HG School Board accepts recommendation

HOWARDS GROVE – The School Board accepted the recommendation from the Citizens Advisory Committee to proceed with gathering information for a possible school referendum in April 2011.

Board members gave approval to allow Superintendent Chris Peterson to go ahead and open bids for an outside contractor to look at the needs for the three schools.

Peterson stated that the cost could range from $8,000 to $15,000 to hire an outside firm to do needs assessment.

The committee met for the first time June 3 with board members Kim Plass and Richard Hemb. Plass and Hemb felt that there were a lot of good questions asked and that most residents didn’t like the condition that some of the schools were in.

The committee also discussed the financial situation in relation to the budget. Most of the people in attendance were surprised about some of the information that was provided.

Athletic Director Thad Gabrielse has turned in his resignation to accept a position with the Port Washington School District. The School Board accepted the resignation and is actively looking for a replacement.

Engelhardt Dairy was approved for milk bids for 2010-11.

The board set a special meeting for Monday, June 28, at 4:30 p.m. to discuss the end of the fiscal year numbers in the district office.

Staff member Terry Parnitzke presented a new textbook for World History. Panitzke stated that it has been about 12 years since the last replacement and that this book is a more modern history course. The new edition would be a combination of human and world geography. There would be a built-in study guide.

Peterson welcomed new high school Principal Scott Fritz. Fritz will assume his duties as high school principal July 1. Peterson also thanked Interim Principal Tom Grams.

Grams served as high school principal for most of the 2009-10 school year. “He really connected with the students and was a great help to the school this past year,” Peterson said.

Grams also served as guest speaker for the 2010 commencement ceremonies.

In closed session, the School Board agreed to give all of the support staff a 2 percent raise for 2010-11 and a 20-cent additional raise for 2011-12. The superintendent salary was offered a 3.4 percent total package raise.

The agenda was amended to drop contractual talks about insurance and reviews.

Board President Jeff Elzinga thanked the PTO for donations for the early childhood trip to the new zoo, books for Title I students, field-trip activities for the Northview students on the last day of the school year, for a donation to the accelerated reader program and second- and third-grade field trips at the end of the school year.

The National Exchange Bank has also donated money toward the end-of-the-year celebration/ retirement banquet.

The Howards Grove Booster Club donated money for the purchase of athletic letters, pins and patches. Lastly, the Howards Grove FFA paid for transportation costs for the kindergarten field trip to the Kirsch Farm May 21.