Besides being the first meeting overseen by new Superintendent of Schools Stacey Fager, Monday’s USD 257 Board of Education meeting witnessed the election of a new board president — Dan Willis.
Willis, a current board member who replaces outgoing president Tony Leavitt, will be aided by newly named vice president Mary Apt.
As befits the first meeting of the new administrative year, Monday’s meeting was a flurry of pro forma activity: the board set its official monthly meeting dates, adopted the school calendar, established school lunch prices (a 10-cent increase from last year), rescinded the prior year’s board policies and action, established credit card and petty cash limits and approved the rate of pay for substitute teachers ($90 per day).
THE HIGHLIGHT of the night was Donna Houser’s progress report on the work she’s done in spearheading large-scale renovations at the football stadium in Riverside Park.
Fixes have included improving the entrance into the home locker room, re-plumbing both dressing rooms, the clean-up and repainting of the interior and the addition of a ventilation fan to the visitors quarters.
Demurring from her family’s insistence that she submit herself to an 80th birthday party in the coming weeks — “I don’t want cards, I don’t presents, I don’t want anything,” said Houser — she is following her eldest daughter’s advice and is asking anyone inclined to send her a birthday card to instead make a donation to the ongoing efforts in Riverside Park. “Every little bit helps, truly,” said Houser.
“The support she’s gotten so far for this stadium has been a tribute to Donna and the way she communicates with this community,” said Superintendent Fager. “I can’t wait for the open house at the start of the football season. It’s amazing what she’s able to do in this town.”
IN OTHER NEWS, discharging their obligations as Bowlus Fine Arts Center trustees, the board approved the appointment of Susan McKinnis to the Bowlus Commission.
Finally, the board approved the resignation of Stephanie Bycroft as Jefferson Elementary receptionist and the hiring of Natasha Hurst, high school bookkeeper.
