The 2023-24 Mabel-Canton student/parent handbook and four other school policies have been approved. At the school’s regularly scheduled school board meeting on Thursday, August 24, Superintendent Gary Kuphal recommended that the handbook and the tobacco-free environment, bullying prohibition, overdose medication, and school meals policies be approved emphasizing that there were no changes to the polices since the first reading.
The only questions from board members were about the lunch policy. On behalf of a parent, board member Dustin Tollefsrud asked, what if a student wants a light breakfast? He added that the parent thought the price of say, just a bagel was too much. Principal Michelle Weidemann explained that to have a free breakfast, students make take the entire meal. If they only take the bagel, they will be charged the a la cart price. Therefore, the student should take the full breakfast and eat just the bagel.
Superintendent Kuphal confirmed that in Minnesota this year, all students are entitled to one free breakfast and one free lunch.
Kuphal encourages families to complete the federal school meal application form. “Up until free meals, which are just starting this year under a different program. It actually helps the school if more people apply, and if more people qualify for it.” He explained, “We get what is called compensatory revenue. With the new free meals program, why would a family even brother? The state government is saying that for this coming year “we will hold you harmless,” meaning you will still get that compensatory revenue like you did in the past.”
Chairperson Cristal Adkins called the meeting of the Mabel-Canton School Board to order at 6 p.m. and led the board and audience in the Pledge of Allegiance. The board approved the meeting agenda as amended and the July 18 meeting minutes as written.
Board members present included Cristal Adkins, Chris Miller, Mark Weidemann, Dustin Tollefsrud, Traci McKenzie-Livingood and Diane Wilder. Board member absent, Jason Marquardt.
In one swift motion, the board approved the consent agenda as written including: (1) the 2021-22 budget, (2) claims report, (3) added Karl Urbaniack as volunteer football coach, (4) hired Jeff Rein as the boys junior varsity (JV) basketball coach, (5) hired Raedene Quandahl as special education paraprofessional, (6) hired Kristena Guevara as special education paraprofessional, and (7) accepted the resignation of Nicole Halverson as Title 1 paraprofessional.
Chairperson Adkins thanked Halverson for her service to the school district.
Adkins thanked senior student council representative, Anna Wheat for attending the meeting and asked if she was ready for school to start. Wheat mentioned that her college-level classes from Winona Southeast Tech have started and are going well now that she has figured out the Cengage App, which proved challenging. With a deep sigh and a brief hesitation, Wheat guessed that she was ready for school to start.
“The first volleyball game is tonight, here,” shared Kuphal. “The seventh, eighth, and ninth grade have already played and won. Junior varsity is just starting, followed by varsity.”
The first football scrimmage is Saturday, August 26. The first game of the 2023-24 year is scheduled on September 1 against Kingsland High School at Kingsland.
Principal Weidemann reported they are getting ready for students and teachers to come back. Next week, Monday, August 28 the teachers return and on Tuesday, paraprofessionals return. Kuphal added that Thursday is a team-building activity for all the staff that is social and fun in nature while building personal relationships among the staff. He noted that the activity has not been finalized but it looks like it may be golf.
By roll call the board unanimously approved the Hiawatha Valley Education District (HVED) joint powers agreement to purchase and renovate a section of the Winona Mall for a new educational facility.
The meeting was adjourned at 6:41 p.m.
The next school board meeting is scheduled for September 19 at 6 p.m. The meeting will be held in Mrs. Peter’s science room, number 50. The public is welcome to attend.
Leave a Reply