Posted: 12/27/05
New graduation requirements approved
By David Heiller
Argus News Editor
The ISD #299 School Board passed new graduation requirements at its December 19 meeting.
The change means that students graduating in 2009 will need 29 credits to graduate. Students presently need 28 credits.
A world languages/reading class class will be added in 2010.
Next yearís freshmen will start to see changes with the inclusion of two new requirements. One is a choice among Spanish, culture of language, or reading. The other is a full year of math.
The freshman Spanish, world culture, and reading classes will be hour-long classes as opposed to the regular 90-minute classes in the block scheduling. The math class will be offered to freshmen opposite those classes. Math had been offered to freshmen for only one semester, but the board approved offering it for both semesters last year.
Spanish is presently offered starting in 10th grade.
Negotiations on track
The board went into closed session at the end of the meeting to discuss teacher negotiations.
Moriarty said on December 20 that he was confident the district and Caledonia Education Association would sign a contract before January 17. After that date, school districts which have not signed new contracts are penalized $25 per student weighted average daily membership. That would amount to about $25,000 for ISD #299, Moriarty said.
Negotiating for the school district are Mary Frank, Naomi Fruechte, and Charlie Wray. Teacher negotiators are Janelle Field-Rohrer, Dick Hatlevig, Roger Knutson, Jon Lilliquist, and Dorothy Pettit.
Other business
ï Personnel items: The board accepted the resignation of Jill Armendariz as full-time middle/high school special educational assistant effective January 2.
It also approved a two-year contract for Karen Schiltz, superintendent confidential assistant/payroll clerk. The new contract has a three percent wage increase per year, which is $13.24 per hour in 2005-06 and $13.64 per hour in 2006-07.
ï Levy certified: The board certified its 2005-payable-2006 levy at $1,875,386, a five percent increase over last yearís levy.
ï Wind energy: Board member Naomi Fruechte said she would try to form a community-wide committee to study the feasibility of wind energy for the school district. She will come back to the board with a list of potential members.
ï Concession stand: Work is progressing on the concession stand/restroom facility by the athletic fields. The next step will be to install insulation on the inside walls.
ï Signage: Board member Chuck Schulte said he will try to have a design for an outside sign for the middle/high school by the January or February board meeting. Schulte said he hoped to have an idea of the cost too.
ï Organizational meeting: The boardís annual organizational meeting will be held on Monday, January 9, at 7:00 p.m. in the elementary media center.
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