The Spring Grove School Board unanimously approved the revised 2025–2026 revenue and expenditure budget at its April 20 meeting.
District Accountant Tanya Elton presented the board with a new report formatted to make it easier for board members to see where the costs are coming from. Elton reminded the board that she is pretty conservative. She underestimates revenues and overestimates expenses.
Elton said, “It’s not gonna look pretty here, and hopefully, in the end, it comes out better than anticipated.”
Board member Kelly Rohland said, “Having sat through this for seven years now, Tanya’s very, very worried at this point. We’re always here and then it works.” Board members jokingly recognized Elton as “magical.”
Chair Stephanie Jaster called the regularly scheduled meeting to order at 7 p.m.
Board members in attendance were Ashley Olson, Myriah Klug, Kelly Rohland, Lisa Myhre, and Jaster. Rhan Flatin was absent.
The board unanimously approved the consent agenda in one motion. Items included the meeting agenda; March 18 regular board meeting minutes; treasurer’s report and bills; and acceptance of donations received in March, including $50 from Jolette Recio for the music department, $250 from Red’s IGA for the athletic department, $1,500 from James Gray for the theater department, and $4,000 from the Spring Grove Athletic Boosters for the 2025–2026 HUDL.
Also approved were the hiring of long-term substitute Maren Lee for Kaitlin Bratland; Dakota Rostad as assistant varsity baseball coach; Weston Riley as assistant junior high baseball coach position; and the resignation of junior high basketball coach Tim Morken.
Administrators have been developing next year’s class schedule, which impacts the teachers and the school’s budget. Principal Matt Rosaaen shared the results of a student survey regarding classes and scheduling. About 76.2% of ninth graders said they would not take Spanish 1 next year if it is not required, and 76% of 10th graders said they would not take Spanish 2.
A total of 58.2% of students prefer a seven-period day with 50-minute classes. Students also suggested elective classes they would like to see offered, including cooking, child care, trade-related courses, drone studies, medical terminology, psychology, film and acting, law, a language class other than Spanish, and powerlifting.
Rosaaen announced that prom is May 2 and the school’s production of the “Charlie Brown Musical” will be held on April 24 and April 25. On Friday, April 24 the school is holding a mock crash for grades 9-12 with the ambulance and fire department.
Congratulations to the high school Knowledge team and their coach on going to state. Administrative Assistant/Front Office Rachel Bjerke went, and she reported back to the board, “It was awesome. It was great and was so much fun. Those kids had a blast. It was a really tough, tough competition, tough questions, but they enjoyed it.”
Congratulations to the FFA dairy judging team on their trip to state competition. The results were not known at the time of the meeting. Rosaaen said it is a good experience for the students and noted that the school has seventh and eighth graders competing.
Superintendent Gina Morken announced that they will be showing the high school version of the film “Screenager” on May 14 in the school to students and to the adult version to the public at the Spring Grove Cinema. There will be a panel discussion
Morken recommended decreasing Jana Schroeder’s position from a 1.0 FTE to a 0.6 FTE as the school is not offering a second section of fifth grade science next year and reducing Rachel Udstuen’s teaching assignment to 0.1 FTE for the 2026–2027 school year. The board approved both recommendations.
The board approved changing the graduation requirements from 60 to 56 credits, which Rosaaen said remains in alignment with state requirements. He said concurrent and AP classes are one credit each and are to encourage students to take local courses and maintain eligibility for an Honors study hall.
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