MLPS School Board raises rates at Town & Country Day Care
For the past several months, the Mountain Lake Public School (MLPS) School Board has discussed post-secondary enrollment (PSEO) policies for the school district, and at its Monday, June 27 meeting, took action to approve changes to the current policy.
Over the course of the discussions, particular attention and presentations were directed toward online classes taken by students at Mountain Lake Public High School (MLHS).
Information presented to board members included MLHS current and past practice regarding PSEO classes; financial statements including past, present and projected costs of PSEO online education; policies and practices of other school district; guidelines from the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) for 2015 regarding online education and views of parents and staff members concerning PSEO practices, with a draft policy presented to the school board in May.
The school’s practice was to allow 10th, 11th and 12th grade students to earn college credit while still in high school through enrollment in, and successful completion of, college-level courses. Junior in the top third of their class are eligible to enroll, and as seniors, it is expanded to those in the top half of their class.
A school establishes its own graduation requirements; MLHS requires 23 credits for graduation.
(Currently being considered is changing physical education from a required core class to an elective class.)
The contentious area of PSEO change in board discussion was on the number of classes students would be allowed to take. Under the old policy, students were allowed unlimited hours (up to 7 of 7 hours) to take PSEO classes, as well as unilateral rights in replacing high school classes with PSEO courses.
However, according to MLPS School Superintendent Bill Strom, the MDE requires that students must be allowed at least one study hall (or class period, if no study hall if available) per day (up to 1 of 7 hours).
His recommendation was to allow juniors and seniors one hour of PSEO a semester. “Our job is get them to college. My eyes are on this district. It is not in the best interest of the district to open it up. While it is a wonderful opportunity for the students, we (school district) have to pay for it.” (Earlier school practice allowed students unilateral rights to replace high school classes with PSEO courses.)
Superintendent Strom added, “It’s about money. It’s hard for the district to lose the money it has in connection with unlimited PSEO enrollment.” (In fiscal year (FY) 2005, the PSEO costs were $4,821.75. By FY 2015, costs had risen to $64,164.65, and for the first half of FY 2016, the total was $30,854.35.
MLPS Board Director Chad Pedersen presented a motion supporting Strom’s recommended changes – allowing one hour of PSEO a semester for juniors and seniors as well as policy changes handing over PSEO management and final decision to high school administration; students will not be allowed to substitute a particular class at their discretion and the requirement to follow MLPS PSEO policies and rules, with the failure to abide by policies and rules resulting in loss of privileges, including use of the school site. The motion was seconded by MLPS Board Director Matt Gohr. That motion failed 2-4. Voting against the proposal were MLPS Board Chair Doug Standerwick, MLPS Vice-Chair Tim Swoboda, MLPS Treasurer Pam Hoek and MLPS Board Director Tom Fast.
Swoboda then presented a motion on an earlier idea submitted by Standerwick to allow juniors (and below) to take one hour of PSEO a semester, while seniors would be allowed to take two PSEO courses as semester, as well as encompassing the other policy changes. (The two PSEO classes are those that can be taken at the school during the school day utilizing school facilities and technology. Students may take additional PSEO courses on their own outside of the school day). That motion passed on a 4-2 vote, with Standerwick, Swoboda, Hoek and Fast in favor, and Pedersen and Gohr dissenting. MLPS Board Clerk Julie Brugman had left the meeting at the time of the votes.
Rates to go up at Town & Country Day Care
Board members also increased rates at Town & Country Day Care for the 2016-2017 school year. Rates had not increased over the course of at least the past three years.
Those rates will be:
+ Infant: Now – $2.80/hour; New – $2.95/hour; 15 cent increase.
+ Toddler: Now – $2.65/hour; New – $2.80/hour; 15 cent increase.
+ Preschool: Now – $2.53/hour; New – $2.68/hour; 15 cent increase.
+ School Age: Now – $2.49/hour; New – $2.65/hour; 16 cent increase.
+ Drop-In Rate: Now – $2.80/hour; New – $2.95/hour; 15 cent increase.
+ Overtime Fee (Beyond Operational Hours): Now – $2; New – $2; no increase.
+ Overtime Fee (Beyond Contracted Pick-Up Time): Now – none; New – $6/15 minutes; $6 increase.
+ Before/After School (Minimum Charge): Now – $3; New – $3.15; 15 cent increase.
With the increase for next year, the rates charged by the school district for daycare service are among the most competitive in the community and area.
In other action
+ Approved meetings with the school architect, Paul Youngquist. During the MLPS School Board’s June 13 training workshop with the Minnesota School Boards Association, discussion was held on holding a meeting with the architect. Youngquist is prepared to present his findings. A meeting between the Building Committee (Building committee members include Chair Tim Swoboda, Vice-Chair Tom Appel, Cheri Hanson, Jerry Haberman, Bruce Swanson, Bryan Bargen, Vern Peterson and John Carrison) and the architect is scheduled for Tuesday, July 28 at 5 p.m. in Room #1. A joint meeting between the MLPS School Board, Building Committee and Youngquist will follow at 7 p.m.
+ Tabled a joint meeting with the school district’s pool committee (Superintendent Strom, MLPS School Board Vice-Chair Tim Swoboda and Tom Appel), representatives of Friends of the Pool and Mountain Lake City Council pool representatives following a lengthy discussion on the objective(s) of the meeting.
+ Approved the hiring of Esther Klassen as Junior High School Volleyball Coach following the resignation of Alisa Nickel. The Board thanked Alisa for her time coaching young volleyball players.
+ Approved the hiring of Mikkala Hup as a Junior High Volleyball Coach following the resignation of Linda Nesmoe. The Board also thanked Linda for her time serving as a coach for young volleyball players.
+ Approved the 2016-2017 initial revenue and expenditure budget as presented for total expenses and revenue for Fund 1, Fund 23 and Fund 4.
- Fund 1: Expenses – $6,185,200; Revenue – $6,248,758.
- Fund 2: Expenses – $321,232; Revenue – $337,385.
- Fund 4: Expenses – $321,392; Revenue – $300,358.
Total expenses were $6,827,824, with total revenue, $6,886,501, for a “tiny surplus,” according to Superintendent Strom.
+ Approved 2016-2017 membership in the Minnesota Rural Education Association (MREA). The school district has been a member of the MREA for the past two decades. MREA advocates for schools like MLPS on organizational, policy and legislative matters. The cost to district is $1,100, plus $1 per student.
+ Approved the Long-Term Facilities Maintenance Budget for 2016-2017, with no changes from the budget approved last year. Part of the reason there were no changes is that the district is waiting to see how the architect’s future building plan envelops the long-term facilities budget. It is difficult to assign budget numbers to a category until and project and plan is approved. A roll call vote is required, with MLPS School Board Chair Doug Standerwick, MLPS Schol Board Vice-Chair Tim Swoboda, MLPS School Board Treasurer Pam Hoek and MLPS Board Directors Chad Pedersen, Matt Gohr and Tom Fast voting in favor (MLPS School Board Clerk Julie Brugman had left the meeting at the time of this vote).
+ Approved the MLPS School Board calendar for 2016-2017 as follows:
- Monday, July 18, 2016; 5:30 p.m.; Room #1.
- Monday, August 15, 2016; 5:30 p.m.; Room #1.
- Monday, September 19, 2016; 6 p.m.; Room #1.
- Monday, October 17, 2016; 6 p.m.; Room #1.
- Monday, November 21, 2016; 6 p.m.; Room #1.
- Monday, December 19, 2016; 6 p.m.; Room #1.
- Tuesday, January 17, 2017; 6 p.m.; Room #1.
- Tuesday, February 21, 2017; 6 p.m.; Room #1.
- Monday, March 20, 2017; 6 p.m.; Room #1.
- Monday, April 17, 2017; 6 p.m.; Room #1.
- Monday, May 15, 2017; 6 p.m.; Room #1.
- Monday, June 26, 2017; 6 p.m.; Room #1.
- Monday, July 17, 2017; 6 p.m.; Room #1.
+ Authorized MLPS District Secretary Lois Herrig as the identified official with authority for School District #173 in order to meet the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) requirement to comply with State Access Control Security Standard 1.0. This requirement states that all user access rights to Minnesota state online secure systems must be reviewed and recertified at least annually. The identified official with authority will assign job duties and authorize external user’s access to MDE security systems for the Local Education Agency (LEA).
+ Approved the retirement of Sherry Pankratz as MLPS Early Childhood Family Education (ECFE) Coordinator, effective June 30.
+ Hired Sherry Pankratz as MLPS ECFE Coordinator, effective July 2. The rate of pay for this position is set forth in the Mountain Lake Education Association (MLEA) master agreement for 2017-2019.
+ Approved postings for two (2) elementary paraprofessional positions for the 2016-2017 school year. The posting will continue until the positions are filled. Interviews leading to a recommendation for hire will be managed by Mountain Lake Public Elementary School Principal Karl Wassman, in consultation with Superintendent Strom. The goal is to fill these positions as soon as possible.
+ Accepted donations to the school district.
Reports presented
+ Thanked a concerned citizen for a letter written to the MLPS School Board. Rick Herrig of Mountain Lake had written a letter to the board about the use of public restrooms by transgendered persons.
+ Upcoming training opportunities for School Board members.
+ Legislative changes for Staff Development reporting.
+ MDE Open Enrollment report requirements.
+ MDE Compliance Review Final Report for MLPS.
+ Minnesota School Boards Association report on June 13 MLPS School Board In-Service. Board members and superintendent wanted an open and honest dialogue relative to their roles and responsibilities. They also developed school district, superintendent and school board goals for the 2016-2017 school year.
+ District Policies (300 series) dealing with administration. The purpose of this policy is to clarify the role of school district administration and its relationship with the school board.
+ 2016-2017 Achievement and Integration plan notice of approval.
+ ALICE (Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter and Evacuate) school security training in connection with an active shooter situation for MLPS.
+ Second Harvest Heartland grant of $1,000 for summer meal program. Superintendent Strom noted the numbers accessing the weekday free breakfast and noon meals and stated that Summer Recreation, Summer School and swimming lessons are scheduled to make it easy for students to participate in the meal program.
+ Negotiations Committee report, with MLPS School Board Clerk Julie Brugman noting that contracts for Superintendent Strom and Principal Wassman need to be completed.