Herald Journal,
July 28, 2003
HLWW board discusses funding marching band
By Julie Yurek
Staff Writer
At the suggestion of Board Member Charlie Borrell, the Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted school discussed funding the high school marching band last Monday night.
The organization has so far raised between $15,000 and $16,000 to go toward purchasing uniforms, Borrell said.
He estimated that the band needs $30,000 to $35,000 in total.
Sixty to 70 percent of students are in the marching band, compared to five percent in a program like basketball, which is funded, he said.
Borrell would like to see it funded, he said, but he suggested the school at least cover the expenses up front and the band could pay back the school.
Borrell noted to the board that he hasn't brought the idea to the budget committee. "I just wanted to bring the issue up," he said.
"I respect the effort they're putting in and the work they've already done," he said.
Board members were supportive of the idea. Supt. George Ladd thought the district could fund some of the program through operating dollars, he said.
The district could look at funding the whole program down the road, Ladd said.
"We brag about it so we should do something to support it," said Board Member Ken Zimmerman.
The board approved Zimmerman's suggestion that the board revisit the issue in a few months, after more information is obtained and the budget can be looked at.
Facilities update
Nearly 20 letters were mailed out to prospective landowners in the area, asking them to reply if interested in a land purchase, Ladd said.
"If property owners inform the district that they are not interested in selling land, they will not be bothered again," Ladd said.
The earliest the board would have tallies of interested landowners is August, Ladd said. The results will be ranked and not include names of land owners, he said.
The board most likely won't be voting on land until the September meeting, he said. The board won't know who owns the land until after it votes, he said.
Ladd and Charles Weber attended Victor Township's meeting July 14 to discuss sending out letters to landowners in the township, Ladd said. The township gave its approval. Ladd also informed the township of the land requirements for a school site.
Reviewing policies
The board began reviewing school policies, starting with a first reading of the Pledge of Allegiance and school weapons policies. Decisions were tabled until the August 18 meeting.
Policies will have a first reading and discussion at each board meeting, said Chairman Jim Raymond. Any changes or updates will be done at the next month's board meeting.
The board will address one or two policies per meeting, he said. It will take about three years to get through all the policies, he added.
Right now, the district doesn't have a policy on the Pledge of Allegiance. Elementary students say the pledge every day, Ladd said.
The district has to include in the policy the right for any teacher/employee or student to refuse to participate in the pledge, Ladd said.
High school students should be saying it at least once a week, Zimmerman said. "I think we need it in our schools and in our country," he said.
The Minnesota School Board Association states that districts have a policy in place by the 2004-05 school year, Ladd said.
Regarding the school weapons policy, Borrell suggested rewording of the policy to include "any weapon."
Dates announced for filing for candidacy
The dates for filing affidavits of candidacy are Tuesday, Aug. 26 to Tuesday, Sept. 9 at 5 p.m. Filing takes place in the school district clerk's office. The filing fee is $2.
The general election is Tuesday, Nov. 4. Four members will be elected to the school board for terms of four years, and one member will be elected to the school board for a term of two years.
Other business
In other matters, the board:
- approved board meeting dates and locations for the 2003-04 school year.
Board meetings will be at the HLWW High School media center, with the exception of February and September, when meetings will be in the Humphrey Elementary Gym in Waverly, and the March and October meetings, which will be in the Winsted Elementary School in Winsted. All meeting times are 8 p.m.
- reviewed a draft of two questions for the November ballot.
The board would like the questions written more clearly and possibly add directions to the ballot. Ladd will have answers at the August meeting, he said.
- approved a phone/new voice mail system by TDS Telecom for $16,827. The system will be installed in time for the 2003-04 school year.
The current system experiences delayed messaging and inability to make 911 calls.
The majority of phones in the buildings will not need to be replaced.
- approved lunch procedures. The procedures will be published in the district's fall newsletter.
Lunch prices for the 2003-04 school year are: grades one through six $1.30, grades seven through 12 $1.55, adults $2.50, extra milk 25 cents, reduced priced meal (all grades) 40 cents.
For grades seven through 12 an additional entrée is $1, and additional meal is $2.50. Lactose intolerant children will have special milk products available upon written request of a parent.
- accepted lowest bids from Metz Bakery of Roseville for bakery items, Meyer Brothers of Plymouth for dairy, DESS of Howard Lake and D and D Plowing of Montrose for snowplowing and removal, and Waste Management of Winsted and Mumford Sanitation of Howard Lake for waste removal services.
- accepted resignations from Special Education teacher Sandi Pomiji, and cleaner sweeper Dayna White, and the retirement of bus driver Harold Engle.
- approved change of status for Marlin Kottke and Carolynn MontesDeOca from substitute drivers to regular route drivers.
- approved 2003-04 membership in Schools for Equity in Education for $1,482.
- approved membership in CMERDC, which provides services in media, technology, and cooperative purchasing.
- recognized the HLWW baseball team who was honored at last Monday's Twins game in the Metrodome. The board also recognized HLWW students who were recently crowned in local city celebrations, who included Beth Nelson, Anna Thisius, Suzie Zander, Amber Uecker, and Cortney Jensen.
- scheduled a Truth in Taxation meeting for Monday, Dec. 1.
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