Congratulations to graduates

By Jerry Ness | The Daily Journal

Published Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Congratulations to the Fergus Falls High School seniors who will participate in the 2008 graduation ceremony at 7 p.m. Friday, May 30, in the High School gym. This class has excelled in academics, fine arts and athletics; even more than that, they are good people and citizens. The Class of 2008 is filled with positive leaders who have made the 2007-08 school year an enjoyable and rewarding one for all who have had the pleasure of working with them.

Our school has a name!

The Fergus Falls School District has a long history of naming its buildings after presidents, and we chose to continue that tradition when we began to consider a name for the remodeled Middle School — which will be the combined Middle School and High School for grades 6-12 when construction is completed next year.

The School Board first asked for suggestions from the public, then took that input and asked for ideas from the students involved in History Day. There were two rules: The president had to be deceased, and the name could not have been used previously for a Fergus Falls school.

The result was a ballot for students that listed and described five presidents: Calvin Coolidge, Andrew Jackson, John F. Kennedy, Ronald Reagan and Woodrow Wilson. Students in grades 5-12 voted on Tuesday, May 20, and their overwhelming choice for the school was President Kennedy.

“Kennedy Secondary School” will be the name for our remodeled school, joining Adams, Cleveland, Eisenhower and McKinley elementary schools. Why “secondary” school? This is a common term used in education and describes the grades between elementary school and post-secondary education. I am proud of the students who took the task of choosing a name for our school so seriously and, by the beginning of the 2009-10 school year, we will have a remodeled facility that will make our community proud.

Many people may not realize that our existing High School is actually named Roosevelt High School. Beginning with the 2009-10 school year, that building will be known as the Roosevelt Education Center and house Community Education, the Area Learning Center, Adult Basic Education and the Special Education Cooperative #935.

Writings from the PSC

To end the year I thought it would be interesting to share comments from students who are attending the Prairie Science Class this year. Next year we will double the number of students at the PSC by including four sections of 4th grades. As PSC teacher Dave Ellis says, “It’s Earth Day every day at the Prairie Science Class.”

If I Were An Owl

By Hanna

“If I were an owl, I would be a barred owl. I would be in thick, dense woods, sitting on a thick branch, log like, but low. I might be admiring my majestic golden striped feathers, or look all over with only my head. I might be hungry. I might be waiting to see any movement in the woods, for something to snack on. Once I’ve eaten, I will fly high in the sky just letting the wind take me where it wants, then go back home and close my eyes to wait until night to hunt again.”

Last Snow Cattail Seton

By Kayla

“I sit down by a wall of cattails, a whirlwind of snow is above me. But I am safe in the cattails. Snow is falling on me like a waterfall, except a quiet waterfall in a deep jungle. The small snowflakes on my paper keep on falling. They are perfect in every way. I am surrounded by cattails; they are like walls protecting me from the wind.”

Jerry Ness is the superintendent of the Fergus Falls School District.