The Devils Lake Public School Board met Monday, Dec. 15 for their regular meeting in the Sports Center.
Following the call to order, the Pledge of Allegiance and approval of the agenda, the board went promptly into looking at the Continuous Improvement and Student Outcome Goals paying close attention to areas that have shown improvement, some concerning downturns and a few that show big positive changes.
It’s become the number one priority for Devils Lake Public Schools to see ongoing, continuous improvement in student scores, therefore it’s become the top discussion for the school board when it meets.
Two assessment tools, the Fastbridge Assessment and A+, are utilized in Devils Lake elementary schools and both have their strengths in determining and evaluating student success and setting improvement goals.
According to Superintendent Clooten, as the students and teachers get more familiar with both assessment tools, the results should be more consistent. “These create their own little base lines for administrators and teachers to help students succeed,” Clooten explained.
The students are evaluated regularly according to their grade levels, for example K-2 or First Grade. Other criteria also are used to help in assessing where a student is and setting goals for improvement, Native American students and Economic Disadvantaged students, for example. Content skills, like Math proficiency, are also part of the evaluation. The goal is to help all students steadily improve their scores and abilities giving targeted areas individualized attention.
Fastbridge is used widely across the country and A+ is North Dakota specific. Both are valuable tools the school district has to help students succeed.
Clooten is convinced that Fastbridge and A+ will be a benefit to all students and teachers eventually, as everyone becomes more familiar with using these tools. Individual school board members asked questions to clarify various points as the discussion continued.
A Consent Agenda of five items was approved which included
- Approval of minutes from the Nov. 24, 2025, board meeting
- Approval of the financial report for November 2025
- Approval on payment of bills
- Consider the elimination of Student Congress as an offered activity
- Review and consider approval of Policy LBE
No items were on the agenda for discussion and possible action.
Reports: Clooten reported that there was bad news and good news regarding the work at the Central Middle School. The intercom system was not included in the original estimates and the plaster walls make replacing the wiring difficult and more expensive. There was information about the elevator cost, as well, it may be approximately $260K. Several areas of savings are projected, however, if they can reuse ducts and piping according to the mechanical company, and moving the chiller to the roof may save as much as an estimated $90K however the roof will need to be reinforced, now, too. Next week a spread sheet with all figures and modifications should be available.
