At the February 12, 2025, meeting school board meeting, board members David Sowinski, Josh Thompson, Tom Keefe, Jill Harstad and Mark Johnsrud were present. Katie Priebe was not present. Also present were Superintendent Ed Harris, high school principal, Eric Nelson, elementary principal, Shane McBroom and student senate representatives Ella Lane and Kyla McCabe.
Reports
Student Council representatives stated that their Valentine Cookie Sale was a success and cookies will be distributed on Friday. They are now gearing up for March Madness in which all students can participate.
Shane McBroom reported that last week the emphasis was on reading to celebrate “I Love to Read Week.” The activities for the week were aligned with a Candy Land theme. The week started out with the King and Queen of Candy Land (John Schieffelbein and Rebecca Copeman) reading to the children. During the week there was a hall decorating contest, a scavenger hunt for gingerbread figures and a Reading Carnival at the end of the week. The last week of January, the elementary took part in Para and Custodian Appreciation Week. There were activities during the week that were wrapped up with a celebratory “Walk Through” of the paras and custodians led by the Zamboni type floor cleaner driven by a custodian.
Principal Nelson had information for the board about accommodations that students are receiving through special education or 504 services. Common conditions for students on a 504 plans include ADHD, diabetes, epilepsy, asthma, mobility challenges, anxiety or depression. Last year about 25% of the students in grades 7-12 were receiving services through one of the above services. Board member Keefe asked if this was high and if so why? Nelson responded that it is high but that there are more resources and data now than before that identify student needs. Registration for next year’s classes is now underway for grades 6-11. They are being given information and will be selecting classes in the next few weeks. They will have two new courses as option. First, there is a new physical education option for underclassmen that will provide ninth and 10th graders opportunities to complete their physical education class requirements earlier in their high school years. The other new option is the class, World War II in Depth, that will provide a true history elective for student in grades 11 and 12.
Superintendent Harris expressed his thanks to the district patrons for their participation in the facility bond election. Even though it was defeated, he said there was a good turnout at the informational meetings and there were courteous discussions and discourse. He also thanked the office staff of Rinnea Kreter and Lisa Kohlmeyer for their support with early voting. Other gratitudes expressed were to F. Mike Tuohy a former board member who had recently passed and to teacher Ann Bolton who is retiring after 31 years of service at the elementary school.
Consent Agenda
Under the consent agenda the following items were approved:
- Minutes for the meeting on January 8, 2025;
- New hires: Dakota Amick, Mike Dahlstrom, Jay Lonien and Alexis Berhow, substitute custodians; Chris Dornack and Corey Dornack, grade eight baseball coaches; Lance Boyum, grade seven baseball coach; and Adam Eickhoff, grade seven softball coach;
- Resignations: Bayli Shaw, kindergarten teacher; Lindsey Whalen, co-head trap coach; Jeff Lindeland, custodian; Ron Henry, assistant varsity baseball coach; and Ann Bolton, elementary teacher.
Discussion
Mark Johnsrud cited that there is a Code of Ethics that board members need to adhere to and that a letter to the editor by one of the board members was not an appropriate way of engaging in the conversation about the facility election. The more appropriate way would have been to initiate the discussion at a board meeting. He questioned how the board should proceed on these type of issues.
Action Item
Superintendent Harris gave the board information on the revised FY 25 budget. Fiscal year 2024 ended with a $2.26M fund balance. This was down $126,000 from the prior year. This was intentional as the plan was to spend down some fund balance before starting to cut. Last summer, $200,000 was cut out of the FY25 budget which projected an EOY (end of year) fund balance of $2,700,000. Dan Schroeder, business manager, prepared a revision of the FY25 budget for the board to review and approve. The list of notable changes included that the FY25 budget will come in around $100,000 better than projected with a FY25 EOY fund balance projected to come in at $2,017,000. The long term trend has not changed. Harris stated that the district will need to cut several hundred thousand dollars over the course of the next few years and negotiate modest contracts to avoid financial crisis in the near term. The long term outlook still indicates a steady spend down of fund balance. Harris is working with Schroeder on the “spend down” and will be meeting with the principals for input on the draft set of cuts for FY 2026. He will share those discussions with the board at the March school board meeting. The board approved the revised FY 25 budget.
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