In the midst of Independent School District No. 361’s declining enrollment resulting in a loss of about $480,000 in state funding, the Falls School Board is expected to discuss spending about $36,500 on consulting services when it meets Monday.
The meeting is scheduled to take place at 6 p.m. in the cafeteria at the Falls High School; a public hearing on the proposed 2014 levy for the district will be held during the meeting.
A proposal to hire a consultant to help develop district goals comes from Big River Group LCC, based in St. Cloud, with a price tag of $12,025. On top of that, the district could pay the firm $24,500 for superintendent search services to replace Superintendent Nordy Nelson, who will not renew his contract that expires June 30.
Nelson told The Journal that as superintendent, he has started the process of long-term planning for the district, setting goals and meeting with the public. If whoever takes his seat doesn’t continue a similar process, however, he said the effort could stop.
“And that is what a consultant would do,” he said of continuing the process.
In August, Jenn Windels suggested that a professional consultant be hired to discuss what kinds of goals need to be set for the district and how to communicate those goals with community members. The suggestion came from a Blue Ribbon Panel, of which Windels is a member along with 21 other community members who meet to brainstorm ideas to better the Falls school district.
In response to Windels’ suggestion, board member Michelle Hebner said long-range planning has been on the board’s radar for several years. She said with changes in administration, bringing in an outside source to create a plan that could be maintained, despite staffing changes, would be a benefit to the district.
The regular meeting will be recessed shortly after its start to convene a hearing on the proposed 2014 levy, set at $2.29 million – a 16.9 percent increase over last year’s levy of $1.96 million.
Nelson said the increase comes from the number of levies the district works with, several of which he said, “jumped” this year. In addition, he said there are new levies the district is allowed to utilize that add to the increase.
“New levies increases the local effort, but decreases the state’s budget,” he said.
After the regular meeting resumes, the board is expected to discuss a request to enter into a high-school level wrestling cooperative with Independent School District No. 2142 in Cook.
Pete Benedix, who coaches the local youth Mighty Mustangs wrestling team, told the board last month offering the sport for high school students will not only keep kids in his program, it may put more students in desks at Falls High School with the possibility of attracting wrestlers from Fort Frances.
He added a growing concern among the local wrestling athletes and their parents is that the children are competing from 4 years old into eighth grade and, without continuation of a wrestling program must stop their involvement in the sport.
In other business Monday, the board is expected to consider a change in the district’s prom policy.
The school’s policy allows prom attendees from schools who are juniors or seniors in high school.
Cory Netland, who serves as the board’s student representative, last month proposed the board allow students who are out of high school to attend prom if they are up to age 19.
