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February 20, 2025

NEWS & UPDATES

Northern Cass Educator Receives $25,000 Surprise

Northern Cass Elementary School second-grade educator Jessica Stoen thought State Superintendent of Public Instruction Kirsten Baesler was holding an all-school assembly to commend the school on its successful personalized learning pilot. Stoen quickly learned there was another treat in tow: a sweet Valentine’s Day surprise in the form of a Milken Educator Award! The national honor includes an unrestricted $25,000 cash prize Stoen can use however she chooses.

The Milken Educator Award was created by philanthropist Lowell Milken in 1987 to further excellence in education and inspire the next generation of educators. Stoen is the only recipient in North Dakota this 2024-25 season and the first-ever in the district’s history.

“It’s fitting that an educator at one of our state’s most outstanding and innovative rural schools is able to win this prestigious award,” said Baesler. “Jessica Stoen is a role model and example of teaching excellence for educators everywhere.”

Wahpeton Public Schools Receives Healthy Meals Incentives Recognition Award

Wahpeton Public Schools has received a Healthy Meals Incentives Recognition Award for making improvements to the nutritional quality of their district’s school meals.

Awarded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) in collaboration with Action for Healthy Kids (AFHK), Wahpeton Public Schools received the Innovation in the Preparation of School Meals Award for their work incorporating new menu items that are prepared from scratch using a local agricultural product or USDA food in accordance with the USDA recipe standardization process and incorporated student engagement. As an award recipient, they will receive national recognition and travel stipends to attend a national Healthy Meals Summit.

AFHK is recognizing school districts to spotlight innovative practices, student and community engagement activities, and strategies schools have used to provide meals that are consistent with the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans – all as part of a cooperative agreement to develop and implement the USDA FNS’s Healthy Meals Incentives Initiative. Learn more about the Healthy Meals Incentives at www.healthymealsincentives.org.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT & TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES

PowerSchool Workshops

Feb. 25: Prepare to Schedule New Admin (New Admin to Scheduling), 9 a.m. CST in West Fargo 

Feb. 26: Prepare to Schedule Returnees, 9 a.m. CST in Bismarck  

Resilient, Safe and Thriving: An Intro to Trauma-Informed Practices for Teachers of Students with Visual Impairments

The University of North Dakota, Visual Impairment Specialization Program in the Department of Teaching, Leadership & Professional Practice, is hosting a virtual presentation on Trauma-Informed Practices for Teachers of Students with Visual Impairments on Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025, from 3-4 p.m. CT. 

During this presentation, learners will:

1. Reflect on the definition of trauma and discover how it may impact learning and development from infancy through adolescence; and
2. Obtain practical strategies for creating trauma-informed environments and interactions for all students. 

North Dakota Personalized Network Professional Learning Workshop

Join your peers for a day of learning, collaboration, and sharing to explore “Leveraging Standards in Learner-Centered Classrooms” on Feb. 26, 2025, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. CT. Choose one of two locations below:

• Bismarck, ND: Career Academy, 1221 College Drive
• Fargo, ND: Hilton Garden Inn, 4351 17th Ave. S.

UPCOMING EVENTS

ND A+ Summative Assessment Preparedness Workshop

EduTech, NDDPI, and Pearson are hosting ND A+ Summative Assessment Preparedness Workshops in February 2025. In-person, regional workshops will be offered at eight locations across the state along with a virtual workshop option. Dates and locations of the workshops are below. Both a morning and an afternoon workshop will be offered on each date and location noted.

• Friday, Feb. 21, 2025 — Devils Lake
• Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025 — virtual webinar

Upcoming Title I Allocation Changes: Informational Webinar

NDDPI is hosting an informational webinar at 9 a.m. on Feb. 27 to provide information regarding the upcoming transition of North Dakota’s Title I, Part A allocation process.

Beginning in the 2025-2026 school year, North Dakota will transition from the alternative allocation method to the U.S. Department of Education’s (ED) methodology for determining Title I, Part A allocations. This change reflects North Dakota’s commitment to distributing federal funds as intended and ensuring funds are being used to reduce the achievement gap.

This shift may raise questions, and some districts may see changes in their allocations. The upcoming webinar will provide an overview of North Dakota’s transition process and timeline, a clear explanation of the purpose and key components of Title I, answer frequently asked questions, and offer practical strategies for districts adjusting to allocation changes.

NDDPI strongly encourages all district leaders and Title I staff to attend.

Advanced Placement Fee Reimbursement Webinar

Please join the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction and CollegeBoard for a 30-minute webinar on March 26, 2025, at 3:30 CT. The webinar will contain updates as schools approach spring AP testing, review the exam payment process, and look forward to 2025-26 offerings with the Course Audit guidelines and AP Summer Institutes.

This webinar reviews the AP Exam Reimbursement process, in which AP Coordinators and Business Managers or designees who assist with it have key roles. Please plan to attend to learn about the process, the information needed, and the timelines impacting reimbursement.

FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

Agencies Encouraged to Apply for Clean Diesel Grant Awards

The North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality (NDDEQ) is pleased to release the FY2024 State Clean Diesel Grant Program application. Schools, cities, counties, and other government agencies that require larger, heavy-duty vehicles are encouraged to apply for State Clean Diesel Grant awards.

The NDDEQ will issue approximately $380,000 in awards funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to purchase new or newer, diesel-powered, zero-emission, hybrid, or alternatively fueled vehicles. The purpose of the funding is to reduce diesel emissions in accordance with the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act of the Energy Policy Act of 2010. To date, 127 older vehicles in North Dakota have been replaced using this funding, with a reduction in air emissions of about 225 tons over the lifetime of those vehicles.  

Applications can be mailed to the North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality, Division of Air Quality, 4201 Normandy Street, 2^nd Floor, Bismarck, ND 58503-1324 or emailed to airquality@nd.gov.  Applications must be received by 5 p.m. CT on Mar. 31, 2025. 

OTHER UPDATES

CONTRACT #398: GROUNDS MAINTENANCE EQUIPMENT (NASPO)

The OMB State Procurement Office announces its participation in this new cooperative state contract through NASPO.

SUMMARY

This contract is for the purchase of Ground Maintenance Equipment in the following categories:

• Category 1: Commercial Mowers – Includes commercial self-propelled riding mowers, zero turn riding mowers, stand on mowers, walk behind mowers, wide area and robotic mowers.
• Category 2: Tractors – Includes heavy-duty and compact tractors, Towed PTO Driven medium and heavy duty.
• Category 3: Utility Vehicles – Includes gas powered, battery operated and diesel powered 4x2 and 4x4 utility vehicles.
• Category 4: Golf Equipment – Includes greens and fairway golf specific grounds maintenance equipment, including gang, flail and reel mowers.
• Category 5: Turf Equipment – Includes walk-behind & pull-type aerators, pluggers, spikers, seeders, spreaders, tillers and other related turf equipment.
• Category 6: Handheld Equipment – Includes gas and battery powered trimmers, leaf blowers, and other related ground maintenance handheld equipment.

AWARDED VENDORS

• Deere & Company
• Doosan Bobcat North America, Inc.
• The Toro Company

Visit OMB's website for more information about State Contract 398 including the contract summary and pricing.

Child Passenger Safety on School Buses Curriculum

Safe Kids Grand Forks is excited to be part of the team bringing the national Child Passenger Safety on School Buses curriculum to North Dakota. They are seeking input to shape their upcoming schedule.

Please take a moment to watch this brief video to learn more about the Child Passenger Safety on School Buses training and share your thoughts in their survey. Your feedback is crucial in ensuring we reach the people who need the program most. Please feel free to share this survey with paraprofessionals, other school administrators, transportation supervisors, special education professionals, school bus drivers or others you think would be willing to weigh in on our request for feedback. 

If you have any questions, please contact Tina Sanders, Safe Kids Specialist, Altru Health System at (701) 780-1856.

EDUCATOR SPOTLIGHT

2025 ND Teacher of the Year Kendall Bergrud

2025 North Dakota Teacher of the Year Kendall Bergrud joined his peers this week in California for the Chief Council of State School Officers' (CCSSO) National Teacher of the Year Program Orientation. During the event, the 2025 cohort participated in professional development sessions and had the opportunity to share and learn from their peers. Participants attended some of their training at the Google campus, where they learned about current and coming AI tools to assist educators.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS

North Dakota Scholarship

The North Dakota Scholarship Application is now open, and will remain open until Friday, June 6. Class of 2025 seniors may submit their scholarship applications at any time prior to the June 6 application deadline.

Please also keep in mind that the new North Dakota Scholarship requirements go fully into effect starting with the Class of 2025, and students can no longer qualify using the old Academic and CTE Scholarship requirements. Be sure that students and parents know that the requirements are different, and make sure that they also know the differences between the Choice Ready requirements and the North Dakota Scholarship requirements.

Please contact Jim Upgren at 701-328-2244 with questions regarding the North Dakota Scholarship.

Girls Who Code Summer Programs Now Accepting Applications

Girls Who Code is now accepting applications for our two virtual Summer Programs. 

Summer Immersion Program (SIP): Join the ultimate summer squad! Over two weeks, you’ll design and build your own computer games, make new friends, and connect with mentors. Get insider college and career tips from industry pros—all in live virtual classrooms.

Pathways: Learn at your own pace! Through step-by-step video tutorials and real-world projects, you'll explore cutting-edge tech like artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and data science. Connect with industry pros and join an exclusive Discord community along the way!

Apply here by Feb. 26, 2025, for priority consideration or by April 11, 2025, for the final deadline.