The Annandale School Board held its final meeting of the 2016-17 school year on Monday, June 26. It was also the final meeting for Superintendent Steve Niklaus, who retired Friday, June 30, after 25 years as the school district’s leader.
Hockey cooperative
The school board approved applications for cooperative sponsorships for girls and boys hockey with the Buffalo School District.
During the meeting, Niklaus received a text from the Buffalo Superintendent indicating that their board had approved the new cooperative with Annandale unanimously earlier in the evening.
Starting in the 2017-18 season Annandale hockey players will be a part of the Buffalo Bison team. The Bison are part of Section 8-2A.
The board also approved the dissolution of cooperative sponsorship for girls hockey with Monticello and St.Michael-Albertville. The boys cooperative with Monticello-Maple Lake was dissolved at the May meeting.
Practices and home games will be played at two indoor rinks in Buffalo.
Annandale boys hockey was dropped from the Monticello-Maple Lake cooperative when the Minnesota High School League determined that the Moose would move from Class A to Class 2A competition unless they dropped Annandale from the program. Having dropped Annandale, the Moose will remain a Class A school.
2017-18 budget
The board unanimously approved a preliminary general fund budget for 2017-18.
"The board will see a more detailed budget in September," Nicklaus said. "At that time enrollments will be known."
Business Manager Rick Pullen explained the budget to the board.
With revenues now estimated at $17.992 million and expenditures for 2017-18 estimated at $18.269 million, there would be a deficit of $276,173 in 2017-18.
"Our fund balance is still within our target," Pullen said. "We estimate the general fund to be spent down to $2.6 million by June 30, 2018."
The district’s general fund balance target is 1.5 months of operating expenses, or $2.283 million.
"We would have an estimated net excess of $316,978 in the fund balance on June 30, 2018," said Pullen.
The Minnesota Legislature approved a 2-percent increase in aid to the schools for 2017-18.
"We were previously only estimating a 1-percent increase," Pullen said.
Pullen indicated that with the staff now hired for next year and retirements taken into account, the district is saving $100,000. He also indicated that because of a good record, workman’s compensation premiums have been reduced by $84,000. Steps and lanes for the teachers are estimated to be an increase of 1 percent.
Additions include an estimated $20,000 expense for recreation park maintenance and upkeep.
"This would include mowing and fertilizing," Niklaus said. "This is an expense we would share 50-50 with the city of Annandale."
Wright Technical Center
The board approved $10,260 as Annandale’s share of the Wright Technical Center’s long-term facility maintenance 2018-19 budget.
It was announced by school board member Mike Holthaus that Ray Przekurat, the WTC director, has resigned to take a superintendent’s job in Wisconsin.
Przekurat assumed the duties of director July, 1 2013.
"In was a big three years of programing for the Technical Center under Ray’s direction," Niklaus said.
"Ray did a great job of engaging the business community," Holthaus said.
Holthaus is Annandale’s representative on the Wright Technical Center School Board.
Holthaus indicated that a search is underway, with the assistance of the Minnesota School Board Association, and a new director will hopefully be hired by Sept. 1.
Lunch prices and fees
The board approved the 2017-18 lunch prices, athletic fees, driver education fees and substitute teacher pay rates.
"It is a federal requirement that we raise all the lunch prices by 10 cents each," Niklaus said. "The purpose is to assure that districts have enough funds to serve quality fresh fruits and vegetables."
Lunch prices at AES will be $2.70, AMS $2.75, AHS $2.80 and adult $3.75.
Breakfast prices at AES, AMS and AHS are $1.75, adult $2.05.
Athletic fees were increased by $5 for the 2017-18 school year.
"This was primarily due to the district going to a pay-by-credit card system for these fees," Niklaus said. "There are additional costs associated with credit cards."
Athletic fees for grades 9-12 are $155 per sport. There is a per-student cap of $305 and a total family cap of $505.
Athletic fees for grades 7-8 are $130 per student, with a $255 cap per student and a $505 family cap.
Activity fees for grades 9-12 will be $87 per activity. In grades 7-8 the fee is $74.
Admission fees for events were not raised for the 2017-18 school year. They remain $4 for students, $6 for adults, $20 for a student yearly pass, $50 for an adult yearly pass, $80 for a couple yearly pass; and free for district residents age 62 and older.
The fee for driver education, behind the wheel, increased $5 to $305.
Substitute teacher pay for 2017-18 did not increase. The rate of pay is $111 per day for the first 15 nonconsecutive days and $116 per day thereafter.
Delinquent meal accounts
The board approved a new policy that addresses unpaid meal charges. The state now requires each school district to have a written policy for the issue.
According to the policy, students have use of a family meal account.
When the balance reaches zero, a student may charge no more than $100 to this account. When the family account reaches this limit, a student will not be allowed to charge further meals until the negative account balance is paid. An exception is made for all students who qualify for free or reduced-priced meals; the school district must make meals available to them.
"We will provide a cheese or peanut butter sandwich and a milk to those students with a delinquent account," Niklaus said. "We do want them to be sustained during the school day."
The policy states that the school district will make reasonable efforts to notify families when meal account balances reaches negative $20.
"Reminders for payment of outstanding student balances meal balances will not demean or stigmatize any student participating in the school lunch program," the policy states.
The policy states that collection options may include the use of collection agencies, claims in conciliation court or any legal method permitted. The school district may not enlist the assistance of non-school district employees, volunteers to engage in collection efforts.
Niklaus indicated that some accounts have account charges in excess of $500.
"I visited with a family four times this past year that was over $900 in on their account," Niklaus said. "When I asked them to fill out a form for free and reduced lunch, the said they made too much money and did not qualify."
It is very simple to fill out the free and reduced lunch form. It can be done at the district office and if they qualify the students can begin to get meals that same day.
"Food service in each school is a self-sustaining operation," Niklaus said. "We can’t allow delinquent accounts to be ignored."
Board says goodbye
It was the last school board meeting for Niklaus and the school board members said their goodbyes to the man that led District 876 for the past 25 years.
School Board Chair Jeannette Rieger-Borer presented Niklaus with a whistle inscribed with "A New Adventure Begins" and spoke for the board.
"I thought about all the words that describe Steve and what he has meant to us as a board," Rieger-Borer. "I came up with pages of words. Visualizing Principal Scot Kerbaugh rolling his eyes, I decided on a different approach.
"I asked my daughter Bailey for an idea and she suggested by following quote by John Quincy Adams: ‘If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.’
"That is who you are, Steve, and you have made us the board that we are. To a good friend and confidant, thank you."
School board meetings
The board approved the following schedule for school board meetings for the 2017-18 school year:
Monday, July 24; Monday, Aug. 28; Thursday, Sept. 28; Monday, Oct. 23; Monday, Nov. 27; 6 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 6 (truth-in-taxation hearing); Monday, Dec. 18; Monday, Jan. 22; Monday, Feb. 26; Monday, March 26; Monday, April 23; Wednesday, May 30; and Monday, June 25.