The Crookston School Board met on Monday in the Crookston High School choir/orchestra room and approved putting a fueling station at the new bus garage, the long-term facilities plan, and heard from an upset citizen that seniors that couldn’t make Saturday’s graduation ceremony, including two in the military, weren’t recognized at the ceremony.
GRADUATION CEREMONY
Crookston resident Sue Wilkens spoke in the public forum at the start of the meeting and expressed her 
disappointment that the handful of students that couldn’t make the Crookston High School graduation ceremony on Saturday weren’t honored in some way, including two that are in the military. “You took away their identity as members of the graduating class of 2020. You took away something theses students have looked forward to the last 12 years. It is something they can never get back….. their identity of being part of the class of 2020,” said Wilkens. “Those that weren’t able to attend were forgotten. Why was there not at least a 30 seconds saying unable to attend but also part of the graduating class, these students? Two of the students are military, and as part of the military, they had to go to their training. They didn’t have a choice to come back. How would you have felt if it was your son or daughter?”
School Board member Mike Theis said “Sue has a valid point. It was through no fault of anyone, we just missed it, and it won’t happen again. We fell short, we tried our best and apologize.”
Crookston Schools Superintendent Jeremy Olson added, “Whenever we screw up, we need to own it. I think this is one of those things that there was no malicious intent; it was just an oversight on our part. We don’t want this to ever happen again, and we will correct it for the future.”
PLANS AFTER GOVERNOR’S ANNOUNCEMENT ON THURSDAY
Governor Tim Walz is expected to announce his decision about school this fall on Thursday. There are three options, in-person learning, distance learning, or a hybrid. There is a possibility he will announce that he will allow school districts/boards to make the decision. The Crookston School District will communicate with the district families regardless of what is announced on Thursday. If the Governor says he will allow local control, the school board would have a special meeting on Monday (you need a three-day notice for a school board meeting so the board can’t meet on until Monday). “We would communicate that fact to people if the Governor comes out and says here is the plan we will communicate that our families,” said Superintendent Olson. “The first communication will be a broad general communication without a ton of specifics. Then we are looking at following up with more specific communication on what does it look like, what steps we are taking. Parents should expect communication of some sort after the announcement.”
APPROVAL OF A FUEL STATION AT THE NEW BUS GARAGE
The school board approved a new fuel station at the new bus garage that is currently being constructed. The high-end bid for the project is $214,500 and not to exceed the amount. The fuel station will include both diesel and gasoline. Superintendent Olson said they plan to pay for the project with $94,000 from the Long-term Facilities dollars, $70,000 from contingency funds, and $50,000 from previous referendum dollars. “It will be cheaper to put it in now while they are working on the bus garage,” said Superintendent Olson. “We gave the board a conservative estimate on what it is going to cost, and if we can get a better price, we will do that. We think it will be less than $214,500.”
The board approved the new fuel station with both diesel and gas by a 5-1 vote. Mike Theis voted no because he thought the $40,000 more for adding gasoline was too much due to the payback. The district will use the gas to fill six vehicles (delivery van, Suburbans, drivers ed vehicle, etc.), plus small equipment.
LONG-TERM FACILITIES MAINTENANCE PLAN
The board approved the 10-year long-term facilities plan for the district. The plan includes big-ticket facility upgrade items like resurfacing the parking lot, the exterior insulation and finish system (EIFS), and taking out the fuel tanks at the old bus garage. “We are always looking at the EIFS system, which is the upper part of the high school, we talked about resurfacing parking lots, pulling the old fuel tanks. Basically, keeping facilities up to date. Things like new doors at Highland School,” said Superintendent Olson. “Years ago, we would come to a project like this and go to the taxpayers, and that wasn’t something the state wanted to do. So they put aside a smaller portion of dollars that builds up, so when you have those larger purchases, you can tap into them.”
SCHOOL BOARD GIVES SUPERINTENDENT ANOTHER POSITIVE REVIEW
School Board Chair Frank Fee gave the results from Superintendent Olson’s review and said it was another excellent review. The board rated Olson on five goals with four ratings for each goal. The possible ratings were distinguished (the best), accomplished, satisfactory, and unsatisfactory.
Olson received 13 distinguished, 15 accomplished, two satisfactory, and no unsatisfactory ratings. He received unanimous distinguished ratings in communication with staff and district residents. The two unsatisfactory ratings came in the student achievement category because it was hard to quantify. “It was an outstanding evaluation from the six school board members,” said Fee. “28 of the 30 were the top or the second rating. Enrollment went up last year, he communicates great with school district staff and the community. We gave him a three-year extension and hope to have him for the next four years.”
OTHER MEETING NEWS
The school board approved the High School, Highland, and Washington School handbooks for the upcoming school year. They also approved a contract with Activities Director Greg Garmen, a leave of absence from Tina Leach for the upcoming school year, and membership in the Minnesota School Boards Association.
The board also designated the following for the upcoming school year –
Designate Official Financial Institutions
– Payroll Account: Northern Sky Bank, Crookston
– Financial Account: Bremer Bank, Crookston
– Lock Box Account (direct wire of State funds): Bremer Bank, Crookston
Designate investment authority
– Jeremy Olson, Superintendent
– Laura Lyczewski, Business Manager
– Nancy Nottestad, Fiscal Services Director
Designate Official Signatories
Financial Operations:
Frank Fee, School Board Chairperson
Adrianne Winger, School Board Clerk
Tim Dufault, School Board Treasurer
Jeremy Olson, Superintendent
Laura Lyczewski, Business Manager
Nancy Nottestad, Fiscal Services Director
Crookston High School Activity Fund:
Eric Bubna, Principal
Robin Reitmeier, Crookston High School Administrative Assistant
Nancy Nottestad, Fiscal Services Director
Laura Lyczewski, Business Manager
Highland Elementary School Student Activity Fund:
Chris Trostad, Principal
Jana Hodgson, Highland School Administrative Assistant
Nancy Nottestad, Fiscal Services Director
Laura Lyczewski, Business Manager
Designate Personnel to lease, purchase and contract for budgeted goods and services
Jeremy Olson, Superintendent
Laura Lyczewski, Business Manager
