Grygla/Gatzke School Board Minutes

The Grygla/Gatzke School Board approved their January minutes at this month’s meeting. They are being included for your reference.

The board met on Wednesday, January 20, 2016, at 7:30pm. Chairperson of the board Nicolette Leach called the meeting to order at 7:03pm with Gary Polansky, Shaunna Olson, Karina Tinnes, Charisa Limesand, Jim Verbout, Principal Lunsetter and Superintendent Clow present.   

After the Pledge of Allegiance, the agenda was approved as presented. 

Reorganization of the board: Chairperson Leach called for nominations for chairperson. Shaunna Olson nominated Nicolette Leach for chairperson. There were no other nominations. Motion by Shaunna Olson that nominations cease and a unanimous ballot be cast for Nicolette Leach for chairperson, second by Karina Tinnes. Passed 5-0, Leach abstained. Chairperson Leach called for nominations for vice chairperson. Nicolette Leach nominated Gary Polansky for vice chairperson. There were no other nominations. Motion by Jim Verbout that nominations cease and a unanimous ballot be cast for Gary Polansky for vice chairperson, second by Shaunna Olson. Passed 5-0, Polansky abstained. Chairperson Leach called for nominations for treasurer. Gary Polansky nominated Shaunna Olson for treasurer. There were no other nominations. Motion by Gary Polansky that nominations cease and a unanimous ballot be cast for Shaunna Olson for treasurer, second by Karina Tinnes. Passed 5-0, Olson abstained. Chairperson Leach called for nominations for clerk. Gary Polansky nominated Karina Tinnes for clerk. There were no other nominations. Motion by Charisa Limesand that nominations cease and a unanimous ballot be cast for Karina Tinnes for clerk, second by Shaunna Olson. Passed 5-0, Tinnes abstained.

Committee Assignments:  

MSHSL Shaunna Olson; Sports Pairing Karina Tinnes; Legislative Action Gary Polansky; NWRIC Nicolette Leach; Certified Negotiations Jim Verbout/Karina Tinnes; Classified Negotiations Shaunna Olson/Charisa Limesand; Essential Negotiations Shaunna Olson/Gary Polansky; Administrative Negotiations Gary Polansky/Nicolette Leach; Superintendent Evaluation Gary Polansky/Nicolette Leach; Safety Shaunna Olson; Staff Development Karina Tinnes; Policy Review Shaunna Olson/Charisa Limesand; Community Education Shaunna Olson; Buildings/Grounds Nicolette Leach/Karina Tinnes; Transportation Gary Polansky/Jim Verbout; Marshall County Collaborative Charisa Limesand.

Minutes of the 12-17-15 regular school board meeting were approved as printed, along with payment of the bills and wire payments.

Finance Report:  Given by Galen Clow.  

General Fund          $68,853.88 MSDLAF             $1,476,822.03

Food Service                5,707.31 Checking                    16,704.91

Comm. Service               865.08 Scholarship                  1250.00 Scholarship Trust     12,695.00 Total                   $89,371.27 Total                   $1,493,526.94

Student Report: Given by Dustin Nelson and Hailey Vad. On the last school day before Christmas, 7-12th graders played BINGO over the intercom. The robotics teams again performed very well, one team winning the tournament at NCTC in TRF on 1/9/16. Grygla hosted a “skills only” robotics event for 14 teams on Saturday, 1/16/16. Both robotics teams will be attending the state competition in St. Cloud on January 29-30, 2016. Knowledge bowl attended two meets so far, with two teams competing on 1/13/16 and one team on 1/20/16. McKayla Vad, Hailey Vad, Bailey Watne, and Gabe Arveson attended the Honor Band event in Fergus Falls on 1/16/16. Student Council will hold Spring Fling during the week of March 14-18, 2016; Spring Summit will be on 3/30/16. Student Council will also hold a blood drive with the firemen on 2/17/16. Alison Satre presented to a group of principals at the Student Council meeting on 1/13/16. School store members will be going to Clear Channel Radio to read ads. In girls basketball news, parents night was held on 1/14/16, and Shantel Verbout reached 1000 points! Parents night for boys basketball will be on 1/25/16 in Goodridge.               

Teacher Report: Given by Travis Smith and Drew Kjono. Fourth-sixth grade intramural basketball started in January; games between the four teams have been going well. On 12/22/15, students in grades K-6 went to a movie, Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip, at the theater in TRF; thank you cards from second graders were passed around. There was no school on Monday, 1/18/16; however teachers attended sessions at the technology conference at Lincoln High School in TRF. The end of the second quarter is coming up this Friday, 1/22/16; students are eager to start a new homeroom class for second semester. Seniors are writing scholarship letters in English class right now.                             

Principal Report: Given by Principal Lunsetter. Basketball coaches are excited about the direction the teams are headed, and players are working hard. The possibility of starting an elementary football league was discussed: area towns are starting teams, and the board liked the idea of putting a survey on the school website to gauge interest. The growing sport of trap shooting was also discussed: the sport, available to grades 6-12, is growing rapidly in Minnesota; deadlines for our school to participate are coming in March, so Principal Lunsetter will send a letter home to parents explaining the possibility and put a sign-up sheet in the office. The board inquired about how offering trap shooting might affect the district’s insurance; Principal Lunsetter answered that it shouldn’t because the school does not transport students, and volunteer coaches are insured through the shooting league. The technology conference for teachers on 1/18/16, was attended by over 600 area teachers. Work on the yearly calendar will begin soon, with Principal Lunsetter collaborating with the teachers. The first semester is ending now, with the second semester starting on Monday, 1/25/16. The new fire alarm system is now installed; the technicians spent four extra days troubleshooting because up to 50 percent of the old system wasn’t functioning properly. The technician from Simplex Grinnell proposed working on updating our video camera system as well.                            

Superintendent Report: Given by Superintendent Clow. The bus report: a monthly summary of bus issues was available; bus #2 needed a new radiator, bus # 3 had a fuel pump go out, along with a couple other minor issues. The following policies are up for review: 601, 602, 603, 604, 605, 607, 608, 609, 610, 611, 612.1, 613, 614, 615, 616, 618, 619, 620, 623 and 624. Nominations are being accepted for a school board representative to serve on the Northwest Regional Development Commission. The essential employees would like to negotiate. The district’s three new credit cards, or PCards, have arrived and are activated; Superintendent Clow and Amy Holte, business manager, attended a webinar to get started. Of the three cards: Amy Holte’s name is on one for district purchasing, Isaac Kvasager’s name is on one for technology purchasing, and the Transportation Fuel card is for employees to sign out for trips in a school vehicle.        

Other items: Evaluate all programs for reductions in the 2016-17 school year; Brooke Olson was approved for hire as the varsity volleyball coach; the board accepted the resignation of Hazel Thomas, student/personnel administrative assistant; $400 was accepted from the Grygla/Gatzke Jaycees for vinyl basketball banners.

Meeting adjourned at 8:44pm.