Board sets calendar for 2020-21

Luverne School Board members accepted a hybrid of previous school calendars to determine hours of operation and start and end dates for the upcoming 2020-21 school year.
Classes begin 8 a.m., Tuesday, Sept. 8. Classes will end at 3:15 p.m.
School will be in session for 168 days with teachers working 176.5 days, including eight in-service days.
Board members voted 6-0 (treasurer Reva Sehr was absent) for the hybrid calendar at their Feb. 27 meeting.
Board members were presented three options at their March 6 work session.
After the work session, teachers were surveyed and board members based their vote on the teachers’ preference, according to Superintendent Craig Oftedahl.
The approved calendar keeps the 8 a.m. start time instituted the past school years to accommodate construction in the middle-high school and ends at 3:15 p.m.
This is a change from the current ending time of 3:30. Prior to construction, the district had traditionally ended the school day at 3:15.
Commencement exercises were set for Sunday, May 30, 2021.
Board members considered setting graduation in June but opted for the earlier timeframe.
“I think people are going to work with what they have, no matter what it is,” said director Katie Baustian.
If necessary, snow days will be made up at the end of the year, instead of four possible days during the school year.
May 28, 2021, is the last day of school.
“It is almost easier to put them (snow days) at the end because people make plans — sometimes you need to (take a) break,” said director Colleen Deutsch.
The board left the determination of in-service days to staff and administrators.
 
In other business, board members:
•accepted a retirement request from Karen Willers, Community Education and Early Childhood director, effective the end of the current school year.
•accepted the resignation of Bonnie Behr, paraprofessional, effective Feb. 28.
•accepted the resignation of Community Education paraprofessional Angela Sneller effective March 6.
•approved the girls’ softball team coaching changes of Danielle Kneip as middle school coach and the move of Avery Van Roekel from middle school coach to B-squad coach.
• hired Rudi Vennard as speech/language teacher beginning the 2020-21 school year for a salary of $58,029.