Pierz School Board Briefs - June 2024

Below are summaries of actions from the Wednesday, June 26 meeting of the Pierz School Board. They were compiled by Sheila McCoy.

Personnel

The Pierz School Board accepted the resignations of Jayne Hotaling, art teacher; and Noah Boser, substitute teacher; approved hiring Trisha Peterson, art teacher for the 2024-25 school year; and for the summer, teachers Jill Hoheisel, Nichole Lochner and Jodi Marshik; and paraprofessionals Tracy Gaffke, Bailey Warzecha and Lynn Folger. The Board also approved the reassignment of Sophie Exted from paraprofessional to special educational teacher; and to add and post for a district substitute position for the 2024-25 school year.

Donations

The Pierz School Board accepted the following donations — $400 from Eckroth Music to the band program; $500 to special education athletics, $750 for youth football, $240 for music and $200 for the Globes - Mattea Moore (World Cultures), all from the Pierz Lions Club; and $200 to girls golf and $180 to the clay target league, both from the meat raffle.

Budget

The Pierz School Board approved the amended revenue and expenditure budgets for fiscal year 2023-24; and the proposed revenue and expenditure budgets for fiscal year 2024-25.

The amended budget of fiscal year 2023-24 showed a total of $20,280,709 in revenue with an expenditure of $21,115,930, a negative $835,211 difference.

In the proposed budget, the total revenue is estimated to be $20,114,930 with an estimated expenditure of $20,910,754, resulting in a difference of negative $795,824.

As presented by Business Manager Tracey Artner, the expenditure for the General Fund is estimated to be $15,532,104 with an estimated revenue of $14,831,058, resulting in a difference of negative $707,046.

While the revenue for the Food Service Fund is estimated to be $1,036,959, the expenditure for the fund is estimated at $1,171,495, a difference of negative $134,536.

The revenue ($950,031) and expenditure ($1,046,868) estimates for the Transportation Fund show a difference of negative $96,837.

Both the Community Service Fund and the Capital Outlay Fund show positive differences between estimated revenues and expenditures. While the revenue is projected to be $558,865 with a $531,309 expenditure ($27,556 difference) for the Community Service Fund, the Capital Layout Fund shows an estimate of $1,068,696 in revenue and $930,604 in expenditures, a $138,092 difference.

For the Debt Service Fund, the revenue is projected to be $1,264,265 and $1,262,047 in expenditures, resulting in a $2,218 difference.

While the Custodial Fund is estimated at $25,000 in revenues and expenditures alike, the Student Activity Fund is projected at $370,056 in revenue and $380,327 in expenditures, a difference of negative $10,271.

As the OPED Trust Fund is estimated to receive a revenue of $10,000, the expenditure for the same fund is projected at $25,000, resulting in a negative $15,000 difference.

Memberships and meal prices

The Pierz School Board approved the following memberships — Minnesota School Board Association at a cost of $5,922; and Minnesota Rural Education Association at a cost of $2,462.

The Board approved not to raise the school meal prices for students or adults for the 2024-25 school year. For students, the current meal prices are $1.65 per breakfast and $2.45 per lunch for grades PreK-6 and $1.90 per breakfast and $2.70 per lunch for grades 7-12. Milk is 50 cents per carton. For adults, the prices are set at $2.30 per breakfast and $5 per lunch.

Agreements

The Pierz School Board approved the following agreements:

• A lease agreement between Tri-County Community Action (TCC) and ISD 484 for one year, beginning Aug. 28 through May 31, 2025. The lease amount was set at $1,050 per month;

• A work agreement between Core Professional Services and ISD 484 to provide educational support for ITV college courses for the 2024-25 school year, not to exceed $4,500;

• An agreement between Core Professional Services and ISD 484 to provide psychological evaluations to the students of Pierz Schools as needed for the 2024-25 school year at a rate of $150 per hour;

• An agreement between Pierz ISD 484 and Greater Minnesota Family Services to provide mental health services and support to students and indirect/consultative support into planning pre-interventions, not to exceed $10,920 for the 2024-25 school year;

• A contract for vended meals between Tri-County Community Action Partnership and Pierz ISD 484 to provide meals to the TCC staff/parent volunteers and children beginning Sept. 1 through May 30, 2025.

In other news...

The Pierz School Board approved/adopted:

• The long-term facilities maintenance 10 year plan;

• The resolution establishing dates for filing affidavits of candidacy for the office of school board member of ISD 484. The filing period begins July 30 and will close on Aug. 13. An affidavit of candidacy must be filed in the Office of the school district clerk and the $2 filing fee paid prior to 5 p.m. on Aug. 13.

The next regular Pierz School Board meeting will be held Wednesday, July 31, at 6 p.m. in the high school media center.