Superintendent Gary Kuphal recognized the Mabel-Canton (M-C) school board members at the September 17 regularly scheduled school board meeting. He thanked them for all their work and presented each board member with a certificate of appreciation, noting that September is Minnesota School Board Recognition Month.
Chair Cristal Adkins called the meeting of the Mabel-Canton school board to order at 6 p.m. and led her colleagues and the audience of two in the Pledge of Allegiance.
The board unanimously approved the meeting agenda with two additions, the bond referendum survey, the COVID policy update, and the minutes from the August 20 board meeting.
Board members present included Cristal Adkins, Chris Miller, Diane Wilder, Traci Livingood and Mark Weidemann. Members absent were Dustin Tollefsrud and Jason Marquardt. Also present was Student Representative Rachelle Tollefsrud.
There were no announcements or guests wishing to speak.
The board unanimously approved the consent agenda which included the 2023-24 budget, and the claims report with thanks for the donations of school supplies from Collins Aerospace employees, school supplies from Waterloo Ridge Lutheran Church, $500 from Scheie WELCA to be used for the elementary milk break, and $1,650 from M-C Booster Club for the following sports: volleyball, football, cheer, girls basketball, boys basketball, baseball and softball; and school supplies from the Mabel United Methodist Church. In addition, Daniel Dawley and Kylie Kraus were hired as paraprofessionals.
Mabel-Canton homecoming is the week of September 22-28. Coronation is on the 22 at 6:00 p.m. Friday is the homecoming game and Saturday is the homecoming dance which starts at 7 p.m. The parade will line-up at 2 p.m., starts at 2:15 p.m., and will end at the community center. The pep fest will start at 12:35 p.m. on Friday for the entire school.
The annual Miller Invitational FFA Judging contest attracted over 180 students this year. Chris Miller noted that the invitational started in the mid-’60s. Miller and his parents, Larry and Margaret, were thanked profusely.
PreK-12 Principal Michelle Weidemann confirmed that a mental health therapist from Hiawatha Mental Health will be on campus one day a week.
Ninth and 10th graders will be attending the Bluff Country Collaborative CTE Exploration Day in Caledonia on Thursday, September 18.
Superintendent Kuphal reported on the READ Act, school audit, the MREA board vacancy, and asked the board their opinion on recording the monthly board meeting. No decisions were made.
In other business, the board:
- Accepted Kuphal’s recommendation to set the levy at the maximum amount, noting that it is essentially flat, with a .13% increase.
- Set the Truth-in-Taxation hearing and final levy certification during the regular meeting on December 17, starting at 6:01 p.m.
- Scheduled a joint city council/school board meeting for Wednesday, December 4 at 6p.m.
- Unanimously approved policy 524 regarding acceptable use and safety for internet, technology, and cell phone in its second reading.
- Renewed the school’s health insurance with a 5.2% increase for small schools (defined as those with 50 or fewer employees). Kuphal said that the school’s five-year average is 4.9%.
- Unanimously approved seeking quotes for snow removal for 2024-25 and 2025-2026 school years.
- Approved increasing substitute teacher pay to $140 per day and $10 more after 15 days of service.
- Approved the updated bond referendum survey. The plan is to have the survey available from Wednesday, September 19 to Monday, October 7. Residents will receive a postcard this week detailing how to complete the survey online, download a paper version, or request a paper survey be sent to them.
- Unanimously approved an update to the COVID policy, which states: “If your child is sick, recovering or exposed to COVID-19: If you feel sick, stay home and away from others until 24 hours after both of the following things happen: 1. No fever or vomiting for 24 hours (without the help of fever-reducing medications), and 2. Symptoms must be improving.”
The meeting was adjourned at 7:27 p.m.
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