Parts of Elk Mound school district construction ahead of schedule
PROTECTED CONTENT
If you’re a current subscriber, log in below. If you would like to subscribe, please click the subscribe tab above.
Username and Password Help
Please enter your email and we will send you a password reset link.
By LeAnn R. Ralph
ELK MOUND — The Elk Mound school district’s $15 million referendum construction projects are moving along well, and some parts are even ahead of schedule.
The sports team rooms at the high school have been completed and will be ready for use the second week of May, said Eric Wright, district administrator, during his report to the Elk Mound Board of Education at the March 21 meeting.
Since the team rooms are completed, the construction will move to other areas. According to the original construction schedule, the team rooms were not scheduled to be completed until sometime this summer, he said.
The remodeling of the middle school gymnasium to turn it into classroom continues as well, and the construction on the gym is expected to be completed in July, Wright said.
Later on in the meeting, the Elk Mound Board of Education approved moving forward with the project to install the new dehumidifying system in the high school and for paving the back parking lot.
The work on repaving the parking lot will take place after the work is finished on the metal shop and woodworking shop area, Wright noted.
The referendum projects include safety and security updates at all three schools; STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math) classroom updates (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 new high school band room; a new middle school gymnasium; remodeling the existing middle school gymnasium into classrooms; updating the high school locker rooms; athletic field improvements; and extending the weight room.
Voters in the Elk Mound school district approved a $15 million referendum question in April of 2020 with 1,045 “yes” votes to 570 “no” votes.
COVID
Wright recommended to the Board of Education that the “Safe Return to School Plan” for the COVID-19 pandemic not be included on the agenda for future meetings unless it is needed.
Only two people were tested at the school district’s COVID-19 testing site the week before, and the school board may want to consider whether to continue to have on-site testing available, he said.
The Elk Mound Board of Education approved the updated Safe Return to School Plan, which now reflects what the school district is doing as activities return to normal, for posting on the school district’s website to meet federal requirements for receiving money from the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER).
Other business
In other business, the Elk Mound Board of Education:
• Learned that a talent show will be held at Mound View Elementary April 14.
• Learned that the Kids for Heart activity, coordinated by Jon Chisholm, elementary physical education teacher, raised $15,000 for the American Heart Association.
• Learned there will be an activity night at Elk Mound Middle School April 1.
• Learned that all three schools had been participating in “acceptance week.” For example, Tuesday was designated as Down syndrome acceptance with crazy sock day.
• Learned that the Elk Mound High School drama club production, “Order Up!” will be performed April 1 and April 2 at 7 p.m. General admission is $4 and admission for students is $3.
• Learned that junior and senior prom will be held off-site April 23.
• Learned that the Mound View Elementary carnival is scheduled for May 13.
• Learned that baccalaureate for the Elk Mound High School Class of 2022 will be held May 15.
• Learned that Elk Mound High School Honors Night will be held May 18.
• Learned that Elk Mound High School graduation is scheduled for May 20.
• Learned that the school district’s budget is in a good position as the end of the year approaches but there are concerns about purchase orders still out which may not be filled by the end of the fiscal year due to supply chain issues caused by the pandemic.
• Approved a list of Neola policies for the school district that contain statutory and technical updates.
• Accepted the resignation of Rachel Radunz, a paraprofessional in the school district.
• Accepted the resignation of Katie Auth, an occupational therapist in the school district.
• Approved the safety drills completed at all three schools as per Act 143.
• Accepted the resignation of Dennis Arneson, elementary school teacher, who has been on a one-year leave of absence and has decided to resign because of the family business.
• Presented a plaque to Kyle Jenson, Board of Education member, from the Wisconsin Association of School Boards recognizing his 15 years of service on the Elk Mound Board of Education. Jenson decided not to run in the April 5 election.
Following a closed session, the Elk Mound Board of Education approved hiring Sam Stelter as the assistant high school softball coach.
The Elk Mound Board of Education meets next on April 18.
