[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 1]
[Senate]
[Page 515]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION

 Mr. DAYTON. Mr. President, I rise today to honor the Pierz 
Public Schools, in Pierz, MN, which recently earned an Award for 
Excellence in Education for its exceptional and innovative achievements 
in educating children.
  The Pierz Public School District is truly a model of educational 
success. Mr. George Weber, the superintendent of the Pierz School 
District, describes ``the overall feeling of pride the citizens have in 
our schools and in our work ethic, which has resulted in a broad sense 
of excellence.'' The District's accomplishments are even more 
impressive, given that they have occurred during an era of revenue 
reductions at the State and Federal levels, in a relatively poor 
community where more than 40 percent of the children qualify for free 
and reduced lunches, and in a part of the State experiencing falling 
enrollment and economic decline.
  Despite repeated State revenue shortfalls, the Pierz Public School 
District has managed to preserve a balanced budget. The district 
operates on a very lean administrative staff, whose superintendent and 
business manager perform all central administrative functions, 
including curriculum, human resources, plant management, student 
services, transportation, and food service. This restraint has allowed 
the district to devote the vast majority of its resources to the 
classroom.
  The district's commitment to its classrooms has allowed the schools 
to keep class sizes small--ranging from 19 to 27--with half of the 
classrooms kept to fewer than 23 students. By contrast, in Minnesota, 
the number of students per classroom averages between 27 to 30. The 
district also provides all-day kindergarten for all, which is not 
supported by the State's school revenue formula.
  The Pierz School District has also demonstrated its commitment to 
providing exceptional facilities for its students. The district has 
added a new computer lab in each of the past 3 years; remodeled an old 
gymnasium into a new performing arts center; and built a new gymnasium, 
an eight-lane running track with state-of-the-art electronic timing 
equipment, two irrigated baseball fields, and a newly remodeled 
football stadium.
  Much of the credit for the Pierz Public School District's success 
belongs to Superintendent George Weber, elementary school principal 
Lealen Swoboda, high school principal Paul DeMorett, and their 
dedicated teachers. The students and staff at the Pierz Public Schools 
understand that, in order to be successful, a school must go beyond 
achieving academic success; it must also provide a nurturing 
environment where students develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes 
for success in life. All of the faculty, staff, and students at the 
Pierz Public School District should be very proud of their 
accomplishment.
  I congratulate the Pierz Public School District in Pierz, MN, for 
winning the Award for Excellence in Education and for its exceptional 
contributions to education in Minnesota.

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