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May 31 set as last day of school at Northeast Hamilton

BLAIRSBURG — The last day of school this year for Northeast Hamilton Elementary students will be May 31.

That was the action taken at Tuesday’s meeting by the NEH school board which approved the change to the school calendar in order to accommodate the many snow days declared this winter.  

Originally, NEH’s last day of school was scheduled for Wednesday, May 29, but with eight snow days to makeup, the district required to add more days to the calendar, said Supt/Principal Mike Kruger.

In addressing the number of snow days this winter, Superintendent/Principal Mike Kruger told the board that several of the staff’s Professional Development days had been cancelled and used instead for student instructional time, said Kruger.

While instructional time for students is based on hours, staff contracts are based on days. In order to fulfill contract obligations, staff will work into early June with that date determined later this week, he said.

In other business, Kruger presented a facilities update, reporting that a sump pump has been installed in the basement of Old Main and the water-damaged walls have been replaced and are ready for painting. Other work to be done includes sealing windows on the second floor of the addition, installing an electrical conduit outside the building for the AC system and replacing a glass panel in the kitchen.

Kruger asked the board for direction on tile for the rental property. By consensus, the board approved the flooring bid of $2,955 from Flooring America. In a related discussion, Board Director Sally Greenfield questioned the future status of the rental property once the reorganization takes effect July 1. Board Secretary Kathy Biere noted that the issue will be addressed after the July 1 reorganization.

The informal board meeting with Stratford, Webster City and Northeast Hamilton is scheduled for Thursday, April 25 with a tour of the NEH campus at 4:30 p.m., followed by the joint board meeting at 5 p.m. The regular meeting of the NEH school board will then take place following the joint meeting at 6 p.m.

Giving a reorganization update, Kruger told the board that NEH and Webster City staff continue to work on the transition. Included in those efforts are establishing ELA standards and determining staff assignments for the TLC program. He also noted that NEH’s Personalized Learning program has been well received.

Reporting on the interim board meeting, NEH President Eric Patterson announced that both the Webster City School District and the teacher’s union have presented initial proposals. Also, WC Board Director Michelle Walters submitted her resignation and the board has 30 days to appoint a replacement.

In reports, Kruger said that March has been a busy month with students participating in the Read Across America, the Lions eye screening, the dental screening by Hamilton County Health and a visit by Jewell Family Dentistry. Fourth – Sixth Grade teacher John Seiser reported that the STEM classroom is the recipient of two grants. The Barlow Family Foundation of Iowa Falls presented NEH STEM with a $2,500 grant and the Department of Natural Resources presented a $3,000 grant which will be used to plant trees around the facility.

Other upcoming events at NEH include: the Pre-K Round-Up on Tuesday, April 2;  VIP/Maker Day on Thursday, April 4; and Family Spirit Night Magician Show on April 11.   On April 16, NEH will host a parent informational meeting concerning the Hamilton County child scholarship program for students in Kindergarten and children aged 3 – 4 years old. The ISU Switch-View-Chew program will celebrate the year’s achievements with a Western Hoe Down on April 18, he said.

The next meeting is April 25 at 6 p.m.

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