BLUE EARTH– Blue Earth Area School superintendent Mandy Fletcher had several items to report on at the BEA School Board meeting on Monday evening.

One was about enrollment numbers at the district, which are up from last year.

The enrollment as of Oct. 1 was 1,022 students in grades Kindergarten through 12th. That number is up five students from last June.

Fletcher said that earlier projections were that the enrollment would be at 1,008 at this time this year.

“It is very encouraging that we are up 11 students higher from what was projected last year,” Fletcher said.

The superintendent also reported on the number of students who qualify for free and reduced lunches, which is now at 51.08 percent of the BEA student population.

“That is up slightly from last year,” Fletcher said. “We need to track this number because it is tied to some of our funding.” However, she added, all students have free lunches at this time, due to state funding.

Another item on Fletcher’s superintendent’s report at the meeting was the issue of teacher retention. She said this is a problem in almost all schools across the South Central Minnesota region.

“BEA is about in the middle as far as teacher turnover in schools our size in the area,” Fletcher told the board. “Around the area the three main reasons for teachers leaving are retirement, leaving the teaching profession and taking a job in another district.”

In other business at the meeting, the BEA School Board:

— Heard a report from principal David Dressler and Curriculum and Instruction director Allison Schmidt about the BEA Vision Card.

The two reported on the progress of developing the Vision Card which encompasses all the things the district does, from instruction to graduation and test scores. It includes a baseline of data to use to chart progress in various areas.

— Accepted donations for Bucc-y Bags from ESCO and Frundt, Lunquist and Gustafson Law Office. Also accepted a $10,000 donation from the Lions Club to use to help offset the HUDL subscription.

— Approved the list of winter sports coaches.

— Approved a number of personnel changes, including resignations from elementary art teacher Amanda Walters, paraprofessional Linda Garza and elementary teacher Rachel Koopmeiner, and new hires of paraprofessional Mary Dermody, elementary art teacher Courtney Mattson and elementary teacher Torri Mohwinkel.