Likely the biggest topic in the community in recent days, R-P district superintendent Chuck Ehler and board representative Greg Smith addressed the city council this past Monday about the upcoming December 19 referendum vote. Along with a presentati
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"Where Fillmore County News Comes First"
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Sunday, May 19th, 2013
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- 5:56:33, May 18th 2013 - modgudur - I guess the child is anti-gun control since Obama went to all that trouble ... [Read More]
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9
How will you vote for the December 19, 2012 EC-5th Grade Center Referendum? (For Rushford-Peterson School District residents only)
Rushford-Peterson referendum denied
Fri, Dec 21st, 2012
Posted in Rushford Education
Posted in Rushford Education
Comments
In the Rushford-Peterson gymnasium lobby Wednesday, voters choose whether or not to move the district’s plans of a new, $15 million Early Childhood-Grade 5 facility forward. In a margin of 993 to 658 (60.15 percent to 39.85 percent) that plan was rejected.
The plans have been part of an ongoing project by the district in its New School Initiative. Originally, the district had hoped to construct an Early Childhood-Grade 12 facility at the cost of $29 million, utilizing potential state funding for up to $20 million of that cost. When all attempts to secure outside funding for the project failed, the district shifted its plans to a phased project that would construct the elementary portion of the school first, with a proposed middle and high school in an additional five to seven years.
With the referendum for the phased project now being denied, where does the district go? Many residents that were contacted were neither disappointed nor satisfied, but rather felt “in between” or “torn” both before and after the results were tallied.
Rushford Mayor Chris Hallum, a long-time proponent of the district’s efforts, believes a new school is needed. “It’s how you go about it,” he said the morning following the vote. “I think there were two things that decided this vote. One is the tax burden. The second is that clearly people didn’t support a phased project. The wanted a complete school. The state has to come through. We need to say, ‘Hey, we tried and these are the results.’”
“I always come to the conclusion that there’s really not a right answer,” said Kendra Eide, who had a “Vote Yes” sign in her Rushford yard. “We need to do something, whether remodel or building. What’s the next step? What’s the right answer? I do know, so much effort was put into this. You have to respect them for taking charge and trying.”
Still, others were not surprised that it failed. The referendum would have relied heavily on the farmer’s within the district taxing them not only for their homestead, but for each additional acre. Still, many of them, like everyone else, were torn. “The timing was just bad for people right now,” noted Rushford farmer Richard Anderson. “My thinking is that for now, they’re just going to have to fix up the building.” Anderson was also surprised at margin of the vote. “For now it’s done with, but it’ll be back. Sooner or later .....
[Read the Rest]
The plans have been part of an ongoing project by the district in its New School Initiative. Originally, the district had hoped to construct an Early Childhood-Grade 12 facility at the cost of $29 million, utilizing potential state funding for up to $20 million of that cost. When all attempts to secure outside funding for the project failed, the district shifted its plans to a phased project that would construct the elementary portion of the school first, with a proposed middle and high school in an additional five to seven years.
With the referendum for the phased project now being denied, where does the district go? Many residents that were contacted were neither disappointed nor satisfied, but rather felt “in between” or “torn” both before and after the results were tallied.
Rushford Mayor Chris Hallum, a long-time proponent of the district’s efforts, believes a new school is needed. “It’s how you go about it,” he said the morning following the vote. “I think there were two things that decided this vote. One is the tax burden. The second is that clearly people didn’t support a phased project. The wanted a complete school. The state has to come through. We need to say, ‘Hey, we tried and these are the results.’”
“I always come to the conclusion that there’s really not a right answer,” said Kendra Eide, who had a “Vote Yes” sign in her Rushford yard. “We need to do something, whether remodel or building. What’s the next step? What’s the right answer? I do know, so much effort was put into this. You have to respect them for taking charge and trying.”
Still, others were not surprised that it failed. The referendum would have relied heavily on the farmer’s within the district taxing them not only for their homestead, but for each additional acre. Still, many of them, like everyone else, were torn. “The timing was just bad for people right now,” noted Rushford farmer Richard Anderson. “My thinking is that for now, they’re just going to have to fix up the building.” Anderson was also surprised at margin of the vote. “For now it’s done with, but it’ll be back. Sooner or later .....
[Read the Rest]
Rushford-Peterson informational meeting
Fri, Nov 30th, 2012
Posted in Rushford Education
Posted in Rushford Education
Rushford-Peterson Schools will be holding an Informational Meeting regarding the upcoming Referendum for New EC-5th Grade Building for Business Owners on Wednesday, December 5 at 6:00 pm. The meeting will be held at Stumpy’s Banquet Room (basement
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Rushford-Peterson Elementary
Fri, Nov 2nd, 2012
Posted in Rushford Education
Posted in Rushford Education
Jim Johnson of Rushford has a passion for building marble mazes. Johnson knows how much these mazes are enjoyed by students and has graciously donated one of his mazes to Rushford-Peterson Elementary. The students are excited and thrilled to have thi
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Parents ask for better communication following incidents at R-P
Fri, Oct 19th, 2012
Posted in Rushford Education
Posted in Rushford Education
Just one week after a local publication printed an article highlighting Ready Bus drivers’ irritations with motorists ignoring the stop arms and flashing lights of stopped buses, a bus serving the district was involved in an accident north of Hart
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R-P continues working towards new elementary facility
Fri, Oct 5th, 2012
Posted in Rushford Education
Posted in Rushford Education
At the September 17 board meeting, Dean Beeninga, of architectural firm ATS&R, and Gary Benson, of ICS Consulting, were on hand with updates on the proposed early childhood through grade 5 facility. A “Review and Comment,” required by the Minnes
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Rushford-Peterson Homecoming 2012
Fri, Sep 21st, 2012
Posted in Rushford Education
Posted in Rushford Education
The R-P Schools will celebrate Homecoming 2012 the week of October 1-6. The Presentation of the Royalty and the naming of the King and Queen will take place at an all-school assembly October 2 at 2:30pm in the High School gymnasium. Parents and the
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R-P looking at phased new facility
Fri, Jul 20th, 2012
Posted in Rushford Education
Posted in Rushford Education
After losing out on various state funding for its New School Initiative for a new pre-K-12 facility, R-P is leaving no stone unturned looking at alternative options. This includes an option for a two-part phased construction of the facility instead
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R-P may catch a break with flood mitigation bill
Mon, Apr 23rd, 2012
Posted in Rushford Education
Posted in Rushford Education
The district continues to take strides to see its New School Initiative become a reality. It was announced in March that the district’s need had been recognized by the the House Finance Committee who recommended funding of the initiative to the bo
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