by Mike Knaak news@thenewsleaders.com Decisions on future changes to learning plans during the Covid-19 pandemic will now be based on more factors than just county-wide case numbers, the Sartell-St. Stephen school board decided at its Oct. 19 meeting. As the school year began, whether students would learn in person, in a hybrid model or distance learning was based on the

by Mike Knaak news@thenewsleaders.com There are fewer younger students attending school this fall and parents’ concerns about Covid-19 are at least part of the reason. There are 250 kindergarten students this fall, compared with 311 at the end of last year. Sartell-St. Stephen school district leaders expected a year-to-year decrease of about 35 students instead of the actual drop of

by Mike Knaak news@thenewsleaders.com Even snow days are getting a new look in the time of Covid-19. With some students learning at least part time from home and others in schools, how to handle the traditional Minnesota routine of calling off school for extreme winter weather needed an update, the Sartell-St. Stephen school board decided at its Oct. 19 meeting.

by Mike Knaak news@thenewsleaders.com The first steps in the Sartell-St. Stephen school district’s long-debated equity audit will begin in a few weeks when a newly formed Equity in Education Committee meets with the outside consultant hired to conduct the study. The equity-audit idea arose earlier this summer after the killing of George Floyd in Minnesota and a renewed interest on

photo by Mike KnaakSartell High School football players and socially distanced fans cheer a score as the Sabres hosted the Apollo Eagles for the season's first home football game on Oct. 9. Sartell won the game, 35-13. Covid-19 restrictions limited attendance to 250 people. During the game, fans watched from outside the fence and from vehicles lined up on Second

photo by Mike KnaakSartell Sabre Dance Team members show off their steps for an audience of family and friends at the Community Center Oct. 6. The team usually performs at home football games but because of Covid-19 restrictions, those performances were canceled. photo by Mike KnaakThe dance team performed just one number to parents who took the opportunity to record