Big-ticket item purchases to be accelerated

Big-ticket purchases usually made by the Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn Community School District later in the year are on course to occur this fall.

Items specifically discussed at the Sept. 14 school board meeting are buses and technology. Superintendent Patrick Carlin recommended those purchases be made now rather than waiting until next spring.

“It sounds like a good idea to me,” Board Member David Vander Broek responded.

According to the August transportation report, six of the district’s buses have in excess of 150,000 miles – including one with nearly 250,000 – and all except the bus purchased in 2019 have over 100,000 miles.

Transportation director Kevin Soden said one bus has recently required significant repairs and another is “burning oil bad.”

Estimates for a new 84-passenger bus range between $120,000 and $125,000. Carlin said that seatbelts are required in all new buses, which impacts the purchase price.

Another option is to purchase off-lease buses. As of the meeting, one vendor had two 2018 models with 36,000 and 41,000 miles, respectively. According to discussion, each bus would cost $80,000.

“I can see some advantages buying off-lease,” Soden said. “They are cheaper, but you have 40,000 miles on it.”

Board President Scott Heetland felt the district should try to purchase both off-lease units and get rid of two older ones. The consensus of the board was to confirm that warranties would transfer and, if they do, attempt to purchase both.

Technology purchases set to be finalized next month include televisions for high school classrooms. The wall-mounted TVs are similar to those in use at the elementary school. Carlin said they will cost between $70,000 and $75,000.

Another TV and computer will be purchased for the high school security system so camera images can be projected on a separate screen.

According to Carlin, capital projects and physical plant and equipment funds will finance the proposed purchases.

• Building goals, traffic flow

Staff at all three buildings are committed to continuing the professional learning communities. PLC is a collaborative effort intended to help teachers improve instruction and student learning.

The middle school leadership team identified the following goals: 100 percent commitment to the PLC process; leadership for the wellbeing of students and staff, especially focusing on virtual learning and teaching, and the mental health of students; and transition to the new building.

According to Principal Mark Dorhout, another goal is improved participation in co-curricular and extracurricular activities.

The high school staff is also working within PLC groups. Staff will also use data from formative assessments to improve instruction and utilize intervention time to best help students.

Principal Nate Hemiller said that changes to intervention time have “shown signs of success. The high school students appreciate the extra work time and the additional help from teachers.”

Other building goals are to continue writing across the curriculum and increasing skills needed to teach virtually “when needed and applicable.”

Principal Cathy Jochims reported that collaboration among elementary teachers is expanding, both as part of the PLC process and because of the new facility. She is pleased with the initial implementation of Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports which emphasizes the 3R’s of respect, responsibility and relationships, and with early acceptance of Illustrative Math.

“It is awesome to see how students are adapting to the new curriculum,” she said.

Parent drop-off and pick-up of students at the new building are also going well.

“No one has been hung up trying to get onto the highway,” Jochims noted. “[The process] is safer for our students and more efficient for our parents.”