GRANADA– The Granada-Huntley-East Chain School Board heard an update from Principal Taylor Topinka during its meeting on Thursday.

Topinka said on Monday they started a new school-wide initiative to review expectations surrounding respectful behavior.

“At our last leadership meeting, we spent time talking about a trend we’ve seen at GHEC, and in talking with other area administrators, a trend they’ve noticed as well. Motivation is going downhill as we’ve come back to normal after two very abnormal Covid years,” Topinka explained.

He added that disrespectful behavior has also gone up but pointed out that it’s not a trend just at GHEC but has materialized elsewhere, too.

Topinka said the trend was presented to student leaders and team captains.

“We told them we think we have a really high quality group of teachers and you’re learning is contingent upon the experience you get here,” he said.

Topinka said they would hate to lose quality staff members based on this trend so they talked about how they can address it. He said that students brought up some ideas of creating “no-go’s” in class that would result in automatic disciplinary deferrals.

“Our goal is not to create more disciplinary deferrals, but basically to provide more motivation to lead with respect,” Topinka said.

On the Covid front, Topinka said there are currently nine positive cases in grades 6-12 and one among staff members. Topinka said this number is up slightly, but anticipated following the holiday break.

He said that the senior class trip has also been a hot topic and one that’s effected by Covid as well.

Seniors and juniors were given a survey asking their preference toward getting vaccinated or attending a trip. He said the results showed the preference was to go somewhere that wouldn’t require a vaccine mandate.

“We initially planned a trip to New York and they required a vaccine mandate. Then we planned a trip to Chicago and they as a city voted to require a vaccine mandate,” Topinka said.

He said the fear is that that would get a trip planned, put money down on it, and then the location would require a vaccine mandate.

Now they’re looking at planning a senior trip somewhere local, maybe to Arnold’s Park in Iowa or to the Twin Cities.

Moving to other matters, Superintendent Doug Storbeck spoke about an increase in the daily rate of teacher substitute pay.

“We’re trying to keep up with our colleagues to the east and the west in paying our substitute teachers similar rates,” Storbeck said.

He said they increased the pay earlier this year but are looking to do it again. They’re currently at $150 a day, but a pay scale was recently made. Five to 14 days worked would be $175 a day and 15 or more days would earn $200 a day.

The board approved the new pay scale.

The board also spoke about its action plan for the upcoming Minnesota School Board Association Leadership Conference, which takes place next week in Minneapolis.

Storbeck said he’s excited to see what they all learn and what they can bring back to help them improve.

In other action, the board went over several housekeeping items and set the regular meeting date for 5:30 p.m. on the second Thursday of the month.