Sharon Kauth Schultz, principal, Middle River Elementary and Greenbush-Middle River Middle School

Greenbush-Middle River District serves about 500 PK-12 students in the far northwestern corner of Minnesota. Most students live in the communities of Greenbush, Strathcona and Middle River. Sharon Kauth Schultz is the principal of Middle River Elementary and Greenbush-Middle River Middle School. Middle River Elementary School includes grades PK-5 and Greenbush-Middle River Middle School includes 6-8th grades.

“The mission of the Greenbush-Middle River School is to provide a quality education which will prepare all students to meet success by developing self-directed thinkers and communicators who are responsible, respectful and accountable to themselves and others.”  This mission statement was created through nominative process by a cross-section of about 60 community members, business leaders and school personnel. New staff members study the mission statement as part of their orientation.  Each year middle school students reflect on the mission statement as part of their homeroom character-building activities.

Greenbush-Middle River Schools believe: all students can learn, high standards promote future success,

P. Fred Storti, Executive Director, Minnesuota Elementary School Principals’ Association, presented Greenbush-Middle River Principal Sharon Shltz with with a plaque designating the school's Minnesota School of Excellence validation.

and students’ basic needs must be met. The schools promote reading as the foundation skill for all learning. Within classes student grouping is flexible and teachers differentiate for learning styles by providing students choices: for example, middle school students have 51 options for book report formats, including written, theatrical, multimedia and 3-dimensional construction modes. Students participate in academic enrichment:  Knowledge bowl, spelling bee, geography bee, regional Young Authors’ Conference, and regional Creativity Festival.  Students use many computer games and web-based learning tools including Study island (math, reading and science lessons), EdMark (high frequency sight-word mastery), co-Writer (writing assistance), Accelerated Reader (reading comprehension tests for students’ instructional level), Read Naturally (reading fluency development with graphic progress tracking) and Natural Reader (text to audio conversion).  Math and science students use graphic calculators, hand-held data collection devices, a projection microscope and digital weather station.

Elementary classes are small, ranging from 12-20. Kindergarten meets three full days per week during first semester, four days per week third quarter, and five days per week fourth quarter. All elementary students participate in 25 minutes of physical education every day with a licensed PE teacher.  Elementary students have music three days per week and one session of art each week, taught by licensed specialists. 

There are 110 students in middle school. Each student is part of a homeroom "family" of 12-13 where they participate in recreational, academic and character building activities. Middle school teachers follow the philosophy that lessons should meet the specific cognitive, physical and social needs of young adolescents.

To make all students feel welcome and valued, sign language lessons are embedded in K-8 classrooms and staff development.  Middle school students participate in disability awareness lessons and volunteer as Count Me In puppeteers. In K-3 classrooms, Responsive Classroom philosophy teaches children empathy and “The Welcome Rule.” In K-6 classrooms, a school social worker teaches lessons about friendship, social skills, and transition to middle school. 

The school employs a number of proactive safety measures. For example, K-8 students receive   instruction regarding appropriate computer network use, and cyberspace safety is addressed through the K-8 I-Safe curriculum. Each fall all 6^th graders participate in peaceful conflict resolution classes, then some volunteer to work as peer mediators throughout their middle school years. The school social worker leads K-5 lessons on bullying and personal safety. Law enforcement teaches 5^th and 7^th grade DARE classes. The school provides adult supervision for morning open gym, elementary and middle school recess and safe bus loading.

As principal, Schultz believes in the district mission statement because “it will help students succeed in an unknown future. Our staff models lifelong learning, and I’m proud to work in a district where parents, staff and administration all promote the best for children.”