Welcome back students, staff, and families!  

I hope you had an enjoyable and relaxing summer vacation.  Tuesday, September 8th marks the first day of the 2020-2021 school year and we are so excited to begin with in-person learning.  A special welcome to the Class of 2021 and the Class of 2033.  If you've never read Dr. Seuss's book Oh, the Places You'll Go!, I recommend it for each of you.  Incoming Kindergarteners, welcome to Dassel-Cokato Schools, we are so excited for you to begin your educational journey with us!   As incoming Seniors, work hard and have fun this last year of high school.  Your future is bright and just on the horizon...Oh, the place you'll go.    

I didn't realize just how much I missed having students in the buildings until the 5th and 9th grade open houses.  The ability to have them in school and with their teachers in something none of us here at Dassel-Cokato Schools will take for granted ever again.  Never did I ever think living through a pandemic would be something I would encounter as a teacher, principal or superintendent, but here we are.   The COVID-19 Coronavirus has completely flipped all of our lives upside down and for the past several months our days have been filled with uncertainty and the inability to predict what's coming next.  Yet, I'm excited and hopeful.  Excited to begin a new school year and bring our students and staff back to school.  Hopeful that even though our days look differently we will continue to support each other and will be on the other side of this pandemic sooner than later.

We are in this together and regardless of our personal feelings, the most important thing is to continue giving each student the excellent education he or she deserves.  My request is for us all to look at the positives versus the negatives as we begin this school year.  One day this will all be behind us and our memories should be about how we got through it together.  Go Chargers!

Welcome back!

Mr. Powers