Education

Study Of Potential Changes To I-35 In Downtown Duluth

DULUTH, Minn. — There has been some discussion about possible changes in how the interstate goes through downtown Duluth. Now the University of Minnesota Duluth has added to the conversation. A study concludes that freeing up land for other uses could infuse between $500 million to over $4 billion to Duluth’s economy. The potential economic effects have been studied by…

Never Dry: The Rise of Prohibition on the Iron Range

CHISOLM, Minn. – “I honestly think history is always directly relevant to the lives that we are living today. You carry history with you no matter what you do even if you don’t know it,” Minnesota Discovery Center Curator, Allyse Freeman says. In Chisolm, history runs deeper than the mine pits that tattoo the land. And at the Minnesota Discovery…

Duluth Schools Superintendent Reacts to Free Lunch

DULUTH, Minn.Ā  — Beginning next school year, school breakfasts and lunches will be free for all students in Minnesota public schools after Governor Watz signed the bill into law last week. Every year, Duluth Public Schools serves about 400 thousand breakfasts and 800 thousand lunches. Currently Duluth Schools have about $70 thousand dollars in unpaid lunch debt Duluth schools superintendent…

School Closings and Delays March 17, 2023

NORTHLAND — With the major winter storm coming in the Twin Ports, there are many schools closed, delayed, or holding an e-learning day from home. After school activities may also be affected. Below is the list which will be updated continuously. School Closings & Delays Cherry SchoolĀ – Closed. Nashwauk Keewatin School – Closed. North Woods Schools – Closed. South Shore…

Students, Potential Employers Converge At Spring Career Fair

The Northeast Minnesota Office of Job Training hosted dozens of businesses at a career fair Tuesday. The primary focus was to highlight careers that are accessible with general education and also provide a ladder of opportunities. The event was held at Black Bear Casino. Employers ranged in fields like human services, business and natural resources. Rowdy Egger, a senior at…

Safe Kids Northeast Minnesota Partners With Local Fire Departments

DULUTH, Minn. — 73% of car seats are not installed or adjusted correctly according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Safe Kids Northeast Minnesota is partnering with local fire departments to provide car seat clinics to help keep kids safe. Thursday the car seat clinic was held at a Duluth Fire Station. A local technician was there helping teach…

Maple School Board Reverses Decision To Consolidate 2nd Grade Classes

There’s some good news for parents within the Maple School District as that district faces a nearly $600,000 deficit next school year. Supt. Sara Cronley said Thursday the school board has decided to not relocate Iron River Elementary School’s second-grade class to Northwestern Elementary School’s second-grade class. This comes after parents expressed serious concerns to the board — from students…

Student Art Exhibition At Miller Hill Mall In Duluth

DULUTH, Minn. — Art students from Duluth Public Schools have their artwork on display at the Miller Hill Mall this week. The artwork represents examples of work from school art programs across Duluth. Student’s works were chosen by art teachers to show a cross section of student learning at various levels. There are literally dozens of works on display, including…

Knowing Your Neighbors: Exploratorium in the Works

HIBBING, Minn. – “Anything that you could possibly imagine of why or how, we like to explore. The world is an endless supply of curiosity,” Electrified Imagination Co-Founder, Steven Sanders says. Why is the sky blue and the grass green? Why do lizards crawl and birds sing? Entrepreneurs in Hibbing are laying the groundwork to find all the answers of…

Early Childhood Special Education Teacher Program at UW Superior

Esko, Minn. —Ā  The need for special education teachers is growing. And for special education teachers in the early childhood years, the need is growing even faster. Recently the University of Wisconsin Superior began an online only licensure track for students to obtain the birth through three childhood special education license. This is the Growing with Love Childcare Center in…

Parents Express Concern Over Superior School Dist. Consolidation Plan

SUPERIOR, Wis. — Some concerned parents in Superior spoke up at Monday night’s school board meeting about the district’s plans to possibly consolidate its elementary schools from six to five. A half-dozen parents took to the podium to speak against closing either Lake Superior or Four Corners elementary schools. They said they want more information about the financial benefit of…

Robotics Tournament at the DECC

Duluth, Minn. – More than 4,000 high school students with more than 100 robots were at the DECC for two different tournaments this week. Both the Northern Lights Regional and the Lake Superior Regional Tournament were held at the same time. Photojournalist Adam Jagunich visited the tournaments and filed this report. Categories: Education, Minnesota, News, News – Latest News

Robotics and the Brains Behind Them at the DECC

Multi-State High School Competition Brings Out the Best

If you’ve ever wondered who all the smart people are who design the machines around us…they are at the DECC for the next two days. One hundred and twenty teams have gathered for an electronic gladiator competition of sorts. It is called the FIRST Robotics Regional Competition and it is part of an international program involving high school students. This…

Creativity in the Kitchen at the Harrison Community Center

DULUTH, Minn. – The Harrison Community Center puts on weekly programs to engage families in the community through artistic play. Thursday, kids and their parents got to spend the evening taste-testing girl scout cookies. The program called Creativity in the Kitchen was put on for the first time to teach families about nutrition and healthy eating. After taste testing each…

UMD Hosts Summit On Equity, Race & Ethnicity

DULUTH, Minn. — UMD hosted its annual Summit Wednesday on Equity, Race and Ethnicity with the goal of inspiring change for greater equality for all. The Summit’s theme was “Decolonizing Our Institutions and Communities.” It included workshops and a play inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement. UMD’s Commission on Equity, Race and Ethnicity put on the conference and is…

$32-Million Referendum Clears Way For Education Overhaul At Chisholm Public Schools

CHISHOLM, Minn. — School will be out in a few months, but in Chisholm, a lot of people are already thinking about the fall of 2025. If all goes as planned, that is when a new elementary school will open. There will also be extensive renovations of the current facilities, including the high school. Inside the bowels of the 100-year-old…

Monday School Closings, Delays, E-Learning

The following schools are closed, delayed or operating as e-learning for Monday, Feb. 27: Cloquet School Dist.: E-learning Barnum School Dist.: Closed Birchwood School Dist.: E-learning Esko School Dist.: E-learning Hayward School Dist.: Closed Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe School: Closed Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe University: Closed McGregor School Dist.: 2-hour delay Moose Lake School Dist.: E-learning Northwoods School Dist.: Closed…

UMD Medical School Graduates the Second Highest Number of Indigenous Doctors

Duluth, Minn. –The University of Minnesota Duluth’s Medical School has the distinction of having graduated the second largest number of native or indigenous medical professionals in the nation. Ā Only Oklahoma State University has more. The Center of American Indian and Minority Health Department has been a part of UMD’s Medical School for more than 40 years. Dr. Mary Owen, an…

Protest Calls for Cloquet Schools to Get Tougher on Bullying

CLOQUET, Minn. – The issue of bullying in schools taking center stage outside Cloquet High School Tuesday. Some parents and students saying they’ve had enough. They say they want the school district to get tougher on bullying, saying the problem is at a breaking point. The district says it investigates and deals with concerns brought to them. People were holding…

Parents Speak Out About Maple School Dist. Cuts, 2nd-Grade Changes

MAPLE, Wis. — Concerned parents spoke up Monday about cuts for the Maple School District next school year as it faces a nearly $600,000 deficit. The school board held a special meeting Monday evening about the cuts after approving them Feb. 13. There are more than a half-dozen teacher positions being eliminated. And while the parents FOX 21 spoke to…

AmeriCorps Members Help Local Students with SEL

Dultuh, Minn. — The pandemic had, in the words of the Brookings Institute, a devastating impact on students.Ā  It not only affected academic levels, but with students not having interactions with other students their social skills were also impacted. True North AmeriCorps is helping 30 schools and other organizations work with children to help the students with their Social Emotional…

Maple School Dist. Plans To Eliminate Teacher Positions Amid $575K Deficit

MAPLE, Wis. – More than a half-dozen teacher positions are planning to be eliminated within the Maple School District next school year because of an anticipated $575,000 deficit, according to Supt. Sara Croney. As of Friday’s announcement, a full-time math teacher, social studies teacher and part-time library aide are being eliminated at the high school. At the middle school a…

Ojibwe Winter Games Much More Than Games

Children learn skills tied to history and ancestors

Winter is what you make of it. And for Native Americans, it is an important time for their culture. That was on full display Friday in the cold and sunshine of February. It was the Ojibwe Winter Games at UMD’s Bagley Nature Area. In the form of very specific and unique games, school children were learning skills that native ancestors…

UMD, UWS Offer Support After Fatal Michigan State University Shooting

UMD and UWS sent emails to students, faculty and staff to offer support and guidance following the fatal Michigan State University shooting. The following message was sent by UMD Interim Chancellor Dave McMillan: “The events of last evening at Michigan State University are horrifying. UMD shares in the sadness and sorrow of the Michigan State University community. We honor the…

Indigenous Families Seek Support/Understanding in Loss of Loved Ones

Feel there is more urgency when other groups need help

The effort to remember Native American women who have been murdered or are missing was the focus of a community event in Duluth Tuesday.Ā  But the issue of violence affects not only women, but also men and entire families. Sage Matthews of Duluth still mourns the loss of her niece and nephew who died separately four years ago.Ā  She and…

Chemical Engineering Students at UMD Offer Chocolate Creations for Valentine’s Day

DULUTH, Minn — With Valentine’s Day upon us, there are a lot of different places where you can find chocolate to buy for your sweetheart, but one place that may be a bit unconventional is the engineering building at UMD. With the help of faculty members, chemical engineering students have a lab set up where they are able to take…

Student Led Organization Advocates For UMD Legislative Priorities

DULUTH, Minn. — Monday, UMD students were at the Capitol in St. Paul to lobby on behalf of the University. Bulldog Lobby Day is an annual student led event where students advocate for the University’s legislative priorities. The issues students talked with legislators and staff members about included renovating and updating campus facilities, as well as funding for student scholarships….

‘How to Start Your Vegetable Garden’ Class

DULUTH, Minn. – It may be winter, but it’s never too early to start thinking about your garden. Over at the Duluth Folk School Thursday, a ‘How to Start Your Vegetable Garden’ class was held in collaboration with the Duluth Community Garden Program. The class talked about climates and crop plans, along with the right way to seed. Attendees also…

Superior School Dist. Considers Consolidating Schools

SUPERIOR, Wis. — The Superior School District is beginning discussions to potentially consolidate its elementary schools from six to five. Superintendent Amy Starzecki said a 2022 district study showed the elementary schools are being underutilized — sitting at only 71 percent capacity. So, because of that and a significant budget shortfall coming in 2024, the district believes downsizing into five…

Robot Team Gears Up for State Competition

TWO HARBORS, Minn. – The Two Harbors Robotics team is gearing up for the big State Competition happening this weekend. Team ‘Robo Dweebs’ as they call themselves, is a first Lego league, meaning they build robots out of Legos. They’ve been working on their robots since August, with focus on design, programming and project. One of the goals of the…

The Birth of the American Colonies Exhibit on Display at Karpeles Manuscript Museum

DULUTH, Minn — A new exhibit recently arrived at Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum near downtown Duluth. The collection is called ā€œThe Birth of the American Coloniesā€ and features 19 documents and letters from European royalty dictating the charters or authority of the new world. Most of the documents featured in the museum are photographs of the originals accompanied by a…

Veterans Stories Weather COVID Storm

More stories of Veterans are still wanted by the Veterans Memorial Hall Program in Duluth

DULUTH, Minn. — We all know that COVID and the pandemic interrupted almost everything and everybody. And the effort to collect the stories of our veterans was no exception. In Duluth, the Veterans Memorial Hall Program has preserved the stories of over two hundred veterans. But the important work hit a roadblock when meeting with aging veterans face-to-face became a…

Coffee Conversation: Alworth Scholarship Deadline January 15

DULUTH, Minn. — The Executive Director, Patty Salo Downs, of the Alworth Memorial Fund came on the morning show to spread the word encouraging students to apply for the Alworth Scholarship. The scholarship is $20,000 and the deadline to apply is January 15. To be considered you need to have an interest in pursuing a bachelor’s degree in studies related…

Legislative Priorities for Minnesota Dems in New Session

May be itch to spend with early forecast of $17 billion surplus

The Minnesota DFL party has the Governor’s office, and the majority in both the House and Senate. And party leaders said Wednesday they are all on the same page when it comes to priorities. At a joint press briefing of the House and Senate at the Capitol, DFL leaders said allowing women to make their own decisions about abortion will…

Lester Park Elementary Students Deliver Holiday Joy

20th Year of The Giving Tree Project

DULUTH, Minn. — Sue Baker is a Kindergarten teacher from Duluth’s Lester Park Elementary School and she can tell you how the tradition of students delivering trees to hospital patients and others began. It was an idea her son had come up with 2o years ago. “HeĀ  (Robbie) was the one who came up with the project’ said Sue Baker.”…

UMD Professor Working with NASA

DULUTH, Minn.–There was a rocket lift off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California Friday morning, it was carrying the first satellite dedicated to observing nearly all the water on the earth’s surface. An associate professor at UMD has been working with NASA leading up to the launch. Sam Kelly, an associate professor in the Large Water Observatory program at…

148th Fighter Wing’s Starbase Hosts Young People for STEM Event

DULUTH, Minn.–Young professionals gathered Thursday at the 148th Fighter Wing to talk about all things S.T.E.M. The Duluth Area Chamber of Commerce has developed a program titled Fuse aimed at connecting community members with local professionals to expose them to different career opportunities. The Chamber hosts several interactive luncheons with their Fuse members. Thursday’s get together took place at the…

UWS Media Class Receives Visit from Industry Expert

SUPERIOR, Wis. – “I’m not originally supposed to be a communications major but after this I’ve definitely gotten a lot more interest in this,” UWS Student, Bill Krieg says. A Communications class at UW Superior, Digital Storytelling and social media, received a visit from FOX 21 News Director, Steve Goodspeed as part of the curriculums agenda to invite Media industry…

Duluth Public Schools Host ‘Education After Hours’

DULUTH, Minn. – Duluth Public Schools is putting on ‘Education After Hours’ sessions where community members have a chance to talk to Superintendent John Magas one on one. These sessions are an opportunity for anybody to stop by with questions, thoughts, or concerns. The Superintendent plans to reach out to all communities throughout Duluth with visits to each community center…