Principal Heath Olstad spoke to the Fillmore Central School Board at their April 24 meeting about a proposal to drop the traditional elementary Stop and Drop event and replace it with two days of back-to-school conferences starting with the 2018-19 school year. He explained that the change would not extend to the high school and that the open house for those students would still take place as usual. “We’re looking for way to measure the students’ needs early on,” he stated. The back-to-school conferences would take place during the first two days of school in the fall and would include vision and hearing screenings, one-on-one assessments with the teachers, and would also give families a chance to meet and talk to their students’ teachers. Starting in the 2019-20 school year, student pictures would also be taken during that time. The idea for the proposed change stemmed from the Chatfield school district which has implemented a similar system for the last three or so years. “I think this would be more productive (than the Stop and Drop) and more worthwhile,” Olstad said.
First grade teacher Sara Niemeyer pointed out that with the open house format for Stop and Drop, multiple families often show up at one time, which doesn’t allow the teachers to talk with them and meet them. It also doesn’t provide time to assess each student’s individual needs for the upcoming school year, and so teachers often have to fine tune and change their lesson plans after the school year has started and they’ve been able to work with the students for a while. “We’re looking at increasing our efficiency, especially within that first month of school,” she said. “An informal reading assessment would provide a lot of information.”
With the new back-to-school conferences, families would sign up for a 30-minute time slot to meet the teacher and complete assessments during the first two days of school. While they are at the school, they would also complete their vision and hearing screenings and parents would have time to fill out all of the necessary paperwork for the year. When those things are completed, the students would be free to leave until the third day of school, when the conferences would be completed.
Board member Deb Ristau asked what the plan was for kids who would be in SAC during those two days and wouldn’t have a parent to accompany them to their conferences. Shelly Topness, also on the school board, commented that while she thought it was a great idea, there would be parents who would not be able to take time off of work to come in with their child.
“We are hoping to take a community approach and get families involved,” Niemeyer responded. “Education has become very individualized, and we want to meet kids where they’re at.”
“What about slotting Stop and Drop instead of everyone just coming anytime within that two hours?” Topness suggested.
Olstad noted that the proposal is still in the beginning stages and recommended that a survey be conducted of the district families to determine if it’s something that will work. “It’s got potential,” he stated. He will gather more information and present it at the May meeting. The proposal was tabled until then.
The Jump Rope and Hoops for Heart fundraiser surpassed its $8,000 goal and over $13,000 was raised for the American Heart Association.
A resignation from daycare teacher Gretchen Schwichtenberg was approved by the board as well as the termination of an unnamed employee. A three-year leave of absence was granted to Aaron Janssen from his position as high school social studies teacher. Janssen was then hired as the educational technology director starting July 1, 2018. The hirings of paraprofessionals Allison Braaten, Kayla Carroll, and Kelly Biel were approved.
The fall coaching positions were approved with only a few left to fill. Chris Mensink was hired as the head football coach, Andrew Pederson as the assistant football coach, David Broadwater as the JV football coach, Aaron Janssen as the ninth grade football coach, Tim Ostrom as the eighth grade football coach, Andy Todd as the volunteer football coach, Travis Malley as the head volleyball coach, Kristi Rindels as the JV volleyball coach, Cassie Keene as the ninth grade volleyball coach, and Kari Berg and Elisha Himli as the cheerleading and dance coaches.
Special education service contracts were approved with Ericksen Hearing Services LLC for audiology services and Southern Minnesota Education Consortium for vision, deaf/hard-of-hearing services, and a school psychologist.
Up to 18 days of summer hours was approved for agriculture instructor Ethan Lapham. An annual resolution placing the district’s support staff on seasonal leave to be called back in August depending on the school’s needs was also approved.
Kaitlynn Aug was hired as the Summer Rec coordinator. Colten Kraling, Logan Corson, Sam Rustad, Walker Ward, Maggie McKernan, Molly McKernan, Domanic Merkel, Nick Marzolf, Mason Berg, Hope Sexton, Hadrian Williams, Kjerstiana Corson, Zach Haugerud, Madison Krage, Wyatt Breeser, Raen Johnson, Ashlyn Simon, Makayla Braaten, and Kelly Ristau were all hired for the summer rec program as well.
Four open enrollment requests for kindergarten students starting next year were approved along with the Interstate Enrollment Agreement with Howard-Winneshiek.
The board reviewed and approved a quote from Seating and Athletic Facility Enterprises for leg-truss style football stadium seating in the amount of $88,863. The project will not be completed until the summer of 2019, but the company is allowing the school to lock the rate in now.
A quote from Allied Electrostatic to repaint all of the high school lockers was approved as the paint is chipping. The board also considered replacing the lockers, but the current ones are high quality and durable and would be expensive to replace.
The first reading of board policy 513.1 was approved concerning early kindergarten entrance for students who turn five shortly after the cut-off date.
The board approved the Alternative Learning Program’s summer program, during which services would be offered one day a week for eight weeks during the summer. Marsha Dowe will be the teacher for the program, and a paraprofessional will be hired depending on the needs of the students enrolled.
Due to inclement weather this year, the district has two missed days of school to make up, putting the last student day on Monday, June 4 at 11 a.m. The board decided that rather than have students come back on Monday for a half day, the previously scheduled early dismissal on April 27 would be changed to a full day of school which would set the last day of school as Friday, June 1.
Striping was approved for the Preston parking lot to mark appropriate lanes when driving through the lot as there have been several accidents behind the school this year.
The next Fillmore Central school Board meeting will be held on May 22 at 6:30 p.m. in the elementary meeting room.
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