Fillmore Central to close Root River Program

The Fillmore Central School Board approved a motion to close the Root River Program at their February 28 meeting.

Enrollment has been dropping and currently, there’s only one student in the program.  Several work sessions with special education agencies were held to talk about the direction of the program. A committee consisting of Principal Heath Olstad, Special Education Director Micki Breitsprecher, Superintendent Richard Keith, and board members Emily Ellis Onsager and Deb Ristau met to discuss the situation and felt it would be best to close the Root River Program at the end of the 2016-17 school year.

Breitsprecher pointed out that the needs of the students have changed, which is why the committee recommended replacing the Root River Program with an Alternative Learning Program. With the RRP, students had to either be on an Individualized Education Plan, or IEP, or have a mental health diagnosis to qualify, whereas the ALP doesn’t have those same requirements. “The ALP should take away some of the barriers that were preventing enrollment in the RRP,” Breitsprecher pointed out. “When we see a need, we can support that need.”

The ALP will begin next fall and will be open to juniors and seniors. “One of the main factors for enrollment was students that have fallen behind,” Superintendent Keith said about the committee’s meeting with other ALPs to determine what needs they served in their districts.

There is a potential for some online work to be included in the program. There would also be some flexibility allowing students to be in the ALP room part of the time and also take regular classes as desired.

“We want to make sure that when they walk away from Fillmore Central, they’re walking away with a signed diploma,” Superintendent Keith commented.

Congratulations were extended to the Fillmore Central Math Wizards team.  On January 31, they traveled to Spring Grove for a meet where the sixth grade team took first place. Their final meet took place in Chatfield on February 13.

The fifth grade took first place in the school’s annual label race with 13,318 labels collected. First grade took second place with 11,682 labels. The kindergarten class brought in 11,249 labels, fourth grade collected 11,247, third grade collected 7,602, second grade collected 6,694, and sixth grade brought in 5,500.

The box tops collected during the label race brought in around $2,000 for the district.

Congratulations were extended to the One Act Play for placing as the Section Runner Up, Brady Ristau for being recognized at a state level for the ExCel Award, and Kiera Olson for being selected as the Region 1 AAA Female Award Winner.

Fillmore Central will be hosting the large group competition on March 13 for choir and band. Many local schools are scheduled to perform at the competition.

Kaitlynn Aug will be returning as the Summer Rec Coordinator again this year for the Summer Rec program, which will run from June 12 through July 28.

The board approved a resignation from art teacher Ann Sparks, who will be retiring at the end of the school year. Mrs. Sparks has been teaching at Fillmore Central since 1995. “We want to recognize her for her 21 years of service,” Board Member Ross Kiehne said.

A resignation from custodian Tyler Torgerson was approved along with the hirings of paraprofessional Dylan Isola, Junior High golf coach Andy Todd, and volunteer baseball coach Cal Larsen.

Several open enrollment requests were approved by the board.

A resolution was passed for the refunding of the district’s 2008 OPEB bonds.  Refunding the bonds will not save the school any money, but it will save taxpayers approximately $100,000.

Funds have been set aside for the construction of a storage shed to be built in Harmony. The school plans to build it this summer near the community center and is working with the City of Harmony on the project. The shed will have seven stalls where school vehicles and trailers can be parked, as well as having storage space for the football equipment and play props.

The board approved the purchase of a new Case 318G skid steer from Hammell Equipment in the amount of $36,700. The skid steer will be used at the Harmony location for numerous site maintenance projects and snow removal. Owning the skid steer will save the school from having to pay to have snow removed.

The 2017-18 school calendar was reviewed and approved.

A quote from Nelson Auto for a 2017 Ford Transit van with a handicap accessible side lift in the amount of $44,435.15 was approved.

The Special Education Extended School Year Services were approved for the summer. Breitsprecher plans to have a two week center-based program during the weeks of August 7-11 and August 14-18. Five paras, a special education teacher, and a speech clinician will be needed to support the 11 students who qualify to attend. Two additional students will be receiving home based services on a weekly basis throughout the summer.

The next Fillmore Central School Board meeting will be held on March 28.