MADISON -- The Lac qui Parle Valley School Board is studying the possibility of closing parts of buildings or entire buildings as student enrollment continues to fall.
The board received information Monday night on enrollment by building and enrollment for the entire district. The information covers the school years from 2000-01 to the present year. The district operates the high school in rural Madison and elementary buildings at Appleton, Milan and Madison-Marietta-Nassau.
Enrollment at each building and total district enrollment has continued to decline for the past six years. Total enrollment is down from 1,170 students in 2000-2001 to 979 students in 2005-2006.
A projection for the next five years, based on preschool screening and preschool census data, estimates total enrollment will decline from 951 in 2006-2007 to 809 in 2010-2011.
The board is considering realignment and the possibility of closing buildings or parts of buildings and move students to different buildings, said Superintendent Robert Munsterman.
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The board will present the information to the public at 7:30 p.m. on June 5 at the high school media center. The board will receive comments about what might work and might not work. Munsterman said the board is not looking at doing anything for the 2006-2007 school year.
The realignment is being studied to make more efficient use of buildings as enrollment declines, said Munsterman.
In other action, the board approved unrequested leaves of absence at the end of the 2005-2006 school year for Heidi Tosel, part-time elementary; Robyn Rademacher, elementary; Scott Sawatzky, elementary; John Shurb, part-time agriculture; Linda Stromswold, elementary; Monica Roggenbuck, part-time German; Jean Zinda, part-time family and consumer science; Paul Tjepkas, automotive and art; and Mike Bredeck, part-time high school counselor.
The leaves were approved as part of budget reductions and to align staff requirements with enrollment, said Munsterman. He said a good share of those staff members will be rehired at either the same or reduced full-time equivalency after registration for next year is completed.
In other business, the board:
n Approved a low bid from Fire Fighter Detect Alarm Company to buy and install a controlled access system at the high school. The cost is $18,852. Three other companies submitted higher bids. Officials hope to have the system installed this summer to increase security and record who enters and leaves the building.
n Accepted the resignation of high school cook Judy Kittleson, and voted to hire Brooke Swier as school psychologist and head volleyball coach, and hired Kari Miska as speech and language pathologist.
n Approved the first reading of the wellness policy as required by the state.
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n Voted to continue the English-as-a-Second-Language/English-Language-Learner service agreement with the Montevideo School District.
n Voted to let the Milan Village Arts School use part of the Milan Elementary School to set up looms and a computerized mat cutter for the art school.
n Voted to sell the construction class house to Steve Streich for $42,905.
n Voted to buy two school buses from Hoglund Bus and Truck Company of Monticello for $129,080 and to trade-in two buses for $26,500, for a final cost of $102,580.
