Minnesota Department of Education assistant commissioner Daron Korte and BEA superintendent Mandy Fletcher visit a BEA classroom last week.

The Blue Earth Area School Board started off their meeting on Monday, Jan. 12, by electing School Board officers, before tackling a full agenda of other items.

The board selected Sara Hauskins as the board chair, Ted Armon as vice chair, Stacey Beyer as the clerk and Lindsay Mensing as the treasurer.

All of them were already holding those positions and were re-elected by acclamation, with no other nominations being made.

However, later in the meeting, during action items on the agenda, a vote on another matter did not pass unanimously – in fact it barely passed.

That item was approval of an agreement with Genesis Classical Academy, of Winnebago, for use of chemicals and chemistry equipment.

After much discussion, the board approved the agreement with three board members voting yes, two voting no, one member abstaining and one member absent from the meeting.

Superintendent Mandy Fletcher explained that a month ago or so, she had been approached about allowing Genesis Classical Academy (GCA) to use extra chemicals and chemistry equipment as they were not able to have a complete chemistry class.

“Our attorney recommended we not do it,” Fletcher said. “But we did think it would be a gesture of being a good neighbor, partner, to do it.”

She explained that the attorney had written up an agreement that would release the BEA District from any liability, after some School Board members questioned that issue.

“I have concerns that our taxpayers’ dollars would be going to support a private school,” chair Hauskins said. “I am not sure we should do this.”

Fletcher said most of the items would be surplus, and the BEA District would not be purchasing new items for GCA.

In the end, board members Ted Armon, Lindsey Mensing and Gary Armon voted to approve the agreement, Hauskins and board member Kyle Zierke voted against it, board member Mark Franta abstained and board member Stacey Beyer was absent. Franta abstained due to being the GCA chemistry teacher.

During the regular agenda the board heard a report from staff member Jennifer Kafka concerning a proposed new Language Access Plan.

The 15-page plan covers guidelines for providing language services when needed. Some of those included providing translators when families speak languages other than English.

That includes providing school printed documents translated into other languages when needed.

“We already have all the things which are listed in the document in place,” Kafka reported to the board. “So we are already doing all the things which are required.”

She explained the district just needs to have the written plan in place which clearly states exactly what language services the BEA School District has available.

“It does need to have board approval,” Kafka said. “And I ask the board to give it their approval tonight.”

The board did exactly that, later in the meeting, when they were going through the list of action items, with a unanimous 6-0 vote.

During her report at the meeting, superintendent Fletcher gave the board an update on the plan for facilities education plan created by the board.

“This evening School Board member Gary Armon and myself will be going to Delavan to attend their City Council meeting,” Fletcher said. “It will be a busy two months of going to public meetings throughout the district with information.”

Fletcher also gave the board an update on the visit earlier that day from Minnesota Department of Education assistant commissioner Daron Korte.

Korte spent an hour touring the K-7 building as well as discussing several current and future issues that will be facing many of the state’s school districts.

Also at the School Board meeting the board:

• Approved the list of committees that board members serve on. The list remained the same as the current year, except for Gary Armon being added to the Legislative Liason Committee and Ted Armon added to the Minnesota State High School League Committee.

• Approved the Instructional Staff Sharing Agreement with Southern Plains Education Cooperative for speech services.

• Approved a resolution directing administration to make Recommendations for Reductions in Programs and Positions. This resolution is made each year and no reductions are being anticipated at this time.

• Approved BUCCY Bags donations from McDonalds/McTeacher promotion and from the BEA first grade teachers. Also approved accepting a $2,000 grant from the Minnesota Department of Children, Youth and Families.

• Approved the hirings of paraprofessional Airyana Shaffer, elementary teacher Jack Mellstrom, long term subs LeAnn Boettcher and Esther Nelson, volunteer wrestling coaches Randy Wirtjes and Dave Pfaffinger; land changes for Sara Albright, Ann Crofton, Lindsey Norman and Christine Hodges.