By Lori Ehde
Jim Harner and Luverne School Board members have settled on a contract for the interim middle school principal position.
Current Luverne Middle School Principal Dave Deragisch will begin his new superintendent duties in the Hills-Beaver Creek School District Jan. 1.
The Luverne district will advertise the position in January to fill his vacancy, but a new principal wouldn't start in Luverne until July, when the new school year begins.
Harner will serve as middle school principal Jan. 2 through the end of the school year. He will be paid an hourly rate of $35 per hour, with regular hours set from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The district will also pay health insurance premiums during that time.
After 33 years in education, Harner retired from his duties as Luverne middle school principal in 1993.
He came to Luverne in 1971 as high school principal, and his title became middle school principal when the school was restructured to reflect the middle school concept.
Since his retirement, Harner has worked part-time at Luverne Community Education as the defensive driving instructor.
Naming of athletic fields west of the school
On their agenda Thursday, Dec. 13, School Board members were to approve a suggested name for the baseball, softball and soccer fields west of the elementary school.
"Fledgling Fields" is the name recommended by athletic director Harvey Crable's office.
Board members considered the name, but tabled action, because they wanted to consider additional options.
"Fledgling Field on Highway 75 was for our elementary kids," said board member Becky Walgrave.
"When you talk about baseball and softball, primarily for high school athletes, I don't know how I feel about that. I don't know if it truly reflects the intended purpose of that area."
Other board members agreed, and Superintendent Vince Schaefer said he'd return the task to Crable's office and the Athletic Advisory Committee.
Revenue report and
levy certification
The board certified the gross district levy at $2,042,480.09 for taxes payable in 2002. This is a decrease of nearly 769,000 from last year's levy, or a more than 27-percent decrease.
The decrease is due to the state's shift of education funding from property taxes to sales and income tax.
The certified levy amount includes the 10-year $230,000 operating levy approved by voters this summer.
The board also heard a revenue report from district finance officer Marlene Mann, who said last year's revenues and this year's revenues are almost exactly the same. This is "scary," board members said, because expenses are rapidly increasing.
In other personnel matters, the board
hired Steven Lorenzen as assistant boys' hockey coach at $2,000,
hired Crystal Ellefson and Dan Carlson for $8.91 per hour as management assistants to help special needs students,
approved Melinda Krull, Northwestern College, to student teach with Angela Ahrendt for four weeks,
approved Brian Boll as volunteer assistant girls' hockey coach,
considered a one-day leave request by Janet Hanson to attend the Middle School Band performance at the state music convention,
approved a leave request by Judy Thies who will entertain former exchange student Ana Arias.
accepted the resignation, effective Dec. 18, of paraprofessional Robyn Wessels who accepted a position with Rock County Pool and Fitness Center.
In other business Thursday the board
heard a transportation report and set vehicle bid dates. The district, which buses students on 13 rural routes and 250,000 miles a year, will replace three buses with high miles. Bid opening will be at 1 p.m. Jan. 24 in the district office.
heard a first reading on an athletic booster club constitution,
changed the time for the next board meeting to noon on Thursday, Dec. 27.
