By Norma Dittman A brief discussion ensued during Monday night’s Fulda School Board meeting regarding the first day of school for both the 2026-2027, and 2027-2028 years. The unanimous vote that followed is to start school both years after the Labor Day holiday. Discussion of this subject was necessary due to the lateness of Labor Day in those two years, and the fact that Minnesota legislation has allowed schools to begin their educational years prior to the holiday in 2026 and 2027.
Approved was the threeyear Achievement and Integration Plan for July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2029. The plan lists three goals for the Fulda School District that are achievement and integration goals. Achievement and Integration Plans are available to the public on the school’s website once approved by the board.
Board-approved ACT Test Preparation classes will be available to students on Monday, March 2, and Wednesday, March 4, 3:30 to 6 p.m. Classes will be held at the high school and pizza and beverage will be offered to the students at the conclusion of each review day. Loren Carlson will be administering a practice assessment to the students, as well as giving them strategies for doing their best in test taking skills. The classes will be offered free to the students, with the district paying the fee for each student.
Elementary Principal Brett Perish talked about math and reading screenings that were done in September of 2025, January of 2026, and another scheduled for May of 2026. He stated that all students participated in the winter reading assessment, and that the resulting numbers were very good which means the “teachers are doing exactly what they should do”.
Coaches for track are: Girls - Doug White, Boys Ryan Koopman, with Brad Holinka assistant coach. Baseball coaches are Lucas Knutson, and Jonathon Curry, junior high baseball coach is Jeremy Janssen and softball coaches are Cheyliska Schaffer and Jason Fisher. Golf coaches are Boys - Carter Ross and Girls - Jared Bourquin with Loren Carlson the junior high coach.
District groups and supporters who were recognized included congratulations to Matthew Stapek for being the recipient of this year’s Sub-Region 10 Academics, Arts, and Athletics award, 507 Burger and Pizza Co for partnering with the elementary school to start a “Book It” program, Fulda Vitality Fitness for sponsoring the elementary school’s Million Words Club, and the Dundee Lutheran Quilters for donating quilts to each of the students in kindergarten and first grade, and Murray County Early Childhood Initiative for their donation.
Several people were present for Open Forum, with Nan Henning and Nick Henning bringing concerns to the board.
Nan Henning asked what the district could do to stop students from open enrolling or choosing home schooling. She stated that education at Murray County Central seems to be of better quality than what is offered at Fulda schools, according to attendance percentages and testing scores.
Nan Henning shared an opinion that MCC and Fulda should consolidate in the future, asking the school board to ‘take a step back’ and look at what education in Fulda will be in the coming 10 to 20 years.
Nick Henning stated that conversation between the MCC and Fulda superintendents and school board representatives from the two school boards regarding a merger is not recorded in any Fulda School Board minutes, but that MCC superintendent had written about the discussion. He asked why the Fulda representatives had waited 11 months to talk with MCC about a possible merger. He also voiced a concern over the monetary comparison for roofing repairs of $22M versus the building project of $36M.
The March meeting of the Fulda School Board is scheduled for Monday, March 9, 2026, at Fulda High School.
