On behalf of the Murray County Central School District Board of Education, administrators and staff, we are excited to welcome our new and returning students and families to the start of the 2025-26 school year. We have been working diligently throughout the summer in preparation for students returning to school and look forward to making this another great year here at MCC!
We are committed first and foremost to the success of our students and to doing what’s best for them. Throughout our district, you’ll find passionate educators working each day to help ensure excellent outcomes for all of our students. We want to welcome and introduce our new staff members that have joined the MCC team. Heather Christofore (Paraprofessional), Aubrey Denney (Paraprofessional), Aranda Forsberg (Paraprofessional), and Brandon Thomson (Food Service). These new staff members join an already dedicated staff to carry out the district’s mission of providing educational excellence through diverse learning experiences to develop respectful, responsible, and productive citizens with high values and integrity. We have a vision of working together with our parents and the communities that we serve to develop successful learners. Education is a team effort and we don’t do our best work in isolation and we rely on our colleagues, our parents, and our communities to support us and in turn to support our students.
In July, the MCC School Board unanimously voted to hold a special election on Tuesday, November 4th to ask eligible residents of the MCC School District to consider an operating levy increase to help sustain the quality of education that MCC is known for. Approximately $400,000 was cut from the FY26 budget and additional cuts will have to take place if the levy fails. The support for MCC Schools has always been so impressive over the years and the hope is that this continues for the benefit of our students now and into the future. More information on the upcoming election along with a tax impact calculator can be found on the main page of the district website. Come be a part of the conversation at our scheduled community meetings on September 17th and October 22nd.
As we start the new school year, there has been a few changes regarding the school day and calendar. The school day will now start for everyone at 8:00 a.m. Dismissal for grades 2-6 (West Elementary) will be at 3:05 p.m., for K-1, 3:08 p.m. and for 7-12, 3:12 p.m. These additional minutes per day equate to an earlier last day of school for the year that is scheduled for May 19, 2026 for students. We also have fewer early dismissals and late starts this year compared to previous years. Please refer to the 2025-2026 District calendar for all days off, conferences, TNT days, etc. For elementary students, please check out the drop-off/pick-up instructions for both West and Central.
Universal free meals for all students is still in effect based upon Minnesota law. Even though all students still receive free meals, it is still so very important that parents complete the educational benefits form (free/reduced) in order for our district to receive funding for other educational programs, technology, summer enrichment, summer food, and P-EBT benefits. Please help us provide all that we can for our students and our community by completing the application in your JMC Parent Portal or contact the school for a paper copy today, if you have not already filled out the application.
We want you to stay informed on District information as well as from each school site. School and District messaging via email, text, and phone calls will be sent using the contact information in the Parent Portal JMC account. Information can also be found on the district’s website or you can download the free school app by searching ISD 2169 in your app store. We also use our social media sites to provide information and updates to the community. Our K-12 event calendar provides all things happening district wide.
Each year offers new possibilities, opportunities, and challenges for every student. Not everything will be easy, and there are sure to be bumps along the way this year. However, I encourage our families to keep open, positive lines of communication with the teachers and administration. An optimal educational experience for your child is rooted in strong school/family connections and positive relationships. It is very evident that when we face challenges, so long as we face them together, and work together, as a team, we can accomplish great things. The team includes our students, staff, parents/guardians, and communities.
We encourage you to be an advocate for your child, and we ask that you do this through partnering with our outstanding staff.
Let’s make it a great year and we are excited for the students on September 2nd (7-12) and September 4th (K-6).
Go Rebels!