About Win-E-Mac School District
The Win-E-Mac School which houses students in grades PreK-12 is located in a rural setting located just north of the junction of Highways 2 and 59 near Erskine, MN. The school was completed in 1998 and an addition was added in 2001. We oversee Oak Lake and are adjacent to the Oak Lake Golf Course. A large Native Prairie Grass planting is located on the east side of the football field. Many species of grasses and forbs native to Minnesota prairies as well as a large variety of wildflowers can be viewed and identified in the arboretum area. A bluebird trail surrounds the perimeter if the school where 20 bluebird houses have been constructed for bluebirds to nest. We are proud to allow the use of our facility with the public for community events.
Contact: Randy Bruer
Win-E-Mac District’s Enrollment
The Win-E-Mac School District is comprised of approximately 430 students from four towns: Winger, Erskine, McIntosh, and Mentor. Hence the school name (Win-E-Mac). We have students attending our school from the surrounding communities.
The Win-E-Mac School District provides a small-school environment with current educational practices in providing individualized student attention in a safe environment. Our district is small enough to know you and large enough to offer a variety of academic educational opportunities, athletics, and a variety of co-curricular activities. As a district, we are committed to preparing our students to meet the challenges of tomorrow!
For two consecutive years, Win-E-Mac received a bronze medal in the U.S. News and World Report annual list of America’s Best High Schools!
Analysis to receive an award is based on the following criteria:
- Standardized test performance
- Proficiency rates of all students, including the least advantaged
- Challenging college-ready curriculum
The bronze medal recognizes high schools that met the first two criteria of America’s Best High Schools methodology, but not the third. These schools have demonstrated commendable performance on state tests but did not perform well enough on the college readiness index to be awarded a gold or silver medal.
A complete list of America’s Best High Schools, as well as details about the analysis and the methodology used to develop the ranking is available at www.usnews.com/highschools.
Win-E-Mac has also received the “Best Schools Award” numerous times.
CLASS SIZE
The Win-E-Mac District has strived to maintain small class sizes at all levels. All elementary grades are divided into two sections. The School Board works very hard to keep early elementary class size low.
In grades 7-12, there are two sections of each of the four core subject areas: English, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies. We support a Project Lead the Way curriculum that is required of our Junior High students and high school students may take courses for college credit through the University of Minnesota. We have a variety of other classes including Health, Physical Education, and Senior Seminar.
Special Programs at Win-E-Mac
We have many support or extension programs for students at Win-E-Mac. Listed below is a short description of some of them.
Title I: As a Schoolwide Title 1 Program, all elementary Win-E-Mac students benefit. One of the goals of our Schoolwide Improvement Plan is to provide more individualized instruction in flexible, small groups. These groups change throughout the school year as the needs of each student change. Title 1 staff may help students by giving extra instruction in small groups, either within the regular classroom or in a quieter setting outside the regular classroom. Students may also get additional help in the regular classroom with reading and/or math assignments. The Title 1-funded staff also provides assessments and/or screenings. Title 1 funding also provides our school with supplies for supplemental instruction, books, computers, and family involvement activities. We have one Title I teacher and paraprofessionals who assist by working with the classroom teacher and providing specific assistance to qualifying children in guided reading, spelling, writing, and math.
Special Education: Special Education programs exist for students ranging from our early childhood programs up to the senior year of high school. Programs include EBD, LD, DCD, and Speech/Language Services. Additional staff and resources are provided by our membership in the Area Special Education Cooperative (ASEC). ASEC provides additional services with additional low-incidence services for Deaf/Hard of Hearing, Psychological Disorders, Autism, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Vision, and Early Childhood screening. ASEC also provides ECSE (Early Childhood Special Education services to children that qualify. Extended School Year (ESY) services are provided during summer months if applicable and included in the student’s Individualized Plan (IEP) as determined by the IEP Team.
College in the High School: Using qualified staff in the District, Win-E-Mac School offers College Trigonometry and College Algebra in conjunction with Northland Community and Technical College for College in the High School credit. These credits are accepted at all MnSCU colleges. These academic programs make it possible for students to earn college credits without leaving the high school campus and at the same time earn high school credit. Both students and the school district benefit from these options. Students can save in college tuition costs while the school district saves by attracting students — or at least, by not losing them to other similar, off-site programs or options. These courses are available to any Junior and Senior age students who meet the college acceptance standards. We also partner with the University of Minnesota – Crookston and students are able to enroll in American Government, American History, Composition I, and Composition II courses.
Postsecondary Enrollment Options: PSEO is a program that allows 10th-, 11th- and 12th-grade students to earn both high school and college credit while still in high school, through enrollment in and successful completion of college nonsectarian courses at eligible participating postsecondary institutions. For more information, click here.
Advanced Placement Courses (AP): Students have the option of taking Composition I /Composition II courses for Advanced Placement credit. The Advanced Placement Test is administered at the Win-E-Mac School in the spring and those meeting qualifying criteria may be exempt from taking specific courses at certain colleges.
School Readiness/Head Start: The School Readiness Program operates under the Community Education Program. It is designed to see that our 4-year-old students who will be entering kindergarten in the next school year are socially and emotionally prepared for school. School Readiness is available to all families. We have partnered with Inter-County Head Start Program to serve students and families.
ECFE: Early Childhood Family Education (ECFE) is available for all Minnesota families with children between the ages of birth to Kindergarten. ECFE is based on the idea that the family provides a child’s first and most significant learning environment. ECFE works to strengthen families. ECFE’s goal is to enhance the ability of all parents to provide the best possible environment for their child’s learning and growth. Our schedule of parent/child classes can be obtained by contacting the District office at 218-563-2900 or 218-687-2236.
Guided Reading: We implemented Guided Reading for students to support our efforts to ensure that students become fluent readers who can problem solve strategically and read independently and silently. There are many benefits for both the student and teacher in using Guided Reading.
- Students develop as individual readers while being involved in a supported activity.
- Individual readers have the opportunity to develop and use reading strategies so they can read progressively difficult texts independently.
- Students experience success in reading for meaning.
- Students learn how to problem-solve with new text independently.
- Teachers observe individual students as they problem-solve new reading material.
- Teachers assess individual students using running records before or after the group.
‘Leveled Reading’ Book Library: We continue to build an inventory of leveled books that allow teachers to locate books that are at the student’s current reading level.
Accelerated Reader (AR) and Accelerated Math: Accelerated Reader is used as an incentive program to promote reading with students in the Win-E-Mac Elementary School. As part of ‘AR’, students read books at their reading level and answer questions pertaining to the book. Points are accumulated based upon passing the quizzes that students take. Accelerated Reader is used in grades K-8 and Accelerated Math in grades 5-8.
PINE-TO-PRAIRIE CONSORTIUM
Vocational classes serve as elective opportunities for students in grades 10-12. These courses currently offered are Principles of Technology, Design in Engineering, Health Occupations, Construction, Building Trades, and Agriculture. The vocational classes are offered through a cooperative program with the Fosston School District and coordinated through the Pine-to-Prairie Cooperative and are open to all students. All vocational opportunities will be offered regardless of race, color, national origin, sex or disability.