Last week during the Northfield School Board meeting the school district held the annual World’s Best Workforce 
public hearing. The curiously named report, which is required by state statute to be given every year, evaluates each school district in the state based on kindergarten readiness, third grade reading levels, career and college readiness for high school seniors, efforts to address the Achievement Gap, and overall graduation rate.
Northfield Superintendent of Schools Dr. Matt Hillmann said, like every other school district across th country, the Northfield School District data had regressed from data that was available before the pandemic.
“We have been through the worst public health crisis in a century,” Hillmann said. “It should not come as a surprise that the numbers are down.”
Prior to the pandemic, Hillmann said, the numbers had been on an upward trajectory, but that was derailed by learning models that somehow had to be changed and understood on the fly.
“If you look at what we’ve been through,” he said, “at best, there was a pause” in overall student growth.
Hillmann said the district did not reach the goals it had set out to achieve, but that is not an excuse to, as he put it, whine and complain. Instead, they are working to bring the overall performance back to where it was. For example, he said in the area of third grade reading, dozens of teachers are participating in the LETRS program, which stands for Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling. Teachers are being taught the science of learning, and specifically how the brain learns to read.
He said these efforts are important, and they may still take some time to take root. But he is very optimistic about the way things will develop after they do.
“If you’re a history person, you think back to some of the disruptions over the last 100 years. It did take a couple of years to reset and then there was a period of tremendous growth after that. You can think about the end of World War I leading into the roaring ‘20s. You can think about the end of World War II and how we resurged with obviously all the great growth and scientific advancement. If history is our guide will be set to do the same.”
Hillmann did say they are starting to see improvements in key areas. Third grade reading, and Kindergarten readiness numbers have come up slightly, graduation rates remain strong, and in a year when ACT scores across the country were the worst in thirty years, the average ACT score in Northfield actually went up.
Jeff Johnson’s full conversation with Superintendent of Schools Dr. Matt Hillmann can be heard here
Deck the Falls will kick off holiday retail season in Cannon Falls
Cannon Falls is wasting no time this year getting into the holiday spirit. The annual Deck the Falls celebration will 
run all day Friday and Saturday offering holiday shopping and several family friendly events.
Sponsored by the Cannon Falls Chamber of Commerce, the 27th Annual Deck the Falls gives locals and visitors opportunities to get a jump on their holiday shopping. Virtually every downtown business will offer some sort of sale or promotion. Cannon Falls Chamber of Commerce President Kyle Paulson said some stores are offering sales of up to 20% off, while others are giving away prizes, and still others will feature appearances by Santa Claus himself.
Paulson said the two-day event will coincide with two of the most important days of the year for retailers.
“There’s going to be, of course, holiday shopping, retail open houses, and lots of promotions and sales going on. And they are happening Friday and Saturday, so we’re hitting Black Friday and Small Business Saturday.”
Saturday will begin with a Pancake Feed sponsored by the Lions Club at the Cannon Falls Fire Department from 8-11am. That will also feature an appearance by Santa along with Mrs. Claus as well.
The festivities will become a full-on celebration on Saturday afternoon, when the annual Deck the Falls Parade begins at 5:00. According to a statement released by the Cannon Falls Chamber, the police department will be leading the parade followed by lighted firetrucks and ambulances. Father Christmas will march in the parade, with elves marching alongsid him and passing out candy canes and lighted trinkets. He will also be joined by the Grinch and Buddy the Elf. Santa and Mrs. Claus will make yet another appearance along with the reindeer to complete the parade.
The parade will be followed by the annual lighting of the Cannon Falls Christmas Tree in the city parking lot. Once the tree is lit, the entire celebration will wrap up with fireworks.
For a full schedule of sales, promotions and events, visit the Cannon Falls Chamber of Commerce website at cannonfalls.org
Council meeting tonight
And the Northfield City Council will meet for a work session tonight in the Council Chambers at City Hall. 
Among the items on the agenda will be a review of the upcoming environmental assessment of land just east of the Northfield Hospital for a proposed subdivision to be constructed by by Terrace Companies, and a review of the city’s ongoing capital improvement and capital equipment plans.
As always, the City Council and the Northfield City Staff are eager to hear the opinions of the public on any matter, whether the subject is on the Council agenda or not. The meeting tonight is a work session, so the Council will not hear from the public. However, those who do wish to make a point, air an opinion or ask a question can email their councilor directly or make use of the eComment function which can be found in the “Agendas” section of the city website.
Tonight’s meeting will begin at 6pm.
Rich Larson is the KYMN News Director. Contact him at rich@kymnradio.net
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