Board approves placing GO plan on petition

     Next step: the petition.

     The Monticello School Board on Monday approved a General Obligation (GO) bond amount of $15 million for a grade 5-8 addition to the high school site.

     Monday’s approval means that total will now be placed on a petition that needs at least 102 signatures. Once those are obtained, the proposal can be brought back to the board, which can then approve a GO bond election that would take place Sept. 11.

     The total was agreed upon by the board after some discussion of options presented by Superintendent Brian Jaeger.

     Through the plan agreed upon Monday, the $15 million of GO bonds would be added to $7 million from revenue bonds. This would give the district enough funds to construct the new 5-8 building on the high school site, and allow $2 million for repairs and safety/security improvements to the high school. The board at a previous meeting determined the high school improvements should be part of the new construction plan.

     The Facilities Committee was expected to meet April 25 to review the GO bond plan.

     Also on Monday, the board approved a proposal by Little Panther Preschool teachers Stephanie Zalaznik and Katie Andrews to change the program to four full days of instruction and one full day of collaboration/professional development. The plan will go into effect on an experimental basis for the 2018-19 school year.

     Currently, the preschool operates as four full days of instruction, a half-day of instruction for special education students only, and a half-day of collaboration.

     Following an hour-long discussion, the board voted 4-1, with Craig Stadtmueller voting no, to approve the plan. Zalaznik and Andrews said having a full day of collaboration each week would allow adequate time for the data collection, planning and training needs they said are vital to a successful preschool program.

     The board called the new plan a one-year experiment.

In other board business:

     • Due to scheduling conflicts, the board made changes to some dates and times of upcoming meetings. The May 21 regular meeting has been moved to May 29. The June 13 work session has been moved up to 5 p.m. And the July 11 work session has been cancelled, and will be added to the July 23 regular meeting.

     • The board approved substitute wages for 2018-19, which will include increases for teachers and nurses per day, and for food service, with other substitute wages remaining the same.

     • As part of the consent agenda, the board accepted the resignations of Mike Kowbel as high school band teacher and director, and Tim Lambert as summer driver education teacher.

     The board also approved appointments of seven summer food service employees, eight summer reading teachers, six substitute bus drivers, summer technology associates Morgan Murray and Heather Hansen, and and summer reading co-coordinators Jean Kehoe and Angie Fairley.

     • As part of the consent agenda, the board approved the Panther Academy summer field trips.