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Portions of the Luverne Middle/High School are a little brighter as a $494,000 summer renovation project is finished.
School board members toured the progress Thursday night, Aug. 13, during their regular monthly meeting.
Business manager Marlene Mann conducted the tour that included the media center, art rooms, auditorium, agricultural and industrial arts classrooms.
Lighting was improved in each of the areas as well as the inclusion of a new heating, cooling and ventilation system located in the auditorium’s mezzanines.
Walls were painted in the agricultural areas by district staff and the classroom received a dropped ceiling as part of the new lighting system.
“It looks like a real classroom instead of a part of the ag room,” Mann said.
Each of the renovated areas has brighter, more efficient lighting, which will automatically shut off after 10 minutes if no movement is detected in the room.
In other business, the board:
•Heard the first policy reading on advertising guidelines. Currently the district does not have a policy for advertising or promoting of projects or services to students and parents in the schools.
•Heard enrollment numbers will be similar to last year. Elementary is projected to have 530 students, middle school 267 and high school 375 with a total enrollment around 1,172.
•Accepted the resignation of two-hour food service worker Laura Richters, effective Aug. 1, and social studies teacher and coach Derrick Brown, effective Aug. 11.
For the teaching position, middle/high school principal Ryan Johnson said interviews will be conducted with a suitable candidate starting as soon as possible.
•Approved the hiring of Alexandra Taylor and Karin Moser as part-time paraprofessionals for the Discovery Time Program.