Academic and technical excellence scholarship recipients named at GC school board meeting
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GLENWOOD CITY — This year’s recipients of Wisconsin’s Academic and Technical Excellence Scholarships were awarded to pair of well-deserving members of Glenwood City’s Class of 2023 during the Board of Education meeting held Monday, March 27.
Owen Bauman was selected as the recipient of the Academic Excellence Scholarship which is given annually by the Higher Educational Aids Board (HEAB) to the valedictorian or student earning the highest grade in each public high school’s graduating class. Bauman will receive $2,250 per year for up to four years for a total of $9,000. The scholarship can only be used at a post-secondary educational institution located in the State of Wisconsin.
Wyatt Thompson was approved by the board to receive the State of Wisconsin Technical Excellence Scholarship which is valued at $2,250 per year and is renewable for up to three years for a total of $6,750.
If either Bauman or Thompson were to attend an out-of-state post-secondary institute, the scholarship would then go to the next eligible member of the graduating class attending a Wisconsin-based school.
In addition to awarding the top two scholarship awards, the board approved three recently revised board policies and gave its consent for students to attend the FFA Washington Leadership Conference this summer.
The board approved the first and final readings on board policies 760 – Food Services Management, 840 – Public Gifts to the Schools, and 523.1 – Staff Physical Examinations.
A request by agriculture teacher and FFA advisor Kirsten Konder to take two or three FFA members to the Washington Leadership Conference (WLC) during the third week in June was unanimously green-lighted by board members.
According to information in the board meeting packet, the WLC inspires FFA member to become change-makers in their schools and communities. Each day of the conference will focus on a different principle taught through the context of our nation’s capital. The principles include exploration, encouragement, advocacy and service. By the end of the week-long conference, attendees will leave with a “Living to Serve” plan they can implement in their communities.
Konder hopes the local FFA chapter can secure one or two WLC scholarships from the Wisconsin FFA Alumni, along with some financial assistance from the Glenwood City FFA Alumni to help offset the cost to students which would include airfare.
Athletic director Jake Score was in attendance at Monday’s meeting to give the board a review of the recently completed winter sports season and a preview of the spring sports season. Score noted that new boys’ basketball and girls’ softball uniforms had been purchased with new apparel purchases for the volleyball, track and cheer teams planned as part of next school year’s budget. Score also stated that a new football field striper has been purchased for $3,887 and that a new ice machine is needed at an estimated cost of $3,000.
In other administrative reports, elementary principal Betsy Haltinner and her middle school/high school counterpart, Marcy Burch, informed members that assessment and standardized testing would begin in April. Haltinner noted that the state’s Forward Exam would be administered to students in grades 3 through 5 beginning next Monday, April 3rd. Testing in the middle and high school is set for April 17 and 18th according to Burch.
Superintendent Tim Johnson gave an update on the district’s impeding CTE renovation project. Johnson told board members that a third-party, independent building inspector had been hired and that CESA 10, which provided environmental services to the school district, had been testing for asbestos taking lead-based paint samples over spring break. Johnson said the project’s tentative start date has been set for May 8.
Johnson also gave a brief budget update noting the significant impact that income taxes and sales taxes have on the budget. He said that the State is projecting a $7 billion surplus but it is not currently known if state legislators will use the funds as a one-time surplus or use roughly $3.5 billion to establish an recurring surplus.
During his report about the board’s personnel and negotiations committee meeting, that was held in closed session prior to the regular meeting and took up the entirety of the hour-long session, vice president Jon Mrdutt recounted discussions on special education needs, the sunsetting of ESSER funds and its potential impact on the district, staff compensation and the 2024-25 school budget.
Under the consent agenda, the board:
•Approved elementary teacher Preston Shelton as a middle school track coach.
•Approved Luke Knutson as a volunteer baseball coach.
•Accepted a $300 donation to the food service department in memory of Marian Cassellius Stene, a 1961 Glenwood City graduate.
•Accepted the resignation of Robert Darwin as a substitute bus driver.
•Accepted a $5,000 donation from Larry and Ellie Mousel to support the Topper Partnership Foundation. This is the tenth consecutive year that the Mousels have given a $5,000 donation to the district bringing their total endowment to $50,000.
•Approved the Garton Memorial Conservation Scholarship in the amount of $250. The award is sponsored by the Northwest Rod and Gun Club of Boyceville.
•Approved the hiring of Nicole Greiten as a full-time, 12-month custodian.
•Approved Awbria Simmons as a substitute teacher.