(Atlantic) The Atlantic School Board discussed and took action on many items on Wednesday. The board kicked off the meeting with two public hearings. One is addressing the proposed 2022-2023 school calendar, along with a public hearing on the high school south parking lot and driveway improvement project.
The school board approved United Construction Services Corp. of Atlantic’s low bid of $429,733.04 for the high school south parking lot and driveway improvement project. The offer came in well under the engineer’s projected cost estimate of $496,436.00.
Dave Sturm of Snyder and Associates, Engineers for the project, stated earlier the parking lot is completely gone and turning into gravel in several areas. The project includes the driveway along the west side of the track and soccer field and the removal of the existing concrete, crushed on-site and used as a base for the new cement. Construction is projected to start when school lets out this spring, with a proposed completion date of August 12.
The board also approved the 2022-2023 school calendar, marking the first day of school by state law on August 23 and the last day of school on May 25. The calendar also includes a winter break from December 22 to January 2, five days of spring break-March 20 to March 24, with the last day of school on May 25.
The board set April 13 for a public hearing on the amended 2021-2022 certified budget and proposed 2022-2023 accredited budget. The board’s proposal for the fiscal year 2023 budget reduces the tax levy from $13.95 per one thousand dollars of valuation the previous year to $13.25 per thousand dollars of valuation for the next fiscal year. The board’s decision to lower the tax levy is to offset the financial impact to property taxpayers due to the 7.09 percent increase in property valuations.
The school board also approved a three-percent salary increase for the central office staff, technology, directors, principals, and school business officials and agreed to provide each social worker with a salary increase of $6,100, for a total of $21,427.
The school board approved the 33 cents per one thousand dollars of valuation on the Physical Plant and equipment levy for maintenance, upkeep, transportation, and technology.
The board also agreed to pay the increase in health insurance to keep the premium the same for the employees.
The Atlantic School Board accepted the following resignations at Wednesday’s meeting: Dave Erickson, Substitute Bus Driver, Rachel Maxwell, Washington Food Service, Janet Adams, High School Food Service, and Emily Hanson, Washington Food Service.
Contracts were accepted for; Rachel Tener, Internal Transfer, Special Education to ESL Para-educator, Erica Vandevort, Preschool Educator, Kerri Denison, Washington Paraeducator, and Kathyrn York Education Teacher at Schuler. The board accepted the following volunteer coaching contracts, Marty Hobson, golf, Josh Rasmussen, boys and girls track; Roger Warne, Boys and girls track; James Northwick, volunteer tennis coach; and Cal Heuton, volunteer Boys soccer.
