Students to raise funds for education

by David Hill Editor Parents and guardians of Challenger Elementary School students in Thief River Falls were expected to receive a flier on Friday explaining an effort to fund a classroom for one year. School District 564 has undergone the first round of budget cuts. Challenger Elementary School is losing four classroom teaching positions, and one reading specialist position for the upcoming school year. These cuts are expected to lead to a rise in the number of students per classroom and less individualized support for students, according to the flier. One of the grades that will see the highest number of students in a classroom is third grade. Close to 30 students per classroom are anticipated for the start of the 2024-25 school year. This fundraising effort targets that specific grade. The goal is to raise $70,000 so that another teacher and section can be added, thereby reducing the number of students per classroom. Courtney Skjerven, Connect Tech, the K-5 technology program teacher at Challenger, said they would love to be able to raise the funds to save all vital positions and keep class sizes down in kindergarten and second grade, as well, but feel funding one position will be quite a challenge. Skjerven said they’ve all been talking about the cuts, but this is saying there is something that can be done to help out. Skjerven told the Board of Education on March 11 that the biggest question he’s been asked is what if they do not reach their goal? Skjerven said, “It’s not an option.” Skjerven said fifth grade students have created designs with a “supportive and community connected” theme that the students will engrave on metal drink tumblers and keychains to sell. (The school has a high-tech laser engraver donated to them by the Thief River Falls Education Foundation.) Skjerven said the kids are excited about the challenge and have already shown they love to learn in a business-like learning model. Skjerven said they are also looking for some seed money to quickly purchase additional tumblers. They will be ordering in batches, but hope to sell 2,000-plus tumblers. The tumblers will cost $20 each. At some point, they will also be creating keychains for sale, but they want to focus on tumblers to start. All Challenger students will be involved. Skjerven said kindergarten and first grade students will decorate white, paper lunch bags with crayons that the tumblers will go into. Students in grades 2 and 3 will write and decorate small cardstock “Thank You” cards that will be attached to the decorated bags. Fourth grade students will design, 3D-print bookmarks, keychains and other trinkets as little surprises buyers will find in their cups. Fifth grade students have done the designing for the tumblers and will help with the engraving, bookkeeping, advertising, packing and distribution. Much of this will have to be done during no-tech time as volunteers (they have the choice to help if they want) before school, recess or if they have free time because they finished their in-class work. Some possible future options include using different colors (think pink for Mother’s Day), adding water bottles as an option, finding a store willing to display and sell them, finding business partners that will buy a larger number of tumblers with which they can put their logo on one side and the Prowler/Community theme logo on the other, and, of course, selling at events or online. John Syvertson, a member of the Board of Education, asked what made them concentrate on this one particular grade. Skjerven said they looked at the numbers. A snapshot of each grade level showed that there could be about 30 kids per classroom in the third grade. Skjerven said this has opened an avenue for donors who feel the same way, but who don’t know how or to whom to make a donation. And, he added that “if the community cannot support this, then we really have to look in the mirror.”