By Lori Ehde
Luverne School Board members approved hiring two additional teachers to reduce class sizes in second and third grades.
After weeks of planning and arranging students in the two grades, the dust settled with 91 students in the second grade (23 in each of four classrooms) and 99 in the third grade (25 students in each of four classrooms).
Elementary Principal Melody Tenhoff said the second grade, with some struggling students, has been borderline for needing a fifth section. And the third grade saw several families move into the district this year Ð all with third-grade children.
"We're really pushing the bubble with that group of kids," Tenhoff told board members at their Thursday, Aug. 8, meeting. "It (hiring) is something we should take a look at."
At the July 25 meeting, the board heard from Vicki Baartman, who spoke on behalf of several parents who were concerned about second-grade class sizes.
That, coupled with Tenhoff's official report on class numbers Thursday, prompted board action, following words from Superintendent Vince Schaefer.
"It seems a fact that if we can't get kids off on the right foot in the early grades, it's tough for them to make a go of it later on," he said.
"The way I see it, we really don't have much of a choice. The short of it is I'm going to recommend that we hire a second-grade teacher and a third-grade teacher."
The board approved. "I think it's a good choice," said board member Steve Tofteland. "I think it's wise at this point."
Elementary students had already been assigned to their respective teachers and the lists have been posted in the school entry.
The board action means the assignment process will start over, at least for the second and third grades.
"It will be a new parade of little feet to the window," Schaefer joked. "We just about need a new bottle of Windex every day with all the fingerprints out there."
Alternative school
Luverne's Alternative School was the "showcase" item on the board agenda Thursday.
Alternative School staff members include Nancy Swanson four days per week, Rose Toering three days a week, Gloria Perrizo two days a week and Glenda Schneekloth summer help. Luverne Curriculum Coordinator Jan Olson also serves as Alternative School director.
The average monthly attendance for 2001-02 was 33 students per month, and 168 courses were completed during the year.
The teachers reported they offer nearly all the same courses as Luverne High School offers, and the caliber of courses are similar.
Personnel
In personnel matters Thursday the board:
hired Kelly Wild as a fifth-grade teacher at a base salary of $30,212.
increased Joanne GabrielsonÕs contract from half-time to full-time. She is a half-time reading recovery teacher and she shares a first-grade class with another teacher.
hired Susan Nelson as assistant varsity volleyball coach and head junior varsity volleyball coach for a salary of $2,068.
In other business
The board accepted bids for bakery and dairy products, fuel oil and gasoline/diesel fuel for 2002-03. Contracts were awarded to Dean Foods North Central, Earth Grains and Rock County Co-op Oil.
The middle school-high school open house will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 28.
The elementary open house will be Sept. 9. The reason it's not scheduled with the middle school-high school event is to allow younger students to settle into their new surroundings before showing them off to parents and grandparents.
High School Principal Gary Fisher reported two foreign exchange students will attend classes in Luverne. They are from New Zealand and Spain.
Fisher responded to inquiries about why so many high school seniors make the A honor roll.
"Most of the required classes are taken through their junior year, so by the time they're seniors, they're taking electives - things they're interested in," Fisher said.
"They're bound to do better because they like their classes. I would be concerned if we didn't have a high percentage of seniors on the A honor roll.
There are six students attending Minnesota West Community College through Post Secondary Option this year.
Fisher requested the board make it a policy that if they're not in the top 30 percent of their class, they can't use the option.
That policy is already in place, but Minnesota West allows non-qualifiers to attend if they have letters of recommendation from high school staff.