WESTBROOK, Minnesota (STPNS) --     WWG  —  Superintendent Loy Woelber suggested the board look into a shorter regular chassis bus to be used for sports and activities.  He said that “Herbies” worked fine for sports and activities with just a few students, like golf. A 29 passenger full chassis bus would accommodate most of our sports with the exception of football.

    Woelber did not know if the 29 passenger rating was based on 3 to a seat or 2 to a seat. If it is figured using 3 per seat, it would not work for high school and junior high students.



    Woelber said the pads have been poured for the new boilers and they are here. Keela Bakken of Harris Energy will be at the August meeting to up date the status of the new boiler project.

    Elementary principal Paul Olson told the board they have lost funding from Redwood County for school supplies. He will be contacting churches and other organizations to help fund the project to purchase school supplies for students.

    Olson reported the summer lunch program has dropped to about 20 kids. He said the board might want to consider dropping the program next year. Also it requires a lot of paperwork and reporting to the government.

    Olson told the board one of the freezers in Walnut Grove quit and is not feasible to repair. Cost to replace it is about $2,700.

    Olson had discussed scaling back physical education from 50 percent to 33 percent. The 33 percent can be covered by existing staff, three of our teachers are well qualified to do this. The hours they put in can be covered by the Title program.

    Principal Bill Richards said they will again have to schedule a Wednesday late in the year due to early graduation. Churches will be informed so they can plan for it. It will be on the 2012-2013 calendar.

    Woelber said the new watering system for the football  field is here and will be set up soon.

    Woelber will be looking at personal goal setting and will be meeting with principals from both districts. He also attended a superintendents’ retreat at Arrowwood, and he stated it was very good.

    Woelber has been checking in on adding an instant notification system for weather or other emergencies. The system will notify everyone in the district that has a phone or computer. Bill Richards asked if the people who run the system keep the information confidential. Woelber said he would check it out.

    The board approved adding the system for $1,300.

    Board member Greg Madson gave a report on Kilowatt Manager. The system manages the power coming in and regulates it so there are no surges or drops. It manages the flow to eliminate high peak usage.

    If the system were installed in all three sites it would save about $45,000 over the next 20 years.        Cost for the units would be two units at $1,995 for the Westbrook sites. Cost for Walnut Grove would be $4,325. Madson did not have a price for installing the equipment.

    The board voted to pursue more information on the total cost of installing the units.

    Board members were concerned how the new boiler systems would affect the overall savings of the systems. It was suggested the vocational campus would not change so that would probably give a better picture of the savings.

    The following measures were approved by the board.

    • Lane change for Lori Lee and Mandy Dibble BA 15 to BA 30.

    • MSBA dues $3,124.

    • Access to bank accounts.     Bank Midwest

    Loy Woelber, Rachel Christians, and Jane Hass, district activity and scholarship accounts.

    Christians and Hass for district, activity, and scholarship electronic transfers and ACH transactions.

    Christians for transactions with MN liquid asset and max accounts.

    Integrity Bank Plus of Walnut Grove.

    Woelber, Paul Olson, and Kerry Knakmuhs, for transactions with Walnut Grove scholarships and pass book  accounts.

Designate for 2013 school year

    • District attorney: Kevin Rupp of Ratwik, Rozak, Maloney.

    • Bank Midwest as district depository.

    • Sentinel Tribune as district newspaper.

    • Board meetings: 2nd Monday of every month at 7:00 p.m. (odd months in Westbrook even months in Walnut Grove.

    • Mileage to be reimbursed at current government. rate.

Price changes for 2012-2013 school year

    • Lunch prices to increase .20 cent for K-12.

    • Include cheer leading on activity fees.

    All  other fees will remain the same as last year.

Appointments

    • Census takers: Kellie Parker and Corrinne Olson.

    • Staff development: Mary Jo Hendrickson.

    • Title ESEA: Paul Olson.

    • Testing coordination: Bill Richards.

Tentative tax levy hearings

    • Initial December 3 in Westbrook  at 6 p.m.

    • Adoption December 10 at 6 p.m. in Walnut Grove followed by regular board meeting.