Minerva Central School District Small, Personal, Special
Mountain Setting Minerva Central School is located in the heart of the Adirondack Park, a six million acre preserve comprised of private and publicly protected land. It services students in the hamlets of Minerva and Olmstedville whose combined population is 800. The local surroundings are characterized by mountains, rolling hills, beautiful woods and pristine waters. Our forests are home to a variety of woodland animals. Seasonal outdoor activities include hiking, paddling, skiing, snowshoeing and rock climbing.
Individual Attention Minerva Central School has a student population of 126 from grades PreK-12 with a student teacher ratio of 4-1. The average class size is 10 students, which allows teachers the opportunity to provide a great deal of individual instruction to meet student needs. Teachers are often available after school to provide extra help and a homework study hall is held daily under the supervision of a faculty member to allow students the opportunity to get help with assignments. Our faculty is dedicated to making sure students are successful in their academic and extracurricular pursuits.
Neighbor helping neighbor Volunteerism and community service are at the heart of the Minerva community which is characterized by its close-knit family like environment. Many members of our community are involved in one or more volunteer organization. This culture of service extends to our school as well where students engage in community service activities throughout the year. Two community service days are built into our school calendar which allows our 6 th -12 th grade students the opportunity to work around the town helping others. Additional activities include food drives, Christmas caroling at the homes of senior citizens, making gifts for children in hospitals, and fundraising for various charitable organizations.
Excellence Minerva has a strong academic program characterized by high levels of student success on New York State tests in elementary, middle and high school. Our students are recognized for academic excellence quarterly with a recognition ceremony and breakfast in their honor. A High percentage of our students pursue higher education opportunities at both two and four year colleges and go on to experience success in careers such as medicine, law and education. This tradition of excellence and the strength of our academic program have attracted international students from South America, Europe and Asia who have enrolled and earned credit while residing with local families. Our sports teams have been recognized with the New York State Public High School Association Team Scholar-Athlete Award for academic excellence in addition to their achievements on the field of play. Teachers engage in professional development activities to improve their skills and develop new strategies to meet the ever changing demands and needs of teaching the 21 st century student.
R oots Minerva residents are very proud of their history which goes back to the 1800s when Irish immigrants settled here, the green fields and rocky soil reminding them of the home. They made their living in the sawmills and tanneries that have long since disappeared and in the lumber and mining industry. Their stories are told in songs written and performed by Minerva graduate and singer songwriter Dan Berggren. Many of our families are related to those early immigrants, and generations of Minerva families have continuously lived and gone to school here. Our students learn of our history and celebrate their Irish Pride each year during one week in March. The week is filled with a variety of activities which promote school spirit at all levels. Alumni visit the school annually during Alumni Weekend and recount stories of good times past. No matter where our graduates find themselves after leaving Minerva Central School, they are always proud to call Minerva home.
Variety Minerva offers a variety of co and extra-curricular activities for students. Our Minerva-Newcomb Mountaineer athletic program combines students from Minerva and neighboring Newcomb offering opportunities in soccer, basketball, baseball, softball and tennis. For the musically inclined we have a concert band, jazz band, chorus and select chorus. Our drama club produces musicals and talent shows in alternating years. Students also participate in our school Outing Club, Youth and Government, Academic Bowl, Ember, our school literary magazine and Emerald, our yearbook. Odyssey of the Mind teams compete annually in regional and state competitions.
Academic Program Teachers design curriculum and plan lessons to appeal to a wide variety of student interests and ability levels. In addition to core courses in math, science, social studies and English language arts, Minerva offers many different electives in technology, business, upper level math and science, Spanish and the performing and visual arts. Students in 11 th and 12 th grades can elect to take courses for college credit through North Country Community College with the potential to earn up to 35 credits. Minerva students may opt to take additional courses through a distance learning network of schools connected throughout the region via our state of the art distance learning lab. Access to technological resources including ipads, laptops, SMART Boards and a fully equipped computer lab extend learning beyond the classroom and enable teachers to better meet the needs of the 21 st century learner. Minerva students earn a New York State Regents or Advanced Regents diploma after completing a 22 ½ credit requirement. With the variety of courses Minerva has to offer, many students far exceed the minimum credit requirement.
MINERVA Minerva Central School PO Box 39, 1466 County Route 29 Olmstedville, NY 12857 Phone: 518-251-2000 / Fax: 518-251-2395 For Further Information Please Contact: Timothy Farrell Superintendent farrellt@minervasd.org Heidi Kelly Principal kellyh@minervasd.org MCS Website: http://www.minervasd.org/ Town of Minerva Website: http://www.townofminerva.us/