BEA staff members Kim Sickler and Barb Carlson addressed the BEA Board about the negotiations.

The Blue Earth Area School Board and the Blue Earth Area Education Association (teachers union) are headed to mediation for a new two-year teacher contract.

School Board member Sara Hauskins gave a report from the board’s Negotiations Committee during Monday night’s BEA Board meeting.

Hauskins detailed the 12 meetings between the Negotiations Committee and the teacher union’s representatives.

Those meetings started back on May 13, Hauskins said, and the most recent one was on Oct. 27.

Over the course of the 12 meetings, the board presented several proposals for salary and benefits increases, and the Education Association also countered with several of their own proposals.

The highest proposal for an increase by the board was around 5.2 percent over two years, while the highest amount countered by the teachers’ union was a 7.7 percent increase, with their lowest proposal at 6.76 percent.

However, all of the proposals included different options, some with changes in salary increase steps, corrections in “glitches” in the current schedule and other items which make the numbers change somewhat in each proposal.

“At the end of our meeting on Oct. 27, the EA said they are going to file for mediation,” Hauskins said. “The mediation hearing probably won’t be heard until December, because of when the mediator will be available.”

A far as the costs of the contract, the School Board’s proposals ranged from about $519,000 up to $694,000, while the union’s proposals were as high as $950,000 to $1.03 million.

At the beginning of the meeting the board had also heard from BEA EA co-chairs Kim Sickler and Barb Carlson, about the dedication of the current staff and how they choose to be at BEA, the importance of returning experienced staff each year and looking forward to a fair and equitable negotiation.

In other business at the meeting last Monday, Nov. 8, the BEA Board:

• Heard an update from superintendent Mandy Fletcher which included information about American Education Week which is being celebrated Nov. 15 to Nov. 19.

Some of the events planned include family day on Tuesday, Wellness Wednesday, Educator for a Day on Thursday (where staff will trade classrooms for one afternoon), and Substitute Appreciation Day on Friday.

During her COVID-19 update, Fletcher said that after an initial spike in cases in September, the rate has dropped.

“As of today, we have four active cases – three in the student population and one staff member,” she reported. “And we are going to start our inhouse testing tomorrow.”

That testing involves the hiring of two part-time temporary nurses. The testing and cost of new staff is all covered by the grant the school received.

Fletcher also said Public Health plans to offer COVID vaccinations for students five and older, during parent-teacher conferences.

• Heard an update from staff members Jenn Berkner and Dar Holmseth on marketing Blue Earth Area.

The report included information on using the BEA logo on all materials, as well as a contest which is being held to design a new Buccaneer mascot.

The contest is open to everyone and a committee hopes to announce the winning design by the first of February.

• Heard an update from principals Dave Dressler and Conan Schaffer, as well as curriculum director Allison Schmidt, concerning the District Leadership Teams’ District Vision Cards.

The six visions have to do with helping students in many ways, including meeting grade level and working to keep on track towards graduation.

• Learned that there has been one application from a student interested in serving as the student representative on the School Board. That student will be interviewed this coming Monday, Nov. 15, and a recommendation to the board will be made at their December meeting.

That December meeting was set for Dec. 13, and will include a visit from State representative Bjorn Olson, who was originally scheduled to be at this past Monday”s meeting and was unable to attend.

The January meeting was set for Jan. 3.

• Approved personnel items including a contract for David Kittleson as gifted and talented coordinator, hiring Cora Pierson and LaDonna Dutton as part-time temporary COVID nurses, and Robyn Johnson and Andrea Schewe as paraprofessionals, and Michael Reasor as a custodian.

• Also approved a resolution supporting an application to the MSHSL, approved having David Dressler to be the designated LEA representative, approved the Assurance of Compliance for BEA and approved a Memorandum of Understanding with BEA’s support staff union.

In addition, the board approved 10 amended school policies, which covered things such as the school’s mission statement, being tobacco free, speaking at board meetings and a school weapons policy.

All the policies were already in place, and these were minor changes, Fletcher told the board.