Superintendent David Bell used his May school board report to outline an issue he said has been brought up frequently of late: parking at the high school.

More specifically, Bell discussed a small parking lot on the south side of the school, used for the baseball and softball fields. The fields are frequently used for youth sports, but with multiple events often taking place at the same time, the lot overfills in a hurry.

At the time of the 2018 referendum, the lot was an included item. In order to preserve all the fields, a priority at the time, decision makers opted to keep the lot on the smaller side. The lot is also accessed through Southview Road, leading to cars parking along the road, congesting it and creating a safety hazard.

“It was a great addition; it is a great addition. It allows cars to get back there,” Bell said. “But it’s a small lot, and its limited capacity creates issues.”

With hindsight of the growth of youth sports, Bell said the lot could have been made larger, but they did not have the knowledge of the future usage at the time.

“I understand it’s frustrating for people, but we’re working very hard to make sure we have a safe and accessible lot,” Bell said. “Right now, the size just with the need isn’t quite all the way there.”
In the short-term, the lot off Southview will be closed to spectators, used for simply emergency vehicles, coaches, handicap permits and pick ups and drop offs. For long-term solutions, the district is going to determine if converting a field into parking space is desired. Bell said the district should look into plans that increase parking to the baseball and softball fields, provide access from the current high school lot rather than from Southview Road and incorporate pick up and drop off solutions. If a plan does get approved, it will go onto the Capital Improvement Plan.

“This is one of those things where the need is there, that’s self-evident,” Bell said. “Are we going to prioritize having field space or parking space?”

Bell said if they could find a solution where buses enter and exit at a separate location from cars, it could improve the parking outlook.

Policy updates

The first reading of a policy that would have district libraries create an age appropriateness system was heard by the board. The system would serve as more of a guide rather than a rule if the policy is approved. Schools frequently use the reading level system, but that measures whether a student could read the book based on writing style and vocabulary rather than the content included.

A link will be available on the school website for parents or guardians to block their student from checking out specific books from the library if the policy goes through.

“They’re going to be going back and reviewing, making sure that our current collections now meet those standards,” Board Vice President Alan Tuchtenhagen said. “The standards [for selecting library materials] are tighter now and more clear.”

Other business

• Approved the sending of letters of intent to support staff and the bus driver collective bargaining agreement.
• Approved an elementary school goal of having 100% of students be proficient or exceed their yearly growth goal in foundational reading skills as measured by the grade level screening assessment by Spring of 2027.
• Gave a Wildcat Pride Award to student board representative Addison Reisdorfer.

Board Reorganization

The following board reorganization was created during a special board meeting April 28:

President: Stacy Johnson Myers

Vice President: Alan Tuchtenhagen

Treasurer: Mike Miller

Clerk: Lindsey Curtis

Educational Program Committee: Alan Tuchtenhagen (Chair), Lindsey Curtis and Monica LaVold

Finance and Facilities Committee: Mike Miller (Chair), Bo Hirstein and Alison Page

Personnel Committee: Stacy Johnson Myers (Chair), Alison Page and Alan Tuchtenhagen