Sandbulte, Deutsch retire from school board

The two retiring Luverne School Board members adjourned the final meeting of 2020 and ended their service on the board.
Colleen Deutsch, who served 20 years, made the motion to close the meeting with Shelley Sandbulte (10 years) seconding the motion.
Vice chairman Eric Hartman conducted the informal tribute to each before accepting the motions. Sandbulte, who works as a clinical psychologist, participated in the meeting via Zoom.
“Shelley: you possess a tenderhearted and sweet presence, sensitivity and compassion,” he said.
“These traits guided you in all decisions in a manner to always do what is best for our students. You meticulously focus on listening at all that is said in the boardroom and, likewise, what is said in personal conversation anyone has had with you. You always looked after us with respect and concern in and out of the board meetings.”
Deutsch attended her final board meeting in person, and Hartman thanked her for her longevity and expertise.
“You’ve been that go-to person when the rest of us were looking for some experienced options or insight,” he said.
“On behalf of myself, and I think everyone else in this room, thank you for your dedicated service to the Luverne School District, our citizens, our staff and especially to our students past, present and future.”
(See the related story about Deutsch’s retirement.)
 
Driver’s ed fees increase $5, effective next session
Lisa Nath, Community Education director, asked board members to increase fees for the Student Driver’s Education program.
The board approved the increase at their Dec. 17 meeting. Board chairman Jodi Bosch was not in attendance and did not vote.
Nath made the request in a letter to Superintendent Craig Oftedahl.
“I recommend we raise the fee to $340 per student — $5 higher than it was for the 2019-2020 Driver’s Education Program,” she wrote.
Nath estimated program expenses of $29,401 including classroom and behind-the-wheel training. With an estimated 90 eighth- and ninth-grade students enrolling in the program next year, the program would net a positive balance of $1,591.
Fuel costs for the use of the district car for behind-the-wheel instruction remains the same at $40.
Brian Snyders is the current classroom driver’s education instructor. Behind-the-wheel instructors are Paula Lammert, Don Plahn and Amy Labat.
 
In other business,
board members:
•Accepted the resignation of Avery VanRoekel as junior varsity/ assistant volleyball coach, C-squad assistant girls’ basketball coach and JV assistant/assistant softball coach; Fabiana Brockberg as middle-high school paraprofessional; and Diana Erickson as Business Professionals of America adviser.
•Hired Sarah DeBeer as girls’ basketball C team coach, Katie Kopp as BPA adviser, Megan Elgersma as special services administrative assistant, Madison Crabtree as middle-high school paraprofessional, and Kaden Erickson, Lance Ripka and Makayla Sterrett as volunteers for the boys’ hockey, wrestling and girls’ hockey teams respectively.