At the May 24 Fillmore Central School Board meeting, Superintendent Heath Olstad reviewed an email from a student’s parents regarding her severe peanut allergy and addressing ways to keep their daughter safe at school, as she will be moving to the high school building in the fall. They had visited the April council meeting to discuss the matter as well. Board member Shelly Topness expressed concerns about the peanut butter and jelly sandwiches that will be offered to students at the Strength and Agility program. Olstad noted that the sandwiches will only be offered to grades 10-12 students and that they will be given the sandwiches as they are leaving after their practice. Board member Jim Love said that it was an effective way to provide protein after a workout and pointed out that some kids probably bring their own peanut butter sandwiches anyway. Topness said that she understood that exposure from people bringing their own food in was unavoidable, but that it was different when it was the school passing out the food itself. Aaron Bishop agreed. “Our foremost priority should be the health and safety of all students and staff. We should do our best to limit the exposure,” he stated. It was decided that Olstad would look into the possibility of having the sandwiches made at a different location and picked up there or outside the school building if peanut butter is used.
Superintendent Olstad asked what the board wanted to do about the two ala carte items that contain peanuts, which are available to high school students in the cafeteria. Jennifer Pickett stated that she didn’t see a problem with them as students will someday graduate from school and will have to learn how to protect themselves in environments where peanuts are available. Bishop was in favor of cutting those two items out for a year and seeing how it goes. “I think there are alternatives,” he said. Ristau made a motion to not sell or provide peanut items for breakfast or lunch through the food service program and to offer peanut-free zones in the school. The motion was approved.
Superintendent Olstad reported that the spring concerts for both buildings have wrapped up and they all went well. Fillmore County Soil and Water once again provided trees for the fifth grade class to plant. Almost 150 student athletes have signed up for the Strength and Agility program this summer. The senior award banquet took place recently and nearly $49,000 in scholarships was given out.
Alex Lange was hired as the high school social studies teacher for the 2022-23 school year. A resignation from SAC/daycare employee Makayla Braaten was received. Resignations were also received from long-time employees Joni Mehus and Maggie Walsh. The board thanked them for their years of service to the district. Special education service contracts with Hiawatha Valley Education District or HVED were approved for an audiologist and physically impaired and traumatic brain injury. Up to 20 hours of curriculum writing for summer school were approved for certified staff. The summer rec coaches were hired and included Regan Hanson, Josh Haugerud, Atlee Hershberger, Myleigh Scheevel, Maddie Topness, Marissa Topness, and Greg Kennedy.
The 2021-22 budget was revised to include federal dollars and donations as well as the elementary school roof replacement, summer school programs, and other expenses and income. The board approved the revised budget.
The district’s property and liability insurance from Minnesota Insurance Scholastic Trust or MIST was renewed for the upcoming school year at a rate of $76,045.96. The custodial pay scale was revised in order to be compliant with pay equity regulations. The workmans’ comp insurance quote from Gallagher Core 360 was approved at a lower rate than last year. The sports sharing agreements with the Lanesboro and Mabel-Canton school districts were approved as well as the school’s MSHSL membership for 2022-23. A memorandum of Understanding with Luther College which allows student teachers to fulfill their classroom teaching requirement at Fillmore Central was approved.
The school’s policy is to close student activity accounts that did not have any activity over the school year, but Superintendent Olstad asked the board to waive the closing of the dance team’s account. While there wasn’t a team this last year, the school is hoping to have one in the coming school year. The board approved the waiver.
The board reviewed several bids for the LED lighting project and approved the low bid from Retrofit Lighting and Design. The project will upgrade both sites to 100% LED lighting as well as retrofit three SPED rooms with Color Tuning Lighting Systems.
The purchase of two square scrubbers and two edge scrubbers from DALCO were approved. They will replace the orbital scrubbers which are currently used for floor maintenance in the buildings. The goal is to create a safer work environment as the orbital scrubbers use chemicals that can make the floors slippery while the new ones are dry scrubbers. Representatives from the scrubbing company and DALCO have already trained the entire custodial staff on how to use the new equipment.
The next Fillmore Central School Board meeting will be held on June 28 at 6:30 p.m. in the elementary meeting room.
Anonymous says
i bet there are other kids in the school that have a nut allergies and their parents arent making a big deal out of it. She is older enough to know to stay away from peanuts. pretty soon the school will have accommodate everything that a parent requests for their child.
Concernedcitizen says
Unfortunately if you know one child with a peanut allergy, you know one with an allergy. Peanut allergies are not easily dealt withEveryone is different. Your blanket statement is moronic. Is this child eligible for desensitization? What factors do you know?Blaming the parents and saying it is a hassle and it is being put off is just plain careless. It is the responsibility of the school district to have everyone feel safe at every moment when they are on school property. If someone were to bring in an exhibit on how to produce honey, would everyone with severe bee sting allergies be fine with that? I don’t want to speak for other people, but if I had an allergy to bee stings, there is no way I would want it allowed.
Mark K. says
Peanut allergies are easily dealt with at an allergy doctor which can prescribe increasingly small doses over time and eventually the patient is sensitized enough so that they can withstand exposure to peanuts. The problem is that a parent, rather than do the prudent thing and get their child sensitized, asks that everybody else around the child (which can be hundreds of people) be denied access to peanuts simply because they don’t want to go through the hassle of the de-sensitization process. While I feel for the fear of the parent, the correct thing to do would be to take the steps necessary to de-sensitize the child. By putting it off, the parent is just increasing the chance of a fatal encounter later in life. De-sensitizing now greatly reduces that.