News

School district to host open house on Oct. 29

By Scott Wagar

10/22/2013

The Bottineau Public School District will be holding an open house on Tuesday, Oct. 29, in association with the parent/teacher conferences for grades K-12.

Over the past years, when parent/teacher conferences were held, attendance for 9-12 has been very limited by parents. With the small attendance by parents at the high school level, the school district made the decision to have an open house in hopes of bringing more parents to parent/teacher conferences while at the same time giving the parents a meal and school program which presents the students’ talents in may areas.

“We will be grilling burgers and hot dogs along with some other food,” said David Hoff, math teacher in the Bottineau School District and chair of the parent/teacher conferences.
“Day care will also be available (students and faculty are volunteering their time to babysit) in the Middle School. So, if the parents of a second grader want to attend, they can drop their child off at Middle School and go to their parent/teacher conference at Central School, and then come back to the high school to take in supper and the school program.

“The program will show what the students are doing in school with music and art and so much more,” Hoff said. “We want to shed a positive light on the school and showcase what are students can do.”

Joel Bickford, principal of Bottineau High School, stated he sees the open house as a win-win situation.

“We think the open house will show our students’ talents in each section and teachers will have something to put on display-like the students’ replicas of Fort Mandan, a periodic table in the science room which will be on the ceiling, music from the band and choir and art from Diane Volk’s art students,” Bickford said. “And, parents can also get all their Power School information updated so they can get their children’s grades e-mailed to them.”

Bickford added that the open house is about the parents and teachers working together.

“The key is having the parents involved with our organization and have us work together,” he said. “We think an open house will make that work together for us.”

The open house will be from 5 to 8 p.m. with the dinner taking place in the concession room in the high school and the program at the Holwell Auditorium starting at 7 p.m. and will last about 30 minutes. Individuals will also be able to sign up for door prizes at the event.

Although the open house is primarily for parents, the event will also be open to the general public.

All the teachers will be there to hold parent/teacher conferences as well if the parents desire to speak with their children’s teachers.
The school district also wants the parents to know that the parent/teacher conferences which will be held on the evening of Nov. 5 will be a normal parents/teachers conference (no open house) due to the vote that will take place in the school for the new school building.