By Lori EhdeLuverne School Board members put the kibosh on student ambitions to resign classrooms in the middle school-high school building.Teacher Lundgren brought the students’ plans to the board for approval, at their June 26 meeting, pointing out the confusing nature of the current system of room signs.Student Council members were willing to pay for the estimated $8,000 project with their own funds, but School Board members tabled action on the project in order to get more information.Specifically, Superintendent Vince Schaefer alerted board members to some possible problems with the idea."Their idea is great," he said at that meeting. "On the surface, it’s extremely beneficial. The building is set in a confusing way, and directories alone lends itself to consideration."The potential problem, he said, could come when electricians and plumbers refer to blueprints when working on specific problem areas in the building.If blueprints refer them to a former room number, and they find instead, the new room numbers, it will create confusion, and possibly costly mistakes, Schaefer said."Our architects and engineers are quite concerned (about the renumbering plan)," he said. "All the blueprints and computer programs are set up for the rooms as they are called today. … We can’t assume they’ll make that conversion."He said every repair or construction project in the future could cost more because workers would have to figure the conversion.Further, hundreds of rooms have keys with corresponding room numbers, so the keys and key library would also have to be converted.The School Board at the July 24 meeting voted to stop the school signage project, based on recommendations from their architects and engineers."It’s really hard to turn down a project that’s had so much work put into it," said board member Becky Walgrave. "But with the issues raised as they stand now, I would have a hard time approving it."Board members voted 5-1 to not approve the project, with Steve Tofteland casting the vote in favor of the project and Don Bryan, Cary Radisewitz, Dan Kopp, Bill Stegemann and Walgrave voting to deny it.Activities feesIn light of troubled school budgets, many districts turn to increasing fees as a way of bringing in revenue.In Luverne, School Board members voted Thursday to do the same, although its activities fees are still modest compared to most districts its size.Last year fees for 9-12 activities were $30, and fees for 7-8 activities were $20, with a $150 cap per family.This includes fees for forensics, math league, mock trial, plays (cast only), cheerleading, band, choir, speech and all sports.School board members considered a recommendation to increase 9-12 activities fees to $50 and 7-8 activities to $30, with a $200 cap per family. Stegemann made a motion to approve the fee increase for sports, but not for fine arts. The board voted 5-1 in support of that motion, with Bryan casting the dissenting vote.Fees for sports are now $50 for grades 9-12 and 30 for grades 7-8. Fees for all fine arts remain the same.Supervisor salariesIn personnel matters Thursday, the board approved salaries for supervisory staff.oKitchen Supervisor Gretchen Davis increased from $24,000 to $25,920oTechnology Coordinator Wade Hiller increased from $42,000 to $43,472oFinance Officer Marlene Mann increased from $46,000 to $47,632oTransportation Director Lon Remme increased from $41,056 to $42,492.oBuilding and Grounds Supervisor Larry Roos increased from $43,930 to $45,448oDistrict Secretary and payroll supervisor Brenda Teal increased from $29,640 to $30,680.In other personnel matters, Thursday, the board:oAccepted the resignation of custodian Larry Van GrootheestoApproved middle school teacher Stacey Lihs as student council adviseroAccepted the resignation of paraprofessional Cami McAndrew
