Members of the USC Robotics team attended the USC School Board meeting last Tuesday and gave the board members a demonstration of their skills at running the robots. They are shown above with the board.

The United South Central School Board held their first meeting of the year on Jan. 21. During his report to the board, superintendent Taylor Topinka touched on the news of the upcoming closure of St. Casimir’s School at the end of the year.

“We were sad to hear of the upcoming St. Casimir’s school closure and the impact that this will have on our district and community,” Topinka said. “We have adjusted our enrollment projections for 2025-2026 to include a potential increase in students.”

Topinka stated he thought the situation was manageable.

“However, an enrollment fluctuation will cause us to again have a few high numbers in grades/sections that we will need to monitor through the spring and summer,” Topinka added. “We will also have to consider some potential space issues that correlate to this.”

While board meetings are not always the most exciting, fun events to attend, those who were at the USC School Board meeting were treated to an entertaining demonstration by the USC Robotics team, who was awarded the USC Proud Recognition Award for January.

The robotics team, coached by Doug Zahr, recently took first place at the 58-team Mankato West Robotics Tournament.

“No, this is not a BattleBots competition,” Zahr explained before some members of the robotics team used two robots to give an example of the types of things the robots can do.

The board members wished the robotics team continued success for the rest of their season.

Following the demonstration, the School Board moved on to tackle the business items on the agenda, including updating the technology devices for K-12 students.

“Our current student Chromebook and tablet fleet is definitely showing its age and is due for updating,” Topinka told the board members. “We have set aside funds for device replacement over the past four years and currently have $254,785 designated for device replacement.”

The board considered the quotes for the different devices which came to a total of $274,000.

“That is roughly $19,000 more than what we had set aside to cover the cost,” Topinka commented. “We do get some proceeds back for selling/trading in our current devices as part of this process which will help offset a portion of the difference. Any remaining difference would be built into our budget as a general fund expense.”

The board approved the purchase of 285 Lenovo 300e Gen 4 Chromebooks and 460 Lenovo TopSeller Gen 4 100e Chromebook from Trafera, which is located in St. Paul.

The board also approved another technology purchase when they voted to purchase 15 Motorola radios which will be placed in the district’s vans.

“We have never had radio systems in our vans and the need to have them has been vocalized quite a few times in the past,” Topinka explained. “This will provide drivers with a safer way to communicate versus personal cell phones. The 15 radios will be placed in all of our vans, the two activity buses and as replacements for two of our full-size buses. Our transportation department was budgeted to purchase a new van this year, which we are opting not to purchase, so we definitely have room in the budget for this update this year.”

District finance manager Stacie Whiteside was at the meeting to review the current year operating budget.

“We have improved about $100,000 compared to the September numbers,” Whiteside reported.

Whiteside also presented the 2025-2026 budget timeline and assumptions which was approved by the board.

During his report to the board, Topinka said the Facilities Taskforce will meet for the first time on Jan. 30 with the goal of providing the board with a high-level, big-picture recommendation to pursue in relation to the space needs the district is experiencing.

“As the spring legislative session nears, there is a much different picture in our state legislative branch than we have seen in the recent past,” Topinka commented. “The upcoming session is part of a budget year and the most recent State budget forecast is not ideal with a projected $616 million surplus in the 2026-2027 biennium, which is $1.1 billion less than originally projected, and a forecasted deficit in the 2028-2029 biennium.

Topinka shared that while funding increases are always a hope, they also aim to see a session where schools are not handed more mandates.

“Enacting the many mandates from the 2023 and 2024 sessions is still very much a work in progress,” Topinka noted. “We hope that this session includes tools and funding to assist us with the continued implementation of what has already been passed.”

Topinka also thanked everyone for their cooperation and flexibility in getting through the cold weather.

During her report, elementary principal Jennifer Taylor shared that State Senator Gene Dornink stepped into the role of Principal for the Day at USC as part of an initiative by the Minnesota Elementary School Principals’ Association.

“This program aims to give legislators an up-close view of how schools operate while highlighting the positive work within districts,” Taylor said. “It also provides insight into how current issues and mandates impact education. We have been privileged to have a legislator two years in a row.”

While at USC, Dornink visited preschool, kindergarten, fourth grade and band classrooms.

“He engaged with students to learn more about our cell phone policy and Yondr pouches,” Taylor commented. “This was his first encounter with cell phone pouches, so I sent him home with their information. He commented that this would be an issue that will be addressed in this session.”

High school principal Jen Bye reported that half of the school year is now complete and that USC will be welcoming two new foreign exchange students to the high school for the second semester.

“Sheila Rame and four choir students attended the Dorian Music Festival at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, on Jan. 12-13,” Bye said. “The students had the opportunity to work with some amazing conductors and coaches along with performing with students from all over the state.”