At the May 25 Fillmore Central School Board meeting, superintendent Heath Olstad updated the board on the spring concerts. Elementary music teacher Matthew Patterson has been holding concerts for each of the K-6 grades separately. High school choir teacher Sarah Holten and band teacher Duane Ledin also held smaller concerts by combining several grades instead of the whole high school. Holten pointed out that the last time there were concerts at the school was December of 2019. “It’s too long,” Olstad commented.
Olstad updated the board on the plans for graduation. As the governor has removed the mask mandate and the other restrictions will be gone by graduation as well, there will be no restrictions on numbers at the ceremony. The senior awards and scholarships night went well with over $48,000 in scholarships handed out. “The support for our young people of Fillmore Central will amaze me forever,” Olstad said.
Elementary principal Jim Peters said that overall the year has gone well. “Everyone has really just stepped up and learned a lot of new things,” he commented. He thanked the school staff and board members for their support throughout the year. Board member Deb Ristau mentioned that she’s had some compliments from parents about the job that Peters has done this year.
There has not been any interest or applications accepted for the summer rec director position. However, multiple people have offered to take on small roles which will keep the summer rec program from being canceled entirely.
Shelby Ebner, Sara Medin and Tyler Sloan were hired as elementary teachers for the 2021-2022 school year. Jill Frederickson was hired as a long-term substitute for high school art from mid-November through mid-January and John Dahle as a long-term sub for high school agriculture from the beginning of the upcoming school year through early-November. Alyssa Britton and Abby Bothun were hired to work in the SAC program. Jersey Ristau was hired as a substitute for SAC. Grace Miller was approved as the ninth grade volleyball coach and Ashley Himli as the assistant dance coach. A maternity leave for Carrie Mathison was approved as well as a resignation from One Block at a Time employee Alexis Jones.
Special education contracts with Hiawatha Valley Education District for audiology and physically impaired/traumatic brain injury services were approved as well as two contracts with Southern Minnesota Education Consortium for deaf/hard of hearing and vision services.
The 2020-21 school calendar was revised to change the last day of school from June 3 to Wednesday, June 2 with an 11 a.m. dismissal. A teacher workshop will be held on June 3 instead. The board approved the changes.
The revised 2020-21 budget was reviewed and approved.
A sports sharing agreement with Mabel-Canton and Lanesboro was approved. Fillmore Central will continue to share cross-country, wrestling, boys and girls track, softball, and baseball with Lanesboro and wrestling with Mabel-Canton.
The district’s continued participation with the Student Assurance Services Program was approved. This allows parents to sign their school-age children up for voluntary insurance with no cost to the district.
A contract with Harmony Transit, Inc for transportation for the 2021-22 and 2022-23 school years was approved.
The high school seventh and eighth grade summer school program was approved along with a $1,750 stipend for each of the six teachers that will be working with the students. The program will run from June 7-17 and will not be in-person. Instead, students will receive a packet of work to do at home and will be able to talk to teachers during set times during the day.
Several open enrollment requests for the 2021-2022 school year were approved.
The board reviewed a bid from Knutson Construction for the concession stand project, but were unable to approve it as the policy is to wait until at least two bids have been received. If they are unable to receive a second bid, the school will need to provide proof of that in letter form before moving ahead with the project.
Business manager Kathy Whalen noted that the district will be able to offer free lunches again next year.
The next Fillmore Central School Board meeting will be held on June 22 at 6:30 p.m. in the elementary meeting room.
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