Ivan Raconteur
Editor

LESTER PRAIRIE – Lester Prairie School Superintendent Jeremy Schmidt will lead the district for another three years following school board approval of his contract during the meeting May 14.

Schmidt will earn an annual salary of $116,000 for the 2018-19 school year; an increase of $6,000 or 5.4 percent from his $110,000 salary for the previous three years.

Schmidt’s salary will be $120,000 for the 2019-20 school year; and $124,000 for the 2020-21 school year.

Other benefits in the contract include 25 paid vacation days each contract year, and 15 paid sick days per year.

Schmidt joined the district as principal in 2012.

Auditor contract

The board approved a one-year contract with Eide Bailly to perform the district’s 2018 financial audit.

The board considered one- and three-year contracts, and followed staff recommendations to approve a one-year contract at a cost of $17,900.

The board also considered whether to pay the $600 fee to have a member of the firm read a summary of the audit report at the board meeting. The board opted to get the summary via teleconference instead, which will save the district $400. The district will still receive the same printed audit reports, and board members will still have the opportunity to ask questions.

Odds and ends

In other business, the board:

• approved the termination and non-renewal of a probationary teacher, Paige Aldrich.

• approved contracts with Ross Scheevel, junior/senior high social studies teacher; Anna Willems, sixth grade teacher; Blaine Walstrom, elementary teacher; Adam Teut, secondary science teacher; Bodil Empting, summer school teacher; Jan Smith, summer school teacher; Taylor Bayerl, Parker Bayerl, Matt Schmidt, and Emma Blashack, Kid’s Depot student workers; and Matthew Meyer, REACH supervisor.

• approved soliciting for bids for milk, bread, garbage service, and propane.

• scheduled a special board meeting Wednesday, May 23 at 6 p.m.

• heard from Schmidt that it would cost about $61,000 to purchase portable classrooms to accommodate space needs for next school year. Schmidt is working with a local church toward an agreement to conduct preschool classes at the church.