The outside temperatures this week versus last have been a marked improvement. With winter in full swing with all the snow and cold we have seen this year, to have bids going out for de-humidification (or air conditioning) seems like a very distant wish list item. This is the case however as the projects continue to move forward through the bidding and construction process.
The bid process will actually be done in two phases, with the first bids being let for the heavy equipment that will service the buildings and provide the needed air circulation improvements. The second phase, which will follow in March, will contain the remainder of the work needed to accomplish the ends set forth in the original project, as well as all the alternates for which bids will be taken. The ability to include these additional projects is due to the competitive bid process results on the first part, or the Elementary construction portion of the project. It will be a very interesting couple of months coming for the district.
Winter is also an extremely busy time for students in our schools. Registration for classes, the start of “senior privileges”, and all the extra and co-curricular activities that take place keep our student body active and engaged through much of the winter. Besides all the stuff going on for the older kids, younger ones seem to be able to compete if they like, nearly every weekend in a sport as well. We are fortunate again to have parents volunteer to take on these responsibilities that lend opportunities to our kids.
I imagine many of you have heard talk from St. Paul concerning the budget deficit that the state faces over the next two years, and probably beyond that. There were many “quick fixes” undertaken in the last session that, of course, passed along the issues to the current legislative body. As such, it is the belief of school administrators that funding will continue to be flat for at least the next two year period. As a district, the board and superintendent will deal with this in much the same way we have in the past three years of flat funding, by allocating money frugally and keeping the best interest of students at the front of the decision making process. Thanks for your continued support of the district.