol…
On one hand, the coronavirus has brought out the best in us. People across the country are pitching in to help others, from providing protective masks to health care workers to holding video chats with confined residents of assisted living homes to simply buying gift cards to support local b…
I have noted in several communications to families our deep appreciation for our community’s patience and understanding as we navigate the COVID-19 response. I thought for this week’s column I would share a few of the positive messages school district staff have received from families over t…
I’m writing this article on my birthday and like all our experiences at this time, it certainly has a different feel. By the time you are reading this I will have been released from a 14 day recommended/required quarantine by the Minnesota Department of Health (on March 22 one of my adult ch…
We could have never imagined 30 days ago, the incredible disruption that our families, our schools, our community, and our world would face. I am so thankful for the strong, resilient community we have in Cambridge-Isanti. We are indeed in this together.
These are challenging times. Like everyone, you are concerned about keeping your family safe and healthy, and you’re doing your part to help protect your community from the effects of the coronavirus. And if you’re an investor, you must also address your financial situation. How should you r…
The state’s school district coronavirus response has been very public since last Sunday when Governor Tim Walz announced statewide school closures. To be sure, our school district, and most others, have been preparing for COVID-19’s arrival for several weeks; participating in conference call…
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