On Monday night, the Crookston School Board met inside the Crookston High School Choir/Orchestra Room.
CONSENT AGENDA
The Consent Agenda included the approval of the prior minutes from the March 28 meeting and their current bills. It also accepted the resignations of Highland Elementary School Teachers Sarah Lindquist and Kaitlyn Borah. The Agenda also included approving the employment of Crookston High School Ag Instructor Carolyn Pavlish, Administrative Assistants Kayla Snyder for one year, and Andrea Weisse for 11 months. The Consent Agenda also included accepting donations from the Crookston Baseball Association for $1,500 to pay for the new Assistant Coach and from the United Way of Crookston for $500 for the PATCH program at the High School.
The Board approved all motions unanimously.
MAIN AGENDA
The Main Agenda began with the approval of the addition of a Special Education Instructor, Elementary Counselor, and a High School Elective Instructor position for the 2022-23 school year. They allowed the schools to begin advertising for the positions. Superintendent Olson explained that an Elective Instructor would be a teacher that would teach a course that is not one of the core classes students are required to take but one that can be helpful to students looking to try different careers. “The main focus of our thought process is, what are the things that we need to have available for our students to obtain those skills and be successful?. We are possibly adding a CTE (Career and Technical Education) Teacher, but then we may look at a few other departments, depending on what the students need,” Crookston Public Schools Superintendent Jeremy Olson explained. “Right now, students are in the process of registering for courses for next year, and that’s going to drive a lot of our decision-making on what person, skillset, and discipline to bring in for this Elective Teacher. The board has approved an Elective Teacher for the High School. That teacher, skillset, and discipline will be based on what the students request during this course registration process.” Olson added that they are waiting to see how many students are interested in these courses before making an official hire but wanted to make these movements now to be ready to do so when the interest in the courses is there.
The last item on the Main Agenda was to approve a Music Trip for the Band, Choir, and Orchestra to Valleyfair in the Twin Cities, on Saturday, May 21. The Board was approached by Orchestra Director Haley Ellis, who explained that she and the other music teachers wanted to reward the students for all of their dedication to the program during the COVID pandemic as well as to give the students that are unable to go on the trip to Disney since the last one was canceled by COVID in 2021 one final major performance as they will be unable to go when the next one comes around. Board member Adriane Winger brought up that some seniors were nervous about Graduation preparation interfering with the trip and Spring Sports Events and competitions. Still, Ellis reported that they should not have any issues interfering with final exams, graduation practices, or spring sports. “We settled on the 21st because it is so close to Finals. We didn’t want to disrupt anything for the seniors or underclassmen while studying and preparing for finals,” Orchestra Director Haley Ellis explained. “As well as any spring sports conflicts because May is packed, and we know it. The only event going on right now on that date is a Track True-Team State event. They will have to qualify for that event, so it’s not guaranteed to interfere with us there, but even if they do make it, the event will be in Stillwater, which is less than an hour away from Valleyfair. So, we could even figure something out if the kids can swing it.” She also reported that the event would only be one day when the students would return around midnight to not interfere with other scheduled plans.
The Board approved all motions unanimously.
ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTS
The Board then heard Administrative Reports from Washington Elementary School Principal Denice Oliver, Highland Elementary School Principal Chris Trostad, Crookston High School Principal Nicki Martinez, and Crookston Public Schools Superintendent Jeremy Olson.
Denice Oliver reported that she gave a Guide to Kindergarten Journey to each member. The Kindergarten Round-Up had been moved to Thursday, April 21, and it was the 20th anniversary of the event. She explained that the guide held all of the different things they had learned over the 20 years of the event and how it was a way for families to understand how the school works with them and their children. She also reported that the kindergarten expectancy was around 80 students for the next year. Chris Trostad wrote that the addition of the Elementary Counselor would help with some in-class learning and help some students. He also said that MCAs were beginning this week and that they had more than enough substitute teachers now to help fill in for teachers when they are unable to come in. Nicki Martinez was absent from the meeting, but CHS Assistant Principal Matt Torgerson reported that MCAs were also beginning for them. Students were now beginning to choose classes and electives for next year. He also said that prom had a few hiccups but believes it will be a success on Saturday.
Superintendent Olson reported that the school was working with the City and the vendor “All For Learning” out of Grand Forks to create a Child Care Center into Washington Elementary School for the community but still has to recruit the staff for the program before they open it. However, they were a bit behind when he planned to open it. He also reported that there would be four referendums and meetings coming up during the summer and moving into the “public” phase. He said that they were still moving forward with plans for the addition of a Middle School and Preschool addition. Board member Dave Davidson asked about the funds for the projects since they were using COVID relief funds to complete the projects and about the deadlines to when they could be used and asked if they would complete them in time. Olson explained that they had taken that into account and that the funds should be spent well in time of their deadlines, though they are a bit behind schedule to where he wanted to be in its production. “The funding mechanisms are there; we have two sources of funding. One expires on September 30, 2023, and the second expires on September 30, 2024, so we have some time, but when you’re talking about building projects, that’s not a lot of time.” Superintendent Olson explained, “We’ve been very diligent about advancing this project with the number of building projects happening around the State, which has put a large pinch on architects to get the bids specs written and ready for bids. Unfortunately, we are a little behind where I wanted to be, I was hoping to be in that February timetable, but with the number of people building, that has pushed us back into May. It is unfortunate, but that is where we are at.” He reported that the District is pushing to move the projects up as quickly as possible and are looking to open bids to be reviewed by general contractors at the beginning of May and start construction this summer. He also congratulated the CHS Speech Team for moving on to the State competition on April 23 in Apple Valley and that the FFA Chapter received a Chapter Award. Board member Tim Default said that the FFA’s success had drawn new teacher candidates to the Agriculture department.
The next scheduled School Board meeting will take place on May 23, at 5:00 p.m., inside the High School Choir/Orchestra room.
