Two New Positions Created at Rushford-Peterson

The Rushford-Peterson School Board approved the creation of two new staff positions at their regular meeting on October 20. The first was a track meet manager position. According to Activities Director Clay Olstad, the school has been holding more and larger track events in recent years. This coming year, eight events will be held at R-P including the True Team meet and possibly sections. 

With the increase of track events and their sizes, a track meet manager would take the pressure off of the coaches and increase efficiency for the meets. Superintendent Dr. Ben Bernard opined that the cost of the position would be balanced by the income from the events.

Pay rates have been set for track workers at R-P. A varsity meet pay rate and a lower junior varsity pay rate were set.

The second position created was a student design advisor and website designer. This part-time position (two hours per week) will pay a $1,100 stipend. Dr. Bernard explained that the designer would be tasked with making changes to the school website, suggesting that perhaps Google sites would be used which can handle high resolution photos and would be easier to update. 

Bernard would like to see a student club established with students becoming responsible for creating website content; the designer would serve as the advisor for the organization. He felt this would give students responsibility and ownership as well as real world experience.

Audit Report

Kali Lentz of SmithSchafer presented the 2024-2025 audit report. The company issued an unmodified “clean” opinion; this provides reasonable assurance that the district finances are free from “material misstatement.”

Lentz noted the increase in ADM (average daily membership) this past year with 23 more students. Total revenues for 2025 were $13,226,844. The General Fund ended the year with a $214,000 surplus. Food Service ended with a healthy balance even though revenues were down somewhat.

Once again the board transferred funds to the Community Service Fund. This year $93,313 was transferred to help with the preschool deficit as well as a portion of the Kids’ Club and daycare expenses. The Community Service Fund ended the year with a negative $46,261 balance. 

The unassigned General Fund balance for the year was 9.8% of current General Fund expenditures. District policy is to be between 9 and 12%.

Administrative Reports

Superintendent Bernard reported that the front stone on the wall was removed over MEA; sidewalk and railing repair will be discussed with Wieser Brothers. Repairs will be completed next summer.

R-P has received a $40,260 REAP (Rural Education Achievement Program) federal grant. This will be used for programs that support CTE. Two 3D printers have already arrived and a laser cutter will be at R-P soon. 

MSHS Principal Jake Timm shared that the recent BCC (Bluff Country Co-op) CTE Career Exploration Day at Caledonia exposed R-P students to 40 local businesses and 14 career choices. The juniors will travel to Winona to visit all three colleges. 

The MN Honor Society which replaced the National Honor Society at the high school is planning the upcoming Veterans Day program.

Elementary Principal Angela Shepard shared a plethora of activity at the elementary school in her report to the board including a visit from the fire department, the kindergarten field trip to an orchard and the student excitement during homecoming week. A multitude of pictures showed the board what was happening at the elementary. Shepard shared that the elementary students will play a bigger role in the Veterans Day program.  

Other Business

In other business, the board:

• Learned that the Review and Comment had been returned from the state with a positive rating; the board will now need to decide whether to call for a vote on the possible building project;
• Continued with readings of policies; few changes are being made on the policies;
• Approved the list of fundraisers for the 2025-2026 school year; smaller fundraisers may be added as they arise;
• Approved a resolution supporting Form A application to MSHSL which provides grants to offset student activity fees, and a resolution supporting Form B, which is for grants and funding to assist in providing seminars and training opportunities for staff involved in athletics and fine arts;
• Accepted donations totaling $5,300.