Loyal School Board Discusses Employment Matters

Sunday, July 31st, 2022 -- 10:00 AM

The Loyal School Board discussed employment matters at their meeting on Wednesday.

The board approved the resignations of Andrew Minczeski from his high school science teacher position, Treva Brodhagen from her Title I position, and Kathy Dillenbeck from her special education paraprofessional position.

The Board hired Susan DeBauche as a Long Term Substitute Art Teacher and Darla Abel as a Long Term Substitute Middle School Title I Teacher. The District is still working on hiring an art teacher, science teacher, vocal music instructor, and Title I teacher.

This summer has been a very busy time for the maintenance department. For the District Library, the furniture has just arrived and the new updated area should be ready for the start of the school year.

Most of the new doors are installed; they have some exterior doors that still need to be completed. They are awaiting the new cores for the locks, but the project should be completed for the start of the school year.

Lee Recreation has installed the new playground equipment and new chips have been delivered and will be spread out in the playground area soon. It will be ready for the children to enjoy when school starts.

The air handler above the area that used to be the elementary library will be installed in August.  The five Uni-vents are not in yet. They anticipate that they will be delivered in October and will be installed either during Thanksgiving Break or Christmas Break.

The HVAC above the FACE room has been installed. The exterior elementary wall project is on hold while they work with Ratsch Engineering to find a better R-Value solution.

The new ceilings and LED lighting in 4 elementary classrooms rooms have been installed.  Ten rooms/areas have been upgraded to LED lighting. Seven windows will be replaced in different classrooms and Mike Rueth has been very busy painting rooms all over the building.

The new breakfast/lunch prices will be:

• 4YK-Grade 5 $3.10,
• Grade 6-8 $3.25,
• Grade 9-12 $3.35,
• Breakfast $1.60,
• Adult Breakfast $2.25,
• Adult Lunch $4.00.

The Board of Education approved an additional five minutes to the school day. The school day will now end at 3:25 p.m. The additional five minutes will be added to RTI time to help reduce the overlapping of grades down in the cafeteria for lunch and this will give the district at least two more days of buffer for any cancellation of school. So, now they will have at least four days for any possible school cancellations.

The Board also decided to waive admission fees to all athletic events for the 2022-23 school year. Fall coaches were approved:

• Volleyball: HC - Jaedyn Pieper, JV – Viki Pieper, MS – Kristen Aumann, MS – Sonia Suda;
• Cross Country: HS – Jim Genteman, MS – Randy Aumann;
• Football: HS –Chris Lindner, Cody Halpin, Kyle Damask, and volunteers are Logan Fulwiler, Louie Stieglitz, Doug Dieckma. Middle School is Derek Weyer and Curtiss Lindner.

The District will we be using the Wisconsin State Standards and that they will continue adjustments in our Math, English, Science and Social Studies K-12 curriculum/standards.

The Board approved the use of facility agreement with Clark County to provide mental health services for our students for the 2022-23 school year. They will be meeting with the Recruit and Retain Committee on Monday at 7:00 to finalize the Employee Handbook revisions. They will be approved at the Special Board meeting following that meeting. The Board will be making a final decision on the operational referendum in August.

High School Principal Doug Dieckman reported to the Board that, in the past 30 days, they:

• Made updates to Teacher handbook, student handbook, parent handbook and employee handbook;
• Interviewed a potential “long-term” sub for MS Title 1;
• And MS Washington DC trip was a huge success.

In the next 30 days, they want to:

• Develop a club/advisor “working” handbook for the 2022-23 school year;
• Fill all vacant teaching positions;
• Registration days for 2022.23 school year;
• Fall Sports practices for MS and HS will begin;
• ARC representative will visit with staff on Aug. 5;
• ARC training on Aug. 11. (ELA, SPED and Title);
• MS Orientation Day on Wednesday, Aug. 17 at 6 p.m.;
• Finalize teacher in-service and welcome back plans;
• And finalize the first day with students plan.

A challenge he mentioned is staffing.

Mrs. Dieckman took an opportunity to talk about the ARC program and materials for the middle and high school students. The Loyal Administrator told the board he’s been meeting with the new administrator at Greenwood about possible collaboration ideas; and that the new auditors from Kirby Rose were on site last Friday to do their preliminary audit work.

They also thanked everyone who took time to volunteer at Farm Technology Days in Clark County.

Feel free to contact us with questions and/or comments.