The Monday, December 19 Rushford-Peterson School Board meeting was bumped a half hour earlier than the normally scheduled 5:30 p.m. to accommodate the annual Truth in Taxation hearing. The meeting agenda encompassed eight regular business items, as well as the monthly consent agenda and administrative reports.
There was no change order for the month in relation to construction at the site of the new school facility. Tim Robertson, of ICS Consulting, reported to the school board that painting on the second floor has commenced. Skylights are in and fire sprinkler systems are in the process of being installed. Crews have been able to heat and cover the building to keep it at a fairly consistent 55 degrees. Glazing that is to take place soon will add a solid air barrier. Metal studs, walls, and brickwork are coming along nicely, according to Robertson. “There are no massive issues at this point,” he noted.
The district is planning on hosting a virtual tour of the facility. The Facebook live event, led by Superintendent Chuck Ehler, is slated to take place January 4 at 9:30 a.m. For those who are not able to view at that time, the tour will be posted to the school’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/rushfordpetersonschools/.
The district is also moving forward with discussion regarding the purchase of Chromebooks for school board member use. While simply a discussion at the this point, the suggestion calls for the purchase of seven devices, as well as the required software licensing. Additionally, each device would be provided a carrying case. The estimated cost of the items is $1,750.07, according to Technology Director Corey Mattson, who secured the estimate. It is thought that the devices would assist school board members with more efficient review of documents.
Board members utilizing the devices would be required to have an r-pschools.com email address associated with the device, to assist with document sharing. Information would only be sent to this email, as opposed to personal email addresses. The devices would be owned by the district and would be fully compatible with the new facility. They would require no cords or surge protectors at meetings, due to long battery life, and provide a larger viewing screen than similar devices, also adding to ease of use. “Board members will be able to view, modify, and review documents in real time, allowing for more seamless collaboration,” continued the proposal. Should a device fail, it was noted that no data would be stored on it, so no information would be lost.
Board Director Dean Mierau questioned whether or not the arrangement for the Chromebook would be similar to the action recently taken by the board for students in grades 9-12. “As a board, I think we should set the example and pay what the students are paying,” he said. In the student policy, they are responsible for a minimum of $99 of their device cost, should they choose to participate in the 1:1 Initiative. It was noted that no cost, to be personally incurred by board members, had been considered for board devices since they would not remain with individuals, but with the district.
“We’re putting it out there,” noted Ehler. “We want to be proactive in an age of technology.” The issue will be held for more discussion on Monday, January 9, the annual organizational meeting.
The board approved a Transportation Alternatives Program application, related to the Safe Routes to School Grant applied for in 2015. The district was denied funding in 2015 as an effort to provide for trails to the new school site from existing high traffic areas. They have since worked cooperatively with both the City of Rushford and the state to restructure the project and complete an application more likely to receive approval.
Board Director Taylor Peterson questioned a comparison between the site of the proposed trail and sidewalks and those that were done with the Highway 43 project. In the latter, adjacent property owners were assessed for the cost of the walkways. “It seems more fair to others if people along the route would be assessed as well,” he said.
Superintendent Ehler indicated that 85% of the proposed trails are on school property (largely north of the athletic field complex). “In fairness to the property owners, this is benefitting the school by providing safe access,” added Ehler. The application will be submitted and the district will wait to hear if it was approved by the state.
An audit report was presented by Craig Popenhagen of Clifton, Larsen, and Allen for the 2015-2016 year. The district received a clean audit, with no listed deficiencies. Costs related to regular instruction, $5,392 per weighted student, and special education instruction, $1,570 per student in cooperation with Hiawatha Valley Education District, continue to be the biggest general fund expenses. “It’s a nice clean audit. Good job.” added Popenhagen.
Following the Truth In Taxation Hearing, the district board moved to approve the final tax levy certification to Fillmore County in the amount of $2,115.208.85. $752,963.82 of that is for general fund expenditures, $79,595.63 for Community Service items, and $1,282,649.40 for Debt Service.
The next regularly scheduled board meeting is Monday, January 23, at 5:30 p.m., in the high school biology room. An additional annual organizational meeting is slated to be held Monday, January 9, also at 5:30 p.m., in the same location. The public is encouraged to attend.