BLUE EARTH– Even before the Blue Earth Area School Board meeting began on Monday, the board members were treated to a preview of what one of the main items on the agenda was going to be.

BEA students Jessica Moore and Travis Moore performed a saxophone duet that they had received a superior rating for at the music contests this year.

At the start of the meeting, BEA band teacher Kelsey Zbaracki and orchestra instructor Peter Koenig gave the board members a full report on the music department at BEA this current school year.

All students in grades K-5 take elementary music, Koenig said. The number of students in grades 5-12 in band is 120, in choir it is 156 and in orchestra the number is 97.

“We did well at contest this year,” Koenig told the board. “We had 47 entries and received 26 superior ratings and 17 excellent ratings. In addition, we took home four Best in Site awards.”

Koenig and Zbaracki highlighted the many opportunities BEA music students were able to participate in this year, including Big South Choir Fest, Bethel Choir Fest, Bethany Honor Band and Honor Orchestra, MSU Honor Band, Subsection Honor Band and Honor Choir and Elementary All-Star Choir.

“One of our choir students, Ava Peterson, also was selected for All State Choir for the second year in a row,” Koenig said. “And we are also planning a trip to Orchestra Hall this year.”

The two teachers ended the presentation with listing some of the many community events the music students participate in, from nursing home performances to sporting events to area town festivals.

They also thanked the board members for their support of the music programs.

In other business at the meeting, the BEA Board:

— Passed a resolution on a 6-1 vote that calls for a special election on Aug. 11 (primary election day) on whether the BEA District will be able to issue bonds to build new facilities. One question is whether to build a new K-7 school at a cost of $63.3 million. The second question on the ballot concerns a $10.3 bond to build additional space and make improvements to the current high school building.

— Heard updates from the superintendent, principals and curriculum/instruction director.

Some of those items included information on recent radon testing, Academic program will be on May 8, Athletic program on May 15, graduation on May 24, a mock accident drill on April 22 and prom on May 2.

There was also discussion of a Facilities Education Community Meeting to be held on May 28.

— Approved the purchase of Functional Phonics and Morphology curriculum.

— Approved donations to the BUCC-Y Bags program from Winnebago Presbyterian Women, the Church of Saints Peter and Paul, and Benco Electric Trust Operation Roundup.

— Approved personnel changes including: new hires of Luke Norman as elementary/middle school PE and Health teacher and Callena Ferguson as a long-term guest teacher; contracts for Activities Director Travis Armstrong and Community Education Director Shannon Swanson; resignations of paraprofessional McKenna Dutton, elementary teacher Kate Maloney, middle school and elementary teacher Tanner Nawrocki and high school teachers Terry Kreps, Ethan Davide, Emma Fischer and Maija WhitefeatherManning.