Posted: 6/28/05
Child care coming to school
By David Heiller
Argus News Editor
School-aged child care will be coming to Caledonia Elementary School this fall.
The school board approved the program at its June 20 meeting after a recommendation by community education director Nancy Runningen.
Runningen will direct the program, which she called School Age Care (SAC). It will located in the art room, and will run from September 1 to June 30. It will be open before school at 6:30 a.m., and after school until 6 p.m. It will also be open from 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. on non-school days and during the summer.
The hourly rate will be $2 for the first child, $1.80 for the second child, and $1.60 for the third child. There will also be a $15 per child registration fee.
Runningen estimated the budget at $21,522, with most of this paying for staffing. She said she would monitor expenses with the goal of breaking even and continuing to grow.
The program has to pay for itself or it wonít continue, superintendent Michael Moriarty said.
The room, table, and chairs are already available, he said. ìIím anticipating that it will work,î he said.
Moriarty added that SAC could be a good draw for the school district. ìMaybe this will be a more attractive place for them to go to school,î he said.
Personnel items
The board hired four new staff members at the meeting. They are:
ï Bradley Harguth, high school agriculture teacher, at $42,520 plus $2,672 for advising FFA;
ï Kimberly Kranz, .80 part-time elementary music teacher, at $26,509;
ï Carrie Erickson, high school band teacher, at $30,216, plus $5,447 for additional band teaching, jazz band, and pep band duties;
ï Sherry Steele as job-share, part-time elementary secretary at $10.05 per hour.
The board also approved one year contracts for superintendent Michael Moriarty at $91,800, and community education director Nancy Runningen at $50,775. Both contracts are two percent increases.
Tina Esch was reassigned from middle/high school special education assistant and part-time middle school math teacher to full time middle school math teacher. Cathy Klug will move to the high school math teacher position.
Tenure was granted to high school principal Ron Helmers and teachers James Gladis, Scott Martin, Kellie Rhinerson, and Tina Esch.
Administrators report
In the administrative reports, middle school principal Brian Doty reported he attended the induction ceremony for Ken Van Den Boom into the Minnesota Golf Coaches Association Hall of Fame on June 7 in Mille Lacs. He praised Van Den Boomís career, and said he represented the school district well.
Helmers said he heard only good things about the Friday night graduation ceremony. (Graduation had previously been held on Sunday afternoon.)
Board member Chuck Schulte suggested hiring a photographer to take pictures to avoid having a crowd of people up front. Helmers said he would look into it, but that enoughstudents would have to sign up for it to make it pay for a photographer.
Elementary school principal Connie Hesse gave the board an overview of the five different 2005-2006 Title grants that the district receives. The largest grant is $133,103 for Title I. This is used for offering remedial reading and math help in grades kindergarten to three.
Teacher Janelle Rohrer asked why the program targets the elementary school and not the middle school.
ìThe emphasis really is on early intervention,î Nancy Runningen responded.
Hesse agreed. She said she had never seen Title I done at a high school. Caledonia Elementary School focuses on K-3 with the goal of getting students help by the time they reach grades four and five, Hesse added.
Moriarty reported that he had rescheduled custodians so that they are now working seven days a week at the middle/high school during the summer. That should help with supervision and prevent potential vandalism, he said.
Moriartyís comments coincided with an earlier statement by Helmers that he was tightening supervision of the school during the summer. Helmers feels that Caledonia uses its high school more than most districts in the summer, with a lot of volunteering by coaches. ìThatís a neat thing thatís happening,î he said.
Sign committee
In the public comment section of the meeting, board member Chuck Schulte stood up and faced the board to ask permission to form a sign committee. He said it had been discussed when the new school was being planned in 1997, but got dropped.
Schulte said he would like to see a tasteful sign that catches a personís eye.
Board member Naomi Fruechte asked how the sign would be funded. Schulte replied that the committee would look at the needs for the sign first, come up with a concept, and then come back to the board. He would like to see it done in a year.
Board member Mary Frank said she thought a sign was needed.
The school doesnít need a sign with ìpretty picturesî that would fade in 10 years, Fruechte said, but rather something that is permanent.
She also said that a sign on Highway 44/76 is needed to direct people to the school. Board member Jean Meyer, who works for the Minnesota Department of Transportation, said she would look into that.
Concession stand standstill
The board discussed the concession stand/restroom project which the Caledonia Rotary Club is coordinating. Schulte, who is a Rotary members, said the club had raised about $71,000 of the $90,000 needed.
The plan is to have the building funded entirely by private donations. Rotary took on the project as a centennial project in honor of Rotary Internationalís 100th birthday this year.
Moriarty, who is also a Rotary member, said he would like to see all the money in place before proceeding, but he wants to see the project get going.
Schulte agreed. ìI kind of think the money should be in place,î he said. He said he had expected some Rotary leaders to attend the meeting.
Both the school board and Rotary had hoped to have the project completed by the fall sports season. The building would be located by the football/soccer field. Dave Nelson is the general contractor.
Board members Barb Hurley and Mike Novak were absent from last weekís meeting.
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