District tackles facilities improvements

Several building improvements will greet students when they return to classes at Luverne Public Schools this fall.
With almost $500,000 to spend on facilities this year, district officials have made use of about 57 percent of the funds or about $289,000 so far.
Included in that amount are recently completed upgrades to the heating and air conditioning systems in both the elementary and middle/high school facilities, and the high school girls’ locker room has received necessary updates.
School board members received an updated revenue/expenditure report at their May 31 meeting.
As of April 30 the district has spent 71 percent of its more than $15 million budget with a little over $4 million still in the district’s operating fund for salaries and other expenses budgeted for this fiscal year, ending June 30.
In its proposed uses of this year’s capital expenditure account, roof work began last week on the high school wing where Roof Systems of Brandon, South Dakota, is replacing the current ballast surface for more state-of-the-art materials.
Cost of the two roofing projects is $302,240.
Other areas (and proposed cost) to be addressed this summer include:
•repainting and refinishing the middle/high school gymnasium floor ($40,000);
­ •installing and rewiring softball scoreboards ($10,000);
­ •installing industrial technology dust collector ($21,000);
­•resurfacing the 10-year-old all-weather track ($41,950);
•tuck pointing and caulking buildings ($45,000);
­ •carpeting and painting elementary special education areas ($13,000);
­ •installing a new phone system ($46,000);
­ •finishing the shower room floor in the middle/high school girls’ locker room ($56,097);
•updating the middle/high school fire alarm ($98,750).
 
In other business, board members:
­•accepted retirements of physical education teacher Mary Jo Graphenteen effective May 20 and elementary custodian Randy Walgrave effective July 31;
­ •approved the resignation of Kerri Baker as softball coach effective at the end of the 2015-16 season;
­ •approved Jessica Quissell’s request to volunteer for the summer special education classroom with Lucinda Rofshus.