ELLINWOOD — The USD 355 School District approved Chad Petz to the Ellinwood Recreation Board for four years at its regular meeting last week. Steve Billinger and Bob Baker interviewed three candidates for the position. They presented their recommendation of Chad Petz to the Board, according to the unofficial minutes.
The district office will be in the process of closing the books for the past fiscal year. There will be a board meeting at 7 a.m. on Wednesday, June 18 to
affirm this action, and then begin the district’s budget process.
Superintendent Ben Jacobs gave an update on Strategic Plan Area #6  Training/Professional Development, Goal #2 being one person/group will attend a national conference in their content/grade level each school year.
Jacobs gave a status report on the budget. With the fiscal year nearing completion, all cash balances are in good shape. Presently, they have 43.3 percent of operating budget authority remaining for the year compared to 40.8 percent at this time last year.
The board approved the fee schedule that will be utilized for the 20142015 school year. Each student will pay at iPad fee. For children K-6, that fee will be $25. For children 7-12, the fee will be $50. For each child over two in the same family, the fee will be $12.50.
Meals will go up 10 cents per meal.
iPads
Jacobs presented the board with information on the purchase of the iPads for the K12 device initiative. Utilizing the state contract, the bid for such a purchase
(390 iPad minis) was $108,810 and will be paid for out of capital outlay funds from Apple Inc.
The board heard a first read of the school handbooks for 20142015. The board will have a final approval at the July meeting.
This agreement between St. Joseph School and USD 355 is to provide parttime vocal music instruction, parttime instrumental music instruction and to provide middle school elective classes for approximately one hour for St. Joseph students in grades 78. These students will be enrolled in Ellinwood Grade School or Middle School as parttime students. The item was approved.
It was recommended after our most recent fiscal audit that the district sweep funds from and close activity accounts which no longer have any activity. The proceeds would be placed into a general student activity account to be used for funding student initiatives. This item was approved.
This action was authorized by a previous board but due to time elapsing it was thought to be best practice to reaffirm the district’s desire to sell the referenced
vehicles. Those items approved for sale were the 1984 MCI Bus, the 1999 red suburban, and the 1999 white suburban as surplus property and authorize administration to sell these vehicles in a manner that represents the best interests of the district.Resignations from USD 355 schools are Kip Wilson, activities director and physical education teacher; Dustin Klassen, grade school physical education, Katelin Garcia, second grade teacher, Shatlyn Marshall, teacher’s aide; and approved hiring Brigette Hitschmann, kindergarten teacher, Karen Bookout, cook, and Lyndsay Kruckenberg, part-time cook.
These are the unofficial minutes of the Ellinwood School Board meeting.