The Crookston School Board met Monday evening in the Crookston High School Choir/Orchestra room.
APPROVAL OF BIDS FOR THE MULTI-USE COMPLEX
The board approved several bids for the Multi-Use Sports Complex. The first bid was a landscaping bid from Total Lawn Care for $70,019.89. The second bid was a chain link fence bid from Century Fence Company for $66,100. The board also approved bids for the bathroom building from Diversified Contractors for $198,800, HN Quality Plumbing for $86,520, RBB Electric for $24,800, Loren Richard Excavating for $12,500, and Dirt Dynamics in the amount of $38,600 for a total of $361,220.00. “I think they came in better than we anticipated, so yes, I’m happy with the bids,” said Superintendent Randy Berquist. “I’m more happy that we’re going to start moving forward on this, and hopefully, with winter coming up, we’re going to start breaking ground as early as possible in the spring, depending on the weather. As much as our school district can use local companies, businesses, individuals, and organizations, it will be better because I am a huge proponent of using local as much as possible, considering that those local companies have kids that go to our school district. They pay taxes, so I’m a big fan of that.”
APPROVAL OF FUTURE PLANS WITH WASHINGTON SCHOOL
The board discussed Washington School and read a new Minnesota School Board Association policy saying that the school board can only look for bids. “So Washington School is out there, and we’ve had some interested parties contact us,” said Superintendent Bergquist. “I have contacted the Minnesota School Board Association to ensure we’re doing everything correctly. We can do nothing as a school district. We can look at going out for bids.”
The School Board adopted the new policy. Whenever a new policy is enacted, it must be read twice, one of which was at the meeting. The policy gives the school district the right to negotiate with public entities to decide what to do with the school. The school board did not decide what was going to happen with Washington School, they were just making sure they followed the protocol moving forward.
ADDITION OF FULL-TIME SUBSTITUTE TEACHER
The board also approved the addition of a full-time substitute teacher position. This position will cost between $32,000 and $33,000 from the general fund. “I wish we had more subs. Teachers, paras, instructional aids, bus drivers, cooks. It’s just really unfortunate because what happens right now is that sometimes we have teachers and administrators cover classes. So, if you’re a third-grade teacher and you normally have 23 kids, if there’s another teacher that’s gone, you’re going to have to absorb or take some of those kids into your classroom,” said Superintendent Bergquist. “It gets to burden the teacher and administrator that has to fill in. Plus, I think it’s a burden on kids. Who wants to send their kids to a class with 30 or more kids? I don’t think that’s good learning for the kids, so we’re going to post tomorrow for a long-term subbing person who will one day sub in first grade, the next day they might do sixth grade, the next day they might go back to pre-school depending on what it is.”
DONATIONS FOR SCOREBOARD
The board also approved moving forward with the process of securing donations for the purchase of a new football scoreboard. Nate Lubarski will ask businesses and individuals if they would like to donate to help offset the cost. The funds for the scoreboard will not come from school funding.
SCHOOL BOARD COMPENSATION PROPOSAL
The board also approved a proposal to increase school board members’ compensation. It is the first time the school board members will get a raise in 15 years.
-The board chair will go from $4,000 to $6,500.
-The clerk and treasurer went from $3,500 to $6,000.
-The members, of which there are three, went from $3,000 to $4,000 each.
All board members will also get $150 per non-school board meeting, like finance meetings. The board committee came up with the increases. “One of the things the board member committee had said is that ‘we’d like to get younger people to run for the school board,” said Superintendent Bergquist. “For example, In August next summer, if you’re interested in running for school board, maybe you have a child in the district and want to help shape and mold policy and procedure. Please consider running for school board.” The board also wants to encourage its members to attend Fine Arts events rather than just sporting events.
APPROVE BLAKE STOLTMAN AS SIGNATORY
The board also approved business manager Blake Stoltman as the signatory for investment authority, financial operations, and personnel to lease, purchase, and contract for budgeted goods and services.
CONSENT AGENDA
The board approved the consent agenda, including the approval of the employment of Gabriela Ostgaard as a paraprofessional at the high school and Lori J. Wagner as an aide at Highland School.
The board accepted the resignation of Frank (Nikk) Caputo as a paraprofessional at Highland School and Mark Ecklund in Food services at the high school.
The board approved the winter coaches list (listed at the bottom of the story) and accepted a $500 donation to the Pirate Girls Tennis program, $500 for the We Care Project, and $3,200 from the Hot Stove Hockey Parent Group for a HUDL system for Boys Hockey.
APPROVED WINTER COACHES LIST
The board approved the Winter Activities Coaching list. The coaches are listed below.
BOYS BASKETBALL –
Head – Greg Garmen
Assistant – Jason Tangquist
C-Squad – Lon Boike
8th grade – Austin O’Hare
7th grade – Tom Anderson
Volunteer – Kevin Weber
GIRLS BASKETBALL –
Head – Darin Zimmerman
Assistant – Brett Brenden
C-Squad – Kylie Solheim
Junior High – Kamille Meyer
BOYS HOCKEY –
Head – Josh Hardy
Assistant – Connor Morgan
Assistant – Sam Melbye
Assistant – Wyatt Ecklund
GIRLS HOCKEY –
Head – Emily Meyer
Assistant – Amanda Lien
Assistant – Stacy Olson
Volunteer – Andy Fee
WRESTLING –
Head – Dan Rooney
Assistant – Colton Weiland
Assistant – Blake Bergeron
Volunteer/Youth – Dillon McEachran
DANCELINE –
Head – Grace Espinosa
Assistant – Quinn Siegle
SPEECH – Brandon Adams and Kate Mulvey
VARSITY ONE ACT – Beth Carlson
JUNIOR HIGH ONE-ACT – Brandon Adams
FIGURE SKATING – Katie Englestad
KNOWLEDGE BOWL – Katelyn Stegman
JR. HIGH KNOWLEDGE BOWL – Sue Wagner
MATH COUNTS – Dana Louw and Andrea Adrian
The next school board meeting will be Monday, December 11, at 5:00 p.m. in the Crookston High School Choir/Orchestra room, right before the Truth and Taxation hearing at 6:00.
