The International Falls school district is $4,000 on its way toward the estimated $165,000 needed to renovate the Falls High School swimming pool, after receiving a pair of donations.
At Monday’s Falls School Board meeting, two $2,000 checks — one from the boys and girls swimming and diving teams and another from their booster club — were presented to help pay for the planned project to deepen the pool.
Bronco girls swimmers Hallie Bates and Rachel Adams were on hand to present the check on behalf of the swim teams, which held a pancake breakfast fund-raiser on the day after Thanksgiving.
Their parents, Karen Bates and Diane Adams, presented the $2,000 matching check from the booster club.
An assigned fund balance was approved in September by the Falls School Board to accept contributions to help pay for deepening the Falls High School swimming pool.
Following the conclusion of the 2011-12 boys swimming and diving season, the Falls school district is planning on deepening the swimming pool so that meets with starting blocks will be able to be held there in the future.
A number of boys and girls meets originally scheduled this season at the FHS swimming pool, which is only 3 1/2 feet deep, ended up being scheduled elsewhere.
The pool is not allowed to use starting blocks for meets because of a new rule on pool depth implemented by the National Federation of State High School Associations.
To fund the pool renovation, which is not included in the district’s “FY12 Capital Outlay Facility Plan,” Falls Superintendent Jeff Peura told the school board the district is looking at either using “unreserved general” monies or receiving permission from the state to adjust the tax levy.
“As you can see, the public is behind us with generous donations,” he said.
Peura said he has contacted State Sen. Tom Saxhaug and Rep. Tom Anzelc about getting approval to change the levy to fund the pool project.
“We’ll keep you informed as the legislative session comes in Jan. 24,” he said.
