GRANADA — The Granada-Huntley- East Chain School Board met on Thursday night to approve a three-year contract for an assistant principal to principal move, as well as approve the 2021-2022 adopted budget, and discuss the Elementary and Secondary Emergency Relief funds.

Taylor Topinka currently serves as the assistant principal at GHEC. Next school year he will take on the role of Middle School/High School principal that will start for the 2021-2022 school year and end on the 2023-2024 school year.

“Getting a three-year extension sure feels like it’s a good fit and I’ve really appreciated my time at Granada-Huntley-East Chain,” Topinka said. “It’s just a phenomenal small school and small district to work for. I really appreciate the confidence and sure am glad to be here another three years.”

The GHEC School Board also approved the 2021-2022 budget. The budget is broken up into four general funds: food service, community Ed, debt service, and student service. Expenses are $4.48 million from general, $210,000 from food services, $110,000 from community Ed, $460,000 from debt services, and $40,000 from student services. The total expenses were $5.3 million.

In revenues general was $4.46 million, food services was $220,000, Community Ed was $90,000, Debt service was $480,000 and Student Services was $50,000. The total revenues were $5.3 million.

GHEC received an Elementary and Secondary Relief fund amount of $216,000 for the second phase of this program. There is a possibility that GHEC could receive more funds from the third phase of the project. The way Superintendent Doug Storbeck has looked at it is what can they do for their school district that will help not just this year, but for years to come. These funds can be spread out and used up until 2023.

“I’ll collaborate with other superintendents throughout the state to see what unique ways they’re spending their Elementary and Secondary Relief funds that will be beneficial to the school long term rather than short term,” Storbeck said. “I don’t want to just focus on things that are going to be here and gone the next year. I want to see how can we make these funds last for our school for an extended amount of time.”

In other action, the board also approved:

— The recommissioning of the GHEC School Building.

— A contract for Leah Rode-Mulder as a Spanish & middle school science teacher for the 2021-22 school year.

— Approved a contract for Linda Bakken as a part-time band teacher for the 2021-22 school year.

— Approved Chelsea Celander as the assistant golf coach for the 2020-21 season.