HNS Board working to improve parking at school

HARTINGTON — Parking on Hartington’s streets near the schools could soon be easier to come by, thanks to a decision Monday by the Hartington-Newcastle School Board.

The Board agreed Monday to accept a $51,000 proposal from Stockwell Engineering to design a 32-spot parking lot southwest of the elementary school and just west of the elementary playground.

It’s estimated the construction itself would cost $300,000.

Parking has long been a problem at the school with vehicles often filling all of the parking spots along Broadway, Park and Madison streets.

It’s estimated the school would be able to take bids on the project in February and have the work done some time after that.

Also Monday, the Board approved the new negotiated compensation package with the Hartington Education Association.

When health insurance increases and improved pay for extra duties are figured in, the new package amounts to about a 3.2 percent increase, Supt. A.J. Johnson said.

The new agreement calls for a base pay of $41,300 — a $400 increase over this year’s base pay.

Most of the compensation package increase is in the increased cost of health insurance, Johnson said. Health insurance rates increased by over seven percent this year, he said. This amounts to the school having to pay a combined $40,000 more in insurance to cover all the teachers, he said.

The board also accepted a $14,500 bid from Suter Services of Sioux City, Iowa for a new HVAC system for the Newcastle school gym. This is a gas system that will greatly reduce the cost of heating the gym. It is expected to be much more efficient than the electric heating and cooling system now being used at the facility, Johnson said.

Johnson said this is another step toward getting the property ready to be transitioned over to the Newcastle Village Board. He is hoping some sort of an agreement to do that could be finalized early next year.

The board also voted Monday to transfer another $50,000 to the school lunch program. This is needed because of increased costs for food and because of decreased federal assistance.

Johnson said the board may have to consider raising the school lunch rates at its December meeting. The current rates just are not sustainable, he said.

Johnson said he is not expecting any teacher retirements this year as the Nov. 1 deadline has passed without any requests for teachers to take part in the school’s early retirement incentive program. The school offers to pay for one year of a teachers health insurance costs or the cash equivalent of that, if they apply for the early retirement program before the end of October.

Elementary School Principal Sarah Edwards told the board a new Elementary School Student Council has been created. It is made up of nine students voted on by their peers to represent them.

The council meets every other week to plan for future ideas. The council planned Red Ribbon Week activities, brought attention to things that needed to be attended to on the playground, and helped to plan for American Education Week with the high school Student Council.

Students and teachers did activities to promote good choices during Red Ribbon Week. The Elementary Student Council members also read stories to each class about promoting positive and safe choices.

A book swap was a success in the elementary as well, Edwards said. Books were donated and every student had the choice to pick out a book. This program was put together by seventh graders Danika Kleinschmit and Samantha Thoene for their FCCLA Star project.

Edwards said students recently donated 727 items to the local food pantry.

American Education Week will feature dress up days, and the Booster Club is bringing in Smarties to hand out, she said. The Student Council will provide teacher goodie bags and thank you cards on Wednesday.

Also Monday, the board heard a presentation from kids in the elementary school STEAM program and their instructor Amber Davies.

The next HNS School Board meeting is set for Dec. 15 at 5:15 p.m. in the school’s Consumer Science room.