School board approves top honor students for GC Class of 2021
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GLENWOOD CITY — The 2021 class valedictorians and salutatorian were revealed and approved during the February 22 meeting of the Glenwood City School Board.
Patrick Gretzlock, middle school/high school principal, announced that Delanie Fayerweather and Yasmin Leandro-Mendez have been selected as the co-valedictorians of Glenwood City High School’s Class of 2021 while Annika Bauman has been named as class salutatorian. Board members unanimously approved of the appointments.
Gretzlock said that the three top students along with their parents would be invited to a future board meeting for recognition.
The board also handled several other items during the consent agenda portion of its latest Monday evening meeting.
The board voted to accept the retirement request of longtime middle school/high school science teacher Kristi Ohman. The request will take effect at the conclusion of the current school year. It also approved the resignation of Matt Lamb as the middle school boys’ basketball coach. Approval to post both positions was also given.
A $600 donation to the food service program by an anonymous community member was accepted by board approval.
Superintendent Tim Johnson presented budget updates to the board for the 2020-21 and 2021-22 school years.
Johnson reported that the district, which has now been confirmed with the state, will be receiving $286,555 through the ESSER (Elementary and Secondary Emergency Relief) 2 Funds. Those monies should be available to the district beginning on April 1 and will have until September 2023 to spend it.
Johnson has begun a potential list of uses for the ESSER 2 funding at the last board meeting for such things as: a school bus, wireless live streaming at the football field/track, and CTE (Career and Technical Education) updates.
“Sadly, we won’t have a hard time spending the money on whether its part of the technology or whatever else,” noted Johnson. “We will have a list and bring that forward to you (the board) to prioritize and move forward.”
“But the really good news is that we have an additional $286,000 to help support whatever it is that you decide that we do,” he added.
Johnson said that unlike most years, monies that the district has not spent in this fiscal year can be put in to Fund 46 (long-term capital) which the superintendent was pleased to report that with some successful recent investments now exceeds $2 million.
“We have money if we want to do some CTE updates, baseball field, bus replacement and a revenue source that will allows us to survive a year or two if needed in the event of an unhealthy state budget,” stated Johnson. “We are sitting well financially despite having had a consistent declining enrollment.”
Johnson added that the district looks to be between $200,000 to $250,000 short in next year’s budget but said he is comfortable with the number with all the unknowns.
Principal Gretzlock, who also serves as the athletic director, presented a winter sports wrap-up to board members highlighting the academic side of teams and their athletes.
Between boys’ and girls’ basketball and wrestling, Gretzlock said that 58 student athletes completed their respective seasons – 17 in girls’ basketball, 28 in boys’ basketball and 13 in wrestling.
He reported that out of the 17 members of the girls’ basketball squad, 16 were on the honor roll including 14 that made the “A” honor roll; 20 members of the boys’ basketball team earned honor roll designation with 14 also on the “A” honor roll; and the wrestling team had six make the honor rolls with five on the “A” honor roll.
At the middle school level, Gretzlock said that 19 girls participated in basketball (10 eighth graders and nine seventh graders) with 16 finishing on the honor rolls; there were 21 competing in boys’ basketball (11 eighth graders and ten seventh graders) and 17 qualified for the honor rolls; and the middle school wrestling team had 14 participants (six eighth and six sixth graders and two seventh graders) with 13 making the honor rolls.
Gretzlock also touched upon spring activities such as prom, all-school musical, Spring music concerts and even graduation.
He reported that he has had the opportunity to meet with the junior class and they are coordinating with the senior class to come up with a joint prom since the Class of 2021 was unable to hold their event due to COVID.
The music department, headed by Matt Lamb and Angela Heirlmeier, are working to provide something like the all-school musical, which was scheduled to be held last spring, although there is not a date yet set, details are being worked out according to Gretzlock.
Gretzlock told the board that he is currently working in collaboration with a number of principals across the Dunn-St. Croix Conference and throughout the state to come up with a number of different options for graduation that will initially be presented to the senior class officers, then the senior class as a whole and to parents, to see what direction they would like to go come May 22 – the district’s designated date for the 2021 commencement exercise.
Nicole Brite, Director of Pupil
Services and Special Education, had some positive news regarding COVID-19 cases in the district.
“We remain relatively quiet still,” stated Brite. “We do have one positive COVID case in the district. Thankfully it did not have an impact on attendance of staff or students,” she added.
According to Brite, two staff members have been fully vaccinated while ten others staff members had received their first dose on February 17 with the second and final dose slated for March 17.
Western Wisconsin Health in Baldwin, who is administering the COVID vaccines to Glenwood City School staff, and Public Health have both informed Brite that all educators should be on the priority list beginning on March 1. Those on staff with the highest risk will be the first to received the vaccine followed by others.
Brite also told board members that new school nurse Elizabeth Schwartz is becoming certified to become a CPR, First-Aid and AED instructor and should be able to hold classes in the district beginning this April. Along with the coaching staff and para-professionals, Schwartz will be open to offering CPR classes to the public through community education said Brite.
Brite also reported to the board on a emailed survey that the district sent out to residents regarding the future direction of community education. A total of 85 responses had been received out of some 1,500 emails that were sent out as of the February 22 meeting according to Brite.
The survey asked five questions and found that the highest levels of interest in those responding were healthy living, DIY projects, outdoor activities and leisure. Most respondents also noted that the best time for classes would be evenings between 5 and 9 p.m.
“We will probably look at the potential of offering some pretty basic classes to see,” noted Brite. “CPR may be one example and some virtual classes were people do not need to come in to the school and exploring opening up our weight room and hallways for walking if people are interested.”
Elementary principal Betsy Haltinner updated the board on the spring parent-teacher conferences that will be held March 1-11 via online (Zoom) or phone.
Haltinner also informed the board that the district is in the process of planning for long-range technological enhancements.
Haltinner said that it has been decided to start with a round of focus groups that will specifically center on teacher input on instructional technologies.
The focus group conversations and information will then determined the priority needs within the classrooms for instructional purposes.
