NRHEG School Board
By REED WALLER
Staff Writer
Valentines in January?
When NRHEG School Board members filed into the Ellendale Media Center last Monday for their regular meeting, they each found a Valentine’s Day box at their place at the table.
“About 70 Valentine’s Day boxes will be delivered to the New Richland Care Center and Whispering Oaks,” said Deb Bently. “They were made by students at an activity day prior to Christmas. But since they weren’t finished on that day, volunteers have been putting in time to be sure they’re completed.”
Survey is due
The much-discussed NRHEG District Survey is out, and it can be mailed in or filled out online at www.survey2000.com. Check your mailbox for details.
The deadline for responses is February 2.
All NRHEG employees are requeseted to participate in the survey.“Is that all employees, whether they live in the district or not?” asked Mike Tollefson.
“Anyone involved with the district,” said Superintendent Dale Carlson.
The survey results will be discussed at a public listening session on Feb. 18, and at board meetings on March 9 and March 21.
Carlson set for another three years
The superintendent contract was approved for the years 2016-2019, with some changes from the one-year contract which expires at the end of June.
Changes include: moving expenses (up to $3000 if he moves to the district), and tax-sheltered annuities (district will match his contribution up to $5000 per year).
Carlson’s salary will total $119,000 for this year, and in increases of 3.5 percent, $123,100 for 2017-18 and $127,400 for 2018-19.
Other contracts
Contracts were extended for Amy Kitzer and Josh Inouye, who have been long-term substitutes.
Also approved:
• Data Management Specialist letter of assignment for Pat Theuer at a four percent increase.
• Lane changes for Terry Engel (up to Master’s) and Amanda Inouye.
Bus and Van Drivers
The board approved a new wage schedule for the bus and van drivers.
Carlson commented that since the drivers “aren’t really a bargaining group,” they’ve been overlooked too long.
The new schdule reflects a 3.5 percent increase for all rates. A higher hourly rate has been introduced to drive the special education bus versus the van, as it requires additional licensure. Meal reimbursement has been increased from $8 to $10.
America’s Battle of the Books
Fourth-grade teachers Angela Talamantes and Jill Freeman introduced the NRHEG school board to “America’s Battle of the Books” last Monday.
America’s Battle of the Books is a national event being held in conjunction with Read Across America. Students read books and come together in groups to test their knowledge of the books they have read in a competition.
The NRHEG PTO ordered the starter kit, and teams of five 4th and 5th-grade students each will be competing, making eight total teams.
The teams will battle in a showdown on book trivia, challenging their comprehension, vocabulary, and team building skills.
These 40 NRHEG 4th-graders are practicing, and will compete Friday, March 4 at 1 p.m., the afternoon of the Green Eggs and Ham Breakfast.
Ten books are selected, in a variety of genres, with half of them at grade level, a couple above, and a couple below. They are all standard grade-school reading, with titles like “Ramma the Pest” and “Cricket in Times Square.” The goal is for each team member to be an “expert” on two of the books.
Team members were selected in a preliminary competition two weeks ago.
“But other kids are welcome to read and submit books and help think up Battle trivia questions,” said Freeman.
The 3rd-graders are being invited to attend the competition, and encouraged to help the team members practice, in preparation for their own competion next year.
STAR testing
In a related discussion later in the meeting, Secondary Principal David Bunn told the board about STAR assessments, a new reading and math testing system being tried this year. But concern about the results of testing brought up a question.
“In the 6th grade you still have separate reading and language arts programs,” said Bunn. “But once you get to 7th and 8th grade, it’s all one course. Is this really good? Or should there be a junior high Language class?”
Traffic Jam solved
“In an attempt to ease the four-way traffic jam experienced recently in the hallway by the high school computer lab, science room and bathrooms,” Bunn said, “we’ve moved a couple of bays of lockers to the south hallway toward the upper Commons, back of the Media Center, Ag/industrial area.”
Recent results have proven to be “very positive.”
Donations
Donations were approved from: FFA $500; Hartland Fire Department $500, AFSCME Union $375; and Maple Island Park Assoc. $2,500, all for Ellendale Playground Equipment.