students | inhnews

Career Fair is Back—Bigger and Better

by Trinity Gruenberg trinity@inhnews.com The Verndale School Board held their regular meeting on April 6. Career Fair Returns The PLC group comprised of Heather Lehmkuhl and Katie Tackman, K-12 School Counselor; Hanna Milligan, 7-12 Agriculture Teacher and Work Based Learning Coordinator; and Dr. Dan Stelck, High School Science, detailed an expanded and more interactive career fair planned for students in grades 7–12. The event will be held on April 23, in the new gym an

2 hours ago1 min read

Verndale Choir Earns Excellent Ratings

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Mar 311 min read

Seven Students, Seven Countries, One Verndale Experience

The Verndale School is hosting seven foreign exchange students this school year. Most came at the start of the school year, one came for the latter half. Daan Vos I live in Hoogeveen, a small town in the province of Drenthe (in the Netherlands). The big difference is that in my country everyone will travel with their bike or public transportation. Here, almost everybody has a car, and you cannot bike everywhere because of the distance. Something I think is really fun is h

Mar 241 min read

District Could End Up Deficit Spending if Trends Continue

by Trinity Gruenberg trinity@inhnews.com The Verndale School Board held their regular meeting on March 2. Fund Balance Policy The discussion about Policy 714 started because some people were worried that the district’s goal of having a 50% unassigned fund balance was no longer realistic given the current financial situation and declining student enrollment. Superintendent Jeannie Mayer explained that if the trends continue—like fewer students, small increases in state fund

Mar 101 min read

Principal for a Day: Local Representatives Visit Verndale School

by Trinity Gruenberg trinity@inhnews.com Two state lawmakers recently spent time at the Verndale School as “principal for a day,” hearing firsthand about successes in the district and mounting concerns about funding. Representative Mike Weiner visited the school on December 9, and Representative Krista Knutson on December 18, after being invited by Principal Katie Bolland. Superintendent Jeannie Mayer used the visits to showcase Verndale’s strengths and outline the distric

Feb 241 min read

Minnesota Student Survey Results Show Improvement

On December 9, state official released results from the 2025 Minnesota Student Survey, showed students reporting stronger connections to their schools and improvements in overall physical and mental health and wellbeing. The survey is one of the longest-running youth surveys in the nation, amplifying student voices across metro and Greater Minnesota schools. Schools and communities statewide use the data to improve programs, supports and services for young people. Minneso

Jan 61 min read

Diving into the Future Exploring Robotics and Machine Trades

by Matt Jones Verndale Computer Science students recently visited Central Lakes College in Staples to explore the fast-growing fields of robotics and machine trades. The trip gave students a firsthand look at the advanced technology and hands-on training that prepare today’s workforce for high-demand technical careers. In the Robotics Lab, Instructors Nate Peterson and Robert Lange introduced students to the world of automation and intelligent systems. Their expertise and e

Jan 61 min read