By Jolene FarleyThe Hills-Beaver Creek School Board approved a pairing agreement in girls’ softball with the Luverne School District at a Monday meeting. The Luverne district contacted Athletic Director Steve Wiertzema to ask if H-BC would be interested. Practices for the sport start next week.H-BC track coach Tom Goehle said offering softball wouldn’t interfere with students that usually compete in track, according to Superintendent Dave Deragisch. Deragisch further advised the board that offering softball would bring the district into compliance with Title 9 rules, which require schools to offer the same number of programs for girls and boys.The cost for H-BC to offer the sport depends on the number of its students that sign up. A per-student cost is determined by dividing the total cost of the program by the number of students participating in the sport. The amount would be around $350 per student, according to Deragisch."I think it’s a good thing to get our kids involved," board member Gary Esselink said after the vote. Concession stand profitsDeragisch showed the board a list of the proceeds to different groups for running the concession stands at different school events. The concession stands took in $11,793 with a profit for various groups of $5,306. The highest event total was $735 at a September track meet. Deragisch told the board he encourages staff to raise money by selling at the concession stand rather than with small individual fund-raisers. "I just think those kinds of things are way better than selling candy bars and wrapping paper," Deragisch said.Long distance hang-upThe district’s long distance phone service provider has declared bankruptcy, according to Deragisch. "We were called and notified that at any time our long distance could be pulled," Deragisch said. Deragisch suggested switching providers as soon as possible to Rochester Telecom, a company that currently services several Minnesota school districts.Long distance rates will increase with the new company from 3.9 cents per minute to 6.2 cents per minute, but the new provider doesn’t charge a $70 monthly service fee.
