By Logan Wells, News Director | Logan@kymnradio.net
With the school year set to begin in Northfield on Tuesday, Superintendent Dr. Matt Hillmann is offering his advice on how parents and students can ensure a successful start to the school year.
Among the most important factors for parents to focus on was learning about what happened in their students’ school day. Hillmann said that these conversations can help parents learn what is going on in a student’s life academically and socially, helping them be able to respond and guide their student:
“We want to always to be productive and positive, but really helping them start to find themselves and to find the adult that they’re gonna be.”– Dr. Matt Hillmann, Superintendent of Northfield Public Schools, on KYMN In The Morning
However, he admitted that for many parents, it can be challenging to have these conversations and receive helpful information:
Listen to the News:
“And of course, there’s the joke that could probably be put in a million memes about what did you do at school today? ‘Nothing.’ I can assure you wholeheartedly that is not true.” – Dr. Matt Hillmann, Superintendent of Northfield Public Schools, on KYMN In The Morning
Hillman said, when you get that standard answer, try to find specific topics or areas to ask questions about. He recommended asking about a particular class or teacher:
“And then sometimes you can start broadly and say, hey, what went on at school today? You might get a lot more information than you anticipated. And if you get that general response that we expect from pre-teenagers and from teenagers, then dig a little bit deeper and keep asking questions.” – Dr. Matt Hillmann, Superintendent of Northfield Public Schools, on KYMN In The Morning
Additionally, we will be airing a conversation with Hillmann and Northfield Police Chief Jeff Schropfer today at 6:30am and again after the news at Noon, discussing safety in schools. You can also find that conversation on our website or wherever you get your podcasts.
Among other tips that Hillmann has for parents and students is the importance of learning to advocate for themselves, establishing routines and schedules, and, most importantly, getting enough sleep.
The 2025-2026 school year starts on Tuesday.
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