BLUE EARTH– The Blue Earth Area School Board heard an awful lot of good news during their meeting on Monday evening.

The good news was both on the financial side as well as student achievements, as several persons addressed the board during the meeting.

Music teacher Paul Johnson gave on update on the music department at BEA Schools, including that March is Music in our Schools Month.

“It is wonderful that we can have four music teachers here at Blue Earth Area,” Johnson said. “It allows us to give quality music opportunities to our students in all grades.”

He reported that the orchestra received a superior rating at the Large Group Contest, and that the choir received a score of 38 out of 40, one of the highest scores ever.

“And we had one student, Nick Frundt, who scored a perfect 40 out of 40, which is almost unheard of. We also had four students qualify for the All-State Choir, but only one, Marianna Rincon, was able to go.”

Johnson added that he feels music is the secret weapon for solving social-emotional competency issues.

BEA teacher Holly Christians brought three student members of the Business Professionals of America (BPA) group to give an update to the board.

They reported there are 38 students in the group, and that 32 of them competed at a recent competition, with 26 of those BEA participants qualifying to go on to state competition. Of those, four recently qualified for nationals, with 18 students listed as finalists who could still be considered for the May 4-5 national competition.

In addition, the board received word during their meeting that the Math League group had just taken second place at the state competition earlier in the day.

Under financial updates, the board heard a report from fiscal services director Alan Wilhelmi that was concerning an updated budget for the 2021-2022 year.

He reported the budget revenues were increased from the numbers in the original budget, due to an increase in student enrollment and ESSER III and other federal funds.

Overall the district is seeing nearly $1.5 million in federal funds added to the budget, Wilhelmi said. Pre-COVID, those funds usually totaled $300,000 to $350,000 each year.

The board approved the updated 2021-2022 budget.

In other business at the meeting, the BEA Board:

— Heard from superintendent Mandy Fletcher that plans are being made to increase the staff next year, and help reduce class size.

She also reported that there is currently just one student out for COVID, and no staff members.

— Approved a new Mental Health Service Agreement between United Hospital District and BEA Schools.

— Approved several bids for items such as controls, valves and dampers on the equipment at the school buildings and for doing maintenance work at the high school parking lot.