District 742

The St. Cloud area school district will be holding a job fair on Wednesday for paraprofessionals and bus drivers. The event is at Apollo High School from 4:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

The District 742 Local Education and Activities Foundation (LEAF) is kicking off its "Adopt a Classroom Project" for this year. Supporters can "adopt" a classroom in the district by making a tax deductable $250 donation for needed classroom supplies.

The owner of a $150,000 home can expect to pay an additional $218.35 a year if the St. Cloud school district referendum passes in November, according to new numbers released this week. The $167 million referendum includes $113.5 million to build a new Tech.

District 742 has found a new soccer coach for the Apollo boys soccer team. Adbikhani (Seyga) Omar Mohamed will take the place of Ganard Orionzi, whose contract was allowed to expire earlier this summer. Mohamed has played soccer for more than 25 years and professionally for nine years.

Thanks to a partnership and $15,000 gift from the St. Cloud Rotary Club, LEAF was able to expand its parents and kids reading aloud together (PAKRAT) program into the summer. The program gives books to kids who lack access to them in preschool through third grade.

St. Cloud School District 742 Board Chairman Dennis Whipple was my guest on WJON today. He gave us an update on building projects at North Junior High and Clearview Elementary and he addressed the proposed possible new Tech High School and renovations at Apollo.

The St. Cloud area school district has picked Debbie Erickson to fill an empty seat on the school board. Erickson is co-chair of the District 742 bond referendum committee and was a member of the high school task force. She is also a board member of the local education and activities foundation (LEAF).

The St. Cloud area school district is planning to sell the Tech High School building and put in a new building on Clark Field. The school board will review and is expected to pass the plans during their meeting on Thursday night. The district is planning to sell the Tech High School and media services buildings.

Four schools in the St. Cloud area school district were honored by the Minnesota Department of Education on Wednesday. Oak Hill Community School, Apollo High School, Talahi Community School and Westwood Elementary School were among 36 schools recognized for their work using the positive behavioral intervention and supports (PBIS) program.

The Apollo High School athletic field and track will see some much needed improvements this summer. District 742 buildings and ground supervisor Bryan Brown says the rubber track is falling apart and desperately needed to be fixed. The plan is to eventually put turf in on the football field-all of the summer modifications will work towards that goal.