Principal Adam Nelson started the September 1 School District 166 school board meeting on a high note, reflecting on the open house that was held at the school the night before. Nelson said it was the most people he has seen in attendance at an open house in his four years with the school and he said, “I want to thank all the people who came to the open house.”
Nelson also gave an update on preparation for the first day of school and said, “Staff has been doing a great job getting ready—we can’t wait for Tuesday.”
Superintendent Dr. Bill Crandall said Principal Nelson had teachers spend a one-hour session with John Morrin of Grand Portage to hear a history of the Anishinaabe people. “It was very well received,” said Crandall.
More questions on the ABCs
After handling some routine matters, the school board once again reviewed the “ABC list,” the spreadsheet that shows cuts that will have to be made in coming years if additional revenue is not found. Superintendent Crandall and School Finance Specialist Lori Backlund had fine-tuned the list, answering some of the questions asked by the board at the last meetings.
One of the first items on the “A” list, “ACA walk away” elicited the first comments, with School Board Member Deb White asking, “What does that mean…to walk away?”
She questioned how the school district could close up the Arrowhead Center for the Arts section of the school, noting that the district uses the area for band and art. Looking further down the list of cuts, she quipped, “Oh wait, we won’t have band…we won’t have art classes.”
The board discussed the history of the ACA and the community partners that were to help fund the facility.
Superintendent Crandall said that could be an option. He looked around the Jane Mianowski Conference Room, where the school board meets, and said, “We could mothball this building.”
White said, “It’s not good for the building, but that’s what it means to walk away.”
The board talked about other ways to make cuts, again discussing athletic and extracurricular activities and elective classes. The new ABC list included potential savings from an across the board wage freeze. Superintendent Crandall said he and Principal Nelson would review graduation standards to see if what could be eliminated to reduce expenses there.
Board Member Terry Collins noted that in a school board work session the board had identified the need to make $700,000 in cuts. However, he asked if that meant cuts distributed over several years, such as a cut in an area of $175,000 for three years or a huge budget slash for a class or activities of $500,000 in one year.
“We’re going to need a better list,” Collins said, asking if administration could compile data on enrollment and participation numbers. “So if we must eliminate things, we eliminate the things with the least impact to the least number of students.”
White agreed, but added, “I would like for us to come to some kind of decision sooner rather than later, so we don’t have to sit through this meeting after meeting… Voters want to know.”
Backlund and Crandall agreed to get answers to the new questions regarding potential cuts. Crandall, referring to the upcoming operating levy and bond referendum in November, said, “Hopefully we don’t have to pull this list out.”
School board members nodded vigorously in agreement.
In other business
. The school board finalized approval for a number of teaching and paraprofessional positions. The two preschool teachers received an adjustment/ increase to their salaries because to receive state preschool funding, those teachers must have wages similar to other teachers.
. Dr. Crandall said because of preschool funding from the state, there are afternoon preschool slots available. Anyone interested in preschool for their child can contact School District 166 for more information.
. The system for reimbursement for special education paraprofessionals was discussed. Board Chair Anderson noted that one of the school board goals was to meet with the school district’s special education cooperative. Superintendent Crandall said he would arrange that for the next school board meeting on September 15. He asked board members to think about the specific questions they want to ask.
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