District eyes new site for transportation center

     It’s down the road a ways – pun intended – but the Monticello Community School District would like, one day, to have a new transportation center.

     A tour of the current bus barn, that included a stop at a potential new site, was part of a special meeting of the Monticello School Board Aug. 11.

     District transportation director Mike Wink and director of building and grounds Dennis Dirks spoke with board members and rode with them to take a look at a site they find suitable; on school-owned land just southeast of the Monticello Athletic Complex.

     They said the site would have a lot of the things the district would need in a site: more room, versatility to face the buildings in the best directions, and the ability to add more bays and have more working space within each one than they have in the current site.

     “Out here, room isn’t the issue,” Dirks told the board members as they overlooked the potential site. “It’s just how you want to line it up.”

     Wink added that a new bus barn wouldn’t have to be large enough to hold all of the 16 total buses the district owns.

     “If we could just get the (10) route buses in, I could live with that.”

     The area is mostly flat, with a ridge on one end that could be partially or completely leveled out.

     A downside is that water and sewer lines would have to be connected to the site, which could be a large added expense. Also, new gas tanks would have to be constructed on the new site. Jaeger said that part of the project alone could cost $250,000.

     Superintendent Brian Jaeger said a new transportation center is “a close third” on the district’s list of big-project priorities, following the installation of solar power and dealing with the old middle school.

In other board business:

     • The board heard a report from Robyn Ponder and Shannon Guyer about the district’s teacher mentoring program.

     Ponder, the district’s curriculum director, also serves as the district mentor facilitator, and Guyer is the lead mentor.

     When new teachers come into the district, for their first two years they are assigned to a mentor, who observes them, helps them with problems, and answers their questions. Teachers who have experience but are new to the district are assigned to a “critical friend,” who is the go-to person for any of their questions.

     Ponder and Guyer said the purpose of the mentors and critical friends is not to evaluate, but rather to give feedback, including positive feedback.

     The district has 21 staff members trained to be mentors. There will be six new teachers in the district this coming school year.

     • The board approved a list of personnel items, including:

     Resignations – Chuck Welsch as junior varsity girls basketball coach, Austin Davidson as special education program associate, and Casandra Covington as Panther Academy associate.

     Appointments – Ryan Luensman as middle school football coach, Jill Crowley as health associate at Shannon and Carpenter, Travis Ponder and Teresa Reuter as substitute bus drivers, and Stacy Krumviede, Lisa Neofotist, Cheryl Ries, Sue Jaeger, Nicole Munson and Lea-Anne Zook as food service employees.

     Amendment – Special education bus driver Karen Bloomquist’s start date changes from Aug. 23 to Oct. 1.