Education

NRHEG hires top administrator

There's a new superintendent coming to New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva (NRHEG) Public Schools and his name is Michael Meihak. The current principal at Faribault Middle School was approved as the next superintendent by the school board at its meeting on Monday, Mar. 15. School Board Chair...

Krell achieves top state honor

A top educator, who once reigned on the national level as a distinguished principal, has added yet another honor to her portfolio. The Minnesota Association of School Administrators has named Michelle Krell of Blooming Prairie the Outstanding Central Office Leader. Krell currently serves as the...

Blooming Prairie High School students get off the bus and enter the school on Monday, Mar. 8. For seventh- through ninth-graders, Monday was their first day back learning in-person. Sophomores through seniors will resume in-person learning four days a week next Monday.

In-person learning resumes at BP High School

After nearly a full year of distance or hybrid learning, Monday marked the first day back at school for in-person learning for all Blooming Prairie seventh-grader, eighth-graders and freshmen. The students will be in school every day except Wednesday, which is designated as a distance-learning day...

3 area educators named finalists for top award

Three Steele County educators are finalists for Minnesota Teacher of the Year. Kim Goblirsch and Sara Markham, both teachers at Medford Public Schools, and Jessica Wagner, teacher at Owatonna Public Schools, have been chosen among 75 finalists for the state competition. An independent panel of...

St. Mary's fifth-grade teacher Cheryl Kasper answers questions from her students during the inauguration ceremonies.

St. Mary’s class watches inauguration

Cheryl Kasper’s fifth-grade class at St. Mary’s School in Owatonna watched President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris be sworn into office on Jan. 20. Kasper said it was important for the kids to watch, because it provided a lesson of democracy in action in the United States. “I think...

Owatonna Schools extend distance learning

Distance learning in the Owatonna Schools will continue longer than expected. Last week administrators determined it would be necessary to remain in the distance learning model through at least Thursday, Jan. 7 for the “continued safety of our students, staff and community,” said Superintendent...

James Underwood estate given to BP Ed Foundation

Back in March of 2019, former Superintendent Barry Olson, received a call from a law office in California, Mo., indicating that they were handling the Estate of James A. Underwood. Olson was told that the late Mr. Underwood had left instructions in his estate documents that the remainder of his...

It was a family affair as brothers Alex, Wyatt and Colton Hemann were accompanied to the first day of school (Sept. 8) at the Blooming Prairie Elementary School by their mom, Misty.

‘They are smiling behind their masks’

What's new in the classroom? Let's find out by reading what our Blooming Prairie Elementary School teachers have to say about returning to the classroom after being away from students for more than six months. Most of the teachers, kindergarten through sixth grade, are ecstatic and joyful about...

BP School approves Safe Learning Plan

After hearing Blooming Prairie Schools Superintendent Chris Staloch explain a Safe Learning Plan to return students to school, the board voted unanimously to approve a COVID-19 education plan. Listening to Staloch in a Power Point presentation explain the numbers game of county cases of COVID-19,...

It was the Awesome Blossoms of Blooming Prairie vs. the Spuds of Moorhead in the annual Minnesota State High School League Nickname Challenge. The Spuds edged the Blossoms for the mascot nickname championship.

The Battle of the Mascots

It was a battle to the finish in the annual Minnesota State High School League Nickname Challenge. Combatants in the championship of the MSHSL contest were the Awesome Blossoms of Blooming Prairie and the Spuds of Moorhead. Voting ended on June 29 with the Spuds winning the challenge of having the...