GC School Board approves middle school band trip to Wisc. Dells
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By Amber Hayden
GLENWOOD CITY — The Glenwood City School Board met on Monday evening, October 14, and approved a middle school band trip to Wisconsin Dells.
Middle/High school principal Patrick Gretzlock had only one update, which would ask for the approval of an overnight trip to Wisconsin Dells for the middle school band.
“The program is coupled with UW-Eau Claire,” Gretzlock explained.
Music teacher, Matt Lamb, approached Gretzlock with the opportunity recently explaining that UW-EC had started the program “Beyond the Notes”, which involves the trip to the Dells the week of Glenwood City’s graduation, May 23.
Board member Steve Davis asked Gretzlock how many students were a part of the middle school band and if Mr. Lamb would be the only adult in attendance with the students in May.
“There is around 100 students that are a part of the band,” Gretzlock told Davis, “and there would be one chaperon per 15-20 kids.”
Students would leave the afternoon of May 21, and the workshop would begin on May 22 at 7:20 a.m. with students meeting with clinicians specializing in their specific instrument and would perform before the end of the day.
Gretzlock was aware he was asking for approval seven months before the workshop, but wanted Mr. Lamb as well as parents to have enough time to plan for it.
The cost for the overnight trip is $50, “Which is not something that is out of reach, and the adventure day and lodging are all a part of the package,” Gretzlock told the board, “and we don’t even know if all the kids will go.”
Lisa Logghe did ask if there would be a way to send kids who are unable to afford the cost, to which Gretzlock informed the board he did not want to speak on behalf of the band’s checkbook.
But he also explained there were community-based agencies that if asked, are typically discretely helpful to provide that opportunity to everyone. Those options would be looked at if there was nothing that could be done internally at the school.
“We talk all the time about whether it’s a marching band going to another community, and a middle school marching band that has close to 100 kids and schools with two to three times the amount of students don’t even have half that many,” said Gretzlock. “There is a reason those things happen, our instructors are devoted and committed to what our students do.”
Jon Mrdutt asked if Beyond the Notes was something new, to which Gretzlock answered that it was new to UW-EC. “I think the relationships that have been built with student teachers, they know there is something special that happens here and they want to leverage that as well.”
Gretzlock also stated that students who are in band and choir tend to do well in school as well.
Superintendent Tim Johnson explained that the district would know final numbers in regards to state aid as of Tuesday, October 15, which would allow the budget to be finalized.
“Our main thing is to keep the mill rate below ten dollars,” Johnson stated. “If the state aid is not enough, then the community education amount will be lowered to keep it under ten.”
The Board of Education will vote during their next meeting on October 28 and approve the final budget for the 2019-20 school year.
Superintendent Johnson also asked the board to approve the hiring of Wold Architect and Engineering, based out of St. Paul, MN, which enables them to move forward on the renovations and construction plans for the Spring of 2020.
“The greenhouse, Career Technology, and the baseball field are all part of that,” said board member Chuck Draxler during the building and grounds update.
Johnson expects that they will have final numbers and plans by the first of the year, and a team member from Wold will attend the next committee meeting on Monday, October 28, to go over wants and needs for the projects.
The toughest part of the project would be the baseball field after the 2019 season saw only three home games due to the field being flooded constantly because of snow melting and then the rain.
The Hilltoppers would be without a home field for the upcoming season if the baseball field was to be raised.
The Board of Education will meet again on Monday, October 28, with a 5:30 p.m. committee meeting and a 6:30 p.m. board meeting.
During the meeting the Board of Education:
• Approved Randy Ketola as assistant track coach.
• Approved Destination Imagination Team Managers.
• Approved Carol Quinn as support staff substitute.
• Approved Melissa Mundo as support staff substitute.
• Approved Ericka Bosch, Gavin Janson, Jacob Forrest, and Natasha Lagerstrom as a Hilltopper Hangtime student workers.