After a lengthy discussion Monday night at the regular School Board meeting, members of the Board unanimously voted to approve a resolution providing for a referendum election on the question of authorizing the Hillsboro School District budget to exceed the revenue limit by $500,000 for four years for non-recurring purposes.
The referendum will be held Feb. 17, 2015. It will be a non-recurring referendum which would allow the district to exceed the revenue limits by $500,000/year for four years.
It was reported that 65 citizens attended the recent Town Hall meeting at the high school cafeteria to exchange opinions of the referendum.
Other business
In other business, the School Board unanimously:
• Approved a request from the cheerleaders to sanction a 10-day trip to Florida to see the Global Cheerleader Competition at Sea World. Ten students and two chaperones will be leaving on the day after the prom. The trip will cost each one $800, with the expenses raised by several fund-raising events.
• Approved retaining two coaches, Randy Seeley and Steve Mitchell, for the Junior High Girls basketball program.
• Set a fee of $200 for “behind-the-wheel” time in the drivers education class.
• Approved a youth risk behavior survey for middle school and high school students.
Elementary principal’s report
Earlier in the meeting, the Board heard reports from administrative staff members.
Elementary School Principal Cara Wood reported that the traditional gingerbread houses were constructed by young students with parental help last Friday, and next Friday will feature the always enjoyable Christmas cookie decorating.
She also issued a parental reminder that classes will end for the Christmas break on Tuesday, Dec. 23, at 1:15 p.m. Classes will resume on Friday, Jan. 2.
High school principal’s report
High School Principal Greg Zimmerman reported that results from the state-wide ACT exams will be arriving this week. All 9th-grade students took the exam in October. He hopes to have a full report to present to the Board at the next meeting.
Mr. Schraufnagel is meeting with Western Technical College in La Crosse in order to get the new welding class transcribed for dual credit.
The “Drop and Shop” Student Council fundraiser is this Saturday from 1-5 p.m.
Delivery of FFA fruit sales will be next week.
Superintendent’s report
District Superintendent Curt Bisarek asked that a Board Development meeting be held on Jan. 26. That meeting will follow the annual School Board Convention and will be a good opportunity to share what those attending learned.
He also announced that he had approved the Forensics advisors’ plan to have students who sign up to participate in state competition pay the $20 entrance fee. If the student competes at the sub-district level, the fee will be refunded. In the past, some students have been registered by the school and then declined to compete.
The superintendent offered a preview of an item that will be on the Jan. 14 Board meeting agenda. He has been seeking athletic co-op teams with Royall High School for boys’ and girls’ cross-country competition, and will be meeting with Royall representatives this week.
He has been a busy administrator, also meeting with representatives of the Kickapoo, Weston, Ithaca, and Riverdale school districts to discuss the possibility of establishing a school-to-work apprenticeship type of program with local employers. Plans are still in the works.
He also reported to the Board that he had received three open records requests in the past month, with one being denied on the grounds that it was too vague. The decision to deny that request was made after receiving guidance from Hillsboro School District’s legal counsel and the state Department of Justice.
The next regularly scheduled School Board meeting will be held Jan. 12, 2015 at 7 p.m. in the High School Library Conference Room.
