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Co-op updates MCW board

SHERBURN — Martin County West School Board this week heard a presentation about a proposed move by Southern Plains Education Cooperative to the former Lincoln School in Fairmont.

Sarah Mittelstadt, director of special services at Southern Plains, and school board member Wendy Russenberger explained the situation.

The cooperative was formerly located in several locations, then moved to Winnebago to have all students at one site. But the Winnebago facility needs costly improvements, such as an elevator, as well as updates to the furnace, windows and electrical system.

The cooperative also needs more room — at least 40,000 square feet — for its 82 students and 45 staff. The purchase and renovation of the former Lincoln School would make about 52,000 square feet available.

Negotiations with the owner of the site have been ongoing for some time.

The Fairmont site would be in a populated area, with an adequate workforce available.

Most of the co-op’s students are from the west side of the area it covers, while Winnebago is on the east side.

The Lincoln School site would need work as well, including creating the right-size classrooms and being brought up to code for electrical and safety concerns.

The co-op plans to use both levels of the building for academic, living and workforce skills education. It also needs occupational therapy, speech therapy, audiology booths, mental health and physical education areas.

The co-op would own and renovate the building for about $10.6 million, with Martin County West’s portion coming in around $94,000. The co-op cannot access levy monies but school districts can.

There will be meetings to explain the proposal and answer questions at 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. March 14 at the Martin County Library in Fairmont. RSVPs to the co-op are needed by March 7.

The co-op’s board of directors will consider the proposal, probably in March, and then schools boards would consider it, probably in April.

More information can be found on the co-op website: southernplainsedcoop.org

In other business: the school board approved the revised 2017-2018 budget.

Reports included an announcement that the school received an e-rate funding for technical services and will no longer be working with Frontier Communications.

The board learned the high school has been saving for a new piano for years to replace a 30-year old one that cannot be tuned. The high school had $2,000 saved and has received donations of $2,000 more to pay for a new piano.

Administrators reminded the board that school safety remains a priority. The district’s strategy includes letting students and staff know what needs to be done in emergencies, as well as building relationships so that students are not afraid to “say something if they see something.” At the school in Trimont, each visitor is greeted personally.

The next school board meeting will be 6:30 p.m. March 19.

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