| School
district budget approved
The budget was approved for the 2009-2010 school year at the June meeting of the school board Monday, June 22. Approved for hire to the English position at the high school was Dave Young, who filled in at the position this past year when Sarah Remacle took a sabbatical. Also approved for hire was Rusty Lorentz as girls varsity basketball coach after some discussion in an executive session. Resignations submitted and approved were for Beth Uhlman as school nurse and Jeff Martin and girls JV basketball coach. CompuNet was awarded the bid for the technology wiring project. Their bid came in at just over $123,000. This item had already been budgeted. Lynn Rehder presented a proposal to remodel the Middle School kitchen and make it the central kitchen for the school district. They are looking at an 8 foot addition that would be used for a new walk-in freezer and walk-in refrigerator plus added storage. The stimulus grant for a new refrigerator could go toward the new walk-in refrigerator. All 3 kitchens need some upgrading in plumbing, wiring, shelving, etc. on recommendations of the state’s kitchen inspector. The idea of making the middle school kitchen the central kitchen is in line with the future possibility of closing the elementary school, which is now the central kitchen. The central kitchen is where all the deliveries are made and most of the food is stored. Board member Gus Hoene suggested moving the cooling units from the walk-in freezer at the elementary school. The board approved going to bid for the middle school kitchen remodel. The negotiation agreement with the teachers was ratified. Superintendent Gary Blaz noted the only major change was the elimination of the early outs. Extracurricular assignments were approved for the upcoming school year and are listed elsewhere in this week’s Chronicle. The board meeting for July has been moved up a week to Monday, July 13 at 7 p.m. In administrative reports Todd Shumway reported they had an NICI crew remove the upstairs hallway carpet and will be replacing it with new tile. They also cleaned out 3 rooms for upgrades to a new special education room, Health Occupations office and server room. The server room is being prepared for the new wiring to be done by CompuNet. Other construction projects are being done with an eye toward the possible addition of the 7th and 8th grades to the high school building in the future if the Elementary School building is closed. For that eventuality they are looking at moving the band room to the stage, putting art in the current band room and either relocation the Kindergarten-preschool room or making a new building to house additional locker rooms, coaches offices and the weight room to the north of the gym. Shumway also reported that the Saturday schools were successful in helping 8 of the 10 students who went over their absences to earn back credit. The football team went to a team camp in Butte, MT June 12-15 and did very well. Volleyball is planning on hosting the LCSC coaches for a camp July 15-17at the Middle School and then attending a team camp at LCSC the following week. Volleyball and both basketball teams are holding open gyms. He also reported the work at the sports complex is continuing. The National Guard will be back in August to move some more topsoil and extend the baseball field out further. The softball field area is pretty much done as far as topsoil and leveling. Blaz said they may look into rubberizing the track in the future. Continuing updates will be done such as the sprinkler systems, seeding, fencing etc. Blaz reported that they are looking into redoing the high school gym floor. If it is cost affordable they would probably redo the floor during volleyball season with volleyball practices and matches moved to one of the other gyms. The other option would be to do it after basketball season but this would mean moving graduation to some other location. Blaz also reported he is continuing to work on Elementary class schedules for self-contained mornings and departmentalization in the afternoons. He reported the staff will be attending Math Initiative classes in Grangeville July 20-24. This is a new state mandated program. Rene’ Forsmann reported the MS/HS concert was well attended and they may do this kind of thing again. The board adjourned to an executive session at 8 p.m. The next meeting will be Monday, July 13 at 7 p.m. This also serves as the annual meeting. Extracurricular assignments for 2009-2010 The school board ratified the recommended extracurricular assignments for the 2009-2010 school year at their board meeting Monday, June 22. At Prairie High School: Travis Mader will continue as athletic director and head coach for Football. Paid football assistant coaches are Ryan Hasselstrom and Ron Sigler. Teel Bruner will continue as boys varsity basketball coach with Kevin Chaffee as JV coach. Rusty Lorentz will be girls varsity basketball coach with no JV coach assigned as of yet. Hasselstrom will continue as head boys and girls track coach with Todd Shumway as assistant. Pat Holthaus will continue as baseball coach. Jeff Martin will continue as softball coach with Steve Wilson as assistant coach. Vikki Riener will continue as volleyball coach with Marlene Forsmann as JV coach and Denise Uhlenkott as C coach. Steve Lamont and Dan Altman will continue as wrestling head coach and assistant. John Eynon will direct both the band and choir. Hasselstrom will be yearbook advisor. Natalie and Millie Wimer will serve as Cheer Squad and Dance Team coaches. Laurie Karel will be Knowledge Bowl coach. Senior class advisors are Liz McLeod and Patty Hinkelman. Junior class advisors are John Eynon and Darbie Duclos. Jerry Richardson will continue as Industrial Technology advisor. Hasselstrom will continue as Business Professionals of America advisor. Cara Duman will be Prairie League advisor. At Prairie Middle School: Rene’ Forsmann will serve as athletic director. Wilson will be 8th grade girls coach with Martin as 7th grade girls coach. Bryan Higgins will be 8th grade boys basketball coach with Becky Higgins as 7th grade boys coach. Kenny Mader will be junior high football head coach with Paul Schmidt as assistant coach. Becky Higgins will be junior high Knowledge Bowl coach and also junior high track coach. Vikki Riener will be junior high volleyball coach with Marlene Forsmann as assistant coach. Dan Altman will be junior high wrestling coach. Laurie Karel will be Youth Choir advisor. Drug Free program: Colleen Sonnen will be the Drug Free Program coordinator at the Elementary, Middle and High Schools with Laurie Workman as a helper at the high school level. Technology Coordinators: Ryan Hasselstrom will be the high school coordinator with Rene’ Forsmann at the middle school and Greg Deiss at the elementary school. |
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