Blue Earth Area Schools staff member Molly More presented information to the BEA School Board about the Early Literacy Program at the BEA Elementary School. More gave an explanation of all the different aspects to the overall program, as well as an update on how the program has done during the year.

A back-and-forth volley between the Blue Earth Area School Board and the Blue Earth City Council concerning tennis courts seems to have the ball back in the city’s court.

At the BEA School Board meeting on Monday, May 8, the Facilities and Finance Committee report included information about the tennis court Joint Powers Committee meeting which had been held the previous Thursday.

School Board member and Joint Powers Committee member Kyle Zierke reported that a plan to build an eight-court tennis facility at BEA High School is now off the table.

The plan had been for the estimated $1.2 million complex to be funded by both the district and the city. However, it stalled when questions arose concerning how much of the cost each entity would pay for.

After the Joint Powers Committee failed to reach an agreement about splitting the cost, the decision was to go with a different plan, Zierke said.

“Now the plan is for the city to keep six courts at Putnam Park,” Zierke said. “Just like it has been for the past 30 or so years.”

The city would now be covering the whole cost of the project, whether it is rebuilding current courts or building new ones, superintendent Mandy Fletcher said. The district and city would split the cost of future maintenance 50/50.

While they did not take a formal vote on the decision, the School Board members accepted the decision. The City Council is now expected to be discussing the matter at their meeting on Monday, May 15, Fletcher said.

In other business at Monday night’s meeting, the School Board:

• Received an update from teacher Molly More about the Early Literacy Program in the elementary, grades kindergarten through fifth grade.

She gave the board members information on different aspects of the literacy program which includes the Science of Reading, the Heggerty awareness curriculum, the VoWal phonics program, Journeys curriculum and others.

“We focus on the most important thing, which is to have the students read at grade level text,” More said. “Plus learning grammar and writing skills.”

She explained about the half hour Intervention Time with students, which targets the gaps and needs of the students.

• Heard an update from principal Dave Dressler about an honor choir concert, a Game of Life activity, the new School Carnival, Star Dome and many field trips which are planned. Principal Conan Shaffer reported on prom, basketball against the first graders, a Cinco de Mayo celebration, Kiwanis/First Bank Blue Earth academic awards program and the Lions Club athletic awards program.

• Discussed at length the pros and cons of the four block schedule that is used in the high school. It was decided to keep it in place for at least another year and reevaluate it at a later date.

Some school board members questioned whether more classes per day would mean more courses could be offered, however principal Shaffer said there are more opportunities for students with the four block schedule.

“The block schedule has lots of pros to it,” Shaffer said.

School Board member Stacey Beyer suggested keeping it in place for this next year with a chance for reevaluation after two years.

• During the report from the Facilities and Finance Committee, the board heard of several projects that are going to need to be done, which include redoing the Pemberton Auditorium ceiling, replacing the heating coils at the high school and doing repair work to the temporary/permanent classrooms in the elementary school.

“Those temporary classrooms are nearly 40 years old,” School Board member Zierke pointed out. “All of these things we need to do add up to millions of dollars.”

He added that the other buildings are 70 and 100 years old – and even the “new” high school is 30 years old.

The board briefly discussed the possibility of a new structure, and instructed superintendent Fletcher to contact financial advisors concerning different options.

• Approved a memorandum of understanding with the BEA Education Association regarding summer teaching rate of pay. Also approved a notice of desire to negotiate with the BEA Education Association.

• Approved three new teacher hires for the next school year. The new elementary teachers are Hayley Jahnke, Jacob Brower and Kate Maloney.

• Approved two donations, one from CFS with matching funds from Land O Lakes for the Bucc-y Bags, and one from the local Girl Scouts for the Spring Carnival.

• Discussed end of the school year events including teacher retirement and end of the year celebration at Putnam Park on May 17.