Board chairman, Mike Schrader, left, and new USC superintendent, Taylor Topinka, right, are pictured with some of the hardware the trap team won during the season.

The United South Central School Board held their first meeting with their new superintendent, Taylor Topinka, on Tuesday, July 18.

“I have been appreciative and humbled by the warm welcome I have received during my first three weeks here at USC,” Topinka said in his report to the district. “As I meet more of the staff members here and get to know some of our students who have been in over the summer months, I can quickly tell that this is an extraordinary school and community.”

Topinka also reviewed the recently completed legislative session at the State Capitol.

“There were many new changes and mandates and we will need to consider our current practices and what may need to be modified as a result,” he shared. “By my count, we have 43 areas that will require modification to our practices as a result of this past legislative session.”

While that may sound overwhelming, he pointed out many of the changes were fairly minor.

“But, we do have some larger items to await further guidance on as well,” Topinka added. “The good news here is that USC was very well prepared for several of these changes, and many will be more palatable as a result.”

Topinka informed the board members the new website should be up and running around Aug. 15.

“I can also report that we have filled both of our open custodial positions,” Topinka commented. “We will also begin the negotiation process with both our certified staff, and ESP groups early in the month of August.”

In her report to the board, high school principal Jennifer Bye said the Summer Credit Recovery has been completed for the students in grades 9-12.

“The extended school year program starts back up at the end of this month for three weeks,” she said. “I want to thank Terri Seedorf and Margo Latusek for building a strong summer program to help continue student learning for our special needs students during the summer months. Thank you also to the para educators who also worked alongside our students this summer to continue their learning.”

Elementary principal Jennifer Taylor mentioned she attended a summer workshop and was reminded that schools need to focus on learning, not teaching.

“We also need to concentrate on teaching to the Minnesota State Standards,” Taylor noted. “Most textbooks are written to the standards of one of three states, and not Minnesota’s.”

Members and coaches of the State Champion USC trap shooting team were invited to the meeting and received congratulations on behalf of the School Board and USC staff.

“Trap shooting is truly a state competition,” coach Darin Magnuson said. “It gives the kids who are not gifted athletically as runners or jumpers a chance to participate.”

One of the members of the team, Braxton O’Rourke, shared his thoughts with the board.

“It is a lot of fun and we have so many good people helping us,” he commented. “It is a self-funding sport that does not cost the school a thing.”

Another member of the team, Jerome Young, praised the coaches.

“We have some of the best coaches. I have friends from other teams who tell me they wish they had our coaches,” Young offered. “We shoot in all kinds of weather. It might be a blizzard or we might be getting drenched by rain, but our coaches make it fun.”

Magnuson offered some final remarks.

“It is fun to watch the kids improve every year,” he said. “It is also the safest high school sport – there has not been one reported injury.”

Moving on to other business, the board discussed and approved modifications to the drainage improvement plan in front of the school building. The original plan had a proposed price tag of $25,000. The updated plan, which was approved, could cost as much as $70,000.

“We have the money available in our Long Term Facility Maintenance Funds,” Topinka explained. “This should take care of the problem and make it safer.”

Board member Katie Hanson concurred.

“I know it is more money but one workman’s compensation claim could easily cost more,” she said.

Community workforce coordinator Emily Davis was at the meeting and provided a review of the activities students were able to participate in during the second semester of the school year including many field trips to a wide variety of businesses.

The board also:

• Approved a change in the hourly rate for Community Education paraprofessionals from $12.50 per hour to $14.70 per hour to match the rate paid to the school paraprofessionals.

• Voted to purchase an activities bus for $99,029 using residual Esser III funds.

• Designated South Central News as the official newspaper for the School District.

• Reviewed and approved the 2023-2024 academic calendar.

• Had the second reading of USC Board Policy 5220.

• Had the first reading of USC Board Policies 1020, 4180, 4190, 4240, 5140, 5150, 5320, 5340, 6010 and 7090.