Elk Mound school board continues preparations for April referendum
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By LeAnn R. Ralph
ELK MOUND — The Elk Mound Board of Education continues to prepare for the $15.7 million referendum question that will be on the April 7 ballot.
The school board set the calendar for communications with district residents at the January 20 meeting.
Communications will include social media posts, direct mailing, backpack flyers to be sent home with students and four open houses in March, said Eric Wright, district administrator.
The Elk Mound school board approved authorizing general obligation bonds in an amount not to exceed $15,730,000 and a resolution providing for a referendum election on issuing the general obligations bonds at the December 16 meeting.
Referendum projects will include safety and security updates at all three schools; updates to the woodworking and metal shops; building systems that will include roofs and boilers at all three schools as well as Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) updates; library improvements; a high school band room; new middle school gymnasium; remodeling the existing middle school gymnasium into a classroom; updating the high school locker rooms; athletic field improvements; and extending the high school weight room.
Open houses will be held at the high school and middle school in March, Wright said.
The Board of Education does not want to start with the open houses too early because then the effort loses momentum by the time of the April referendum, he said.
The school district also will continue to update referendum information on the district’s website, Wright said.
The open houses are scheduled for March 2 (6 p.m. EMHS auditorium); March 17 (6:30 p.m. Elk Mound Middle School commons); March 24 (9:30 a.m. EMHS auditorium); and March 30 (7 p.m. EMHS auditorium).
Open enrollment
The Elk Mound Board of Education also approved open enrollment spaces for the 2020-2021 school year at the January 20 meeting.
Regular education grades that will be unrestricted include preschool, kindergarten, first grade, third grade, fifth grade, eighth grade and ninth through 12th grade.
Second grade will have six open enrollment spaces, and fourth grade will have four open enrollment spaces.
Grades six and seven will have five open enrollment spaces for each grade.
Special education classes have zero spaces available.
Other business
In other business, the Elk Mound Board of Education:
• Approved a memorandum of understanding with Marriage and Family Health Services. The school district provides a space for Marriage and Family Health Services to meet with clients, Wright said.
• Reviewed the safety drill completed January 3 as per ACT 143.
• Accepted the request of Tim Lambele for early retirement. Lambele is a high school math teacher and will be retiring at the end of the school year.
• Accepted the request of Mary Taylor for early retirement. Taylor is a kindergarten teacher and will be retiring at the end of the school year.
• Accepted the resignation of Amy Lokken, school nurse. Lokken’s resignation will go into effect when the school district has found a replacement.
• Scheduled a school board development meeting for February 18.
During closed session, the Board of Education approved hiring Jennifer Johnson as a part-time paraprofessional.
The Elk Mound Board of Education meets next on February 17.
