SHERBURN — The Martin County West School Board had their June meeting on Monday evening, June 17. Superintendent, Cory Reynolds, reported the enrollment was 627 and 97 percent of the budgeted funds have been used. There is a bond bill investment meeting this week and the bond sale is planned for August. Later in the meeting the school board approved issuing the General Obligation School Building Bonds.

The school district asked for those who were interested in being on the Core Planning committee to apply and 63 applied. The school board approved the list of 37 team members at this meeting.

The members of the committee consist of 2 students, 7 parents, 10 teachers, 3 students who are now community members, 5 community members (non-parents), 3 administration and all the school board members (7). The members are: A J Krusemark, Autumn Welcome, Brock Lange, Carter Wille, Clare Paulson, Cori Reynolds, Dale Harbitz, Dallas Lamb, Danielle Wilmes, Darren Thate, Derek Behrens, Don Nordstrom, Ean Sinn, Glynis Stoffel, Heather Leiding, Jeff Scholl, Jen Clow, Jeremiah Anthonisen, Josh Paulson, Kadyn Owens, Kayla Zehms, Kurt Nelson, Laura Borchardt, LeeAnn Steen, Lisa Rienhardt, Mark Wohlhuter, Michelle Baker, Nathan Amborn, Nathan Vrieze, Nikole Bowie, Patrick Chase, Paul Hein, Sarah (Jagodzinske) Rohman, Stan Svoboda, Tom Elliot,

Travis Schuett and Tyler Sinn.

Contracts with tenure for 10 teachers were approved, also summer custodians and teachers. New for 2024-2025 for Credit Recovery Teacher, Adam Shorn and Logan Pankonin; Zane Borchardt, Kinder Camp ESP; Nate Reed, general music and band teacher. Three targeted service ESPs, 14 head coaches and 13 teachers were also approved for the 2024-2025 school year.

The board approved transferring the balance of committed fund to unassigned fund including $82,513. This was usually used for severance payments in the past and the general fund is now used for that (since 2022). The committed fund balance would receive approximately 25 percent from unassigned fund balance to give the district a starting point for next year. Then they approved the 2024-2025 budget. There were projected $10,850,199 revenues and $11,288,449 expenditures for a balance of – $378,250.

To deal with things before the new building is done there were reductions planned in transportation, utilities, buildings, food service, eliminating AOM and replacing CSA . The decreases mentioned were team budgets, administration, two fewer student contact days, use fuel at bus barn for vans too, eliminate high school ESP, and use utilities charge back (food service). Those things increased would be general fund, interest rates increased, increase CER fees $2, reading program increase and adding a tech assistant. One of the reductions was also approved which was to close the pool on Aug. 11, 2024.

In other business:

• The board approved budgeting for $27,000+ for the Southern Plains Education “Arise” building long-term maintenance program for 2026 fiscal year.

• The board also approved the 10-year plan for fiscal year 2024-2034 for the MCW School District. The plan is to reduce to bare minimum the building needs now to build up funds for the new building needs.

• They approved advertising for a firm to lead the process of designing the new building. They had two bids but one withdrew and they need two bids.

• The board approved Cory Reynold’s contract for three years (2024-2027) with a 1.6 percent increase in salary each of the three years. They also approved the superintendent to join Kim Wubbena (operations assistant) and Dan Schroeder (business manager) to do e-funds transfers and bank transactions. Reynolds was approved to do state funds and programs and the MDE recertification program. These are approved annually.

• They approved asking for bids for milk, transportation fuel, and snow removal for The 2024-2025 year.

• They approved the dates, July 20 to 5 p.m. on Aug. 12, to file for candidacy for school board for November’s election.

• The board discussed the planned class size with third grade and 6th grade larger enrollments. The plan included 327 students from grades K-6 with 17 classes.

• Reports from the principals and CER director and the board’s committees followed. Most of the reports were about end of school year things to do.

The next meeting of the school board is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on July 15.