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*The board approved a calendar for the 2006-07 school year. It includes 171 student days and 184 teacher days. The first day of school will be Tuesday, Sept. 5, as Labor Day is Monday, Sept. 4.

Other holidays for students are: Thursday, Oct. 5 (early out), teacher inservice; Thursday and Friday, Oct. 19 and 20, MEA break; Monday, Nov. 6, quarterbreak day; Thursday, Nov. 16 (early out), and Friday, Nov. 17 (all day), parent-teacher conferences; Thursday and Friday, Nov. 23 and 24, Thanksgiving; Monday, Dec. 25, to Monday, Jan. 1, holiday break; Monday, Jan. 15, Martin Luther King Day; Friday, Jan. 19, quarterbreak day; Thursday, Feb. 1 (early out), and Friday, Feb. 2 (all day), parent-teacher conferences/registration; Monday, Feb. 19, President's Day; Tuesday, Feb. 20, teacher inservice; Thursday, March 8 (early out), teacher inservice; Monday, March 26, quarterbreak day; Thursday, April 5, teacher inservice; Friday, April 6, and Monday, April 9, Easter vacation; and Monday, May 28, Memorial Day. The last day of school will be Thursday, May 31.

Teachers will have their last inservice day on Friday, June 1. Graduation is tentatively scheduled for either Sunday, June 3 (if the office paperwork can be completed in time), or Sunday, June 10 (if more time is needed before graduation).

*The board took no formal action following a public hearing concerning the district's transportation policy, held earlier that night in the auditorium. (See story on page 1.) The board's transportation committee is expected to meet soon and continue work on revisions to the district's transporation policy, which will be brought back to the board.

*The board heard a report from its finance committee that it is still investigating the district's roof problem. The district has been patching its roofs, but more substantial repairs (replacement) may be warranted.

With technology and other needs, the district's capital fund is declining. In 2007, the district can levy for capital, under a change in state law. At $48 per pupil, this should mean about $59,000 for the district per year, said Burlingame.

Even with this money, said board member Mark Dingmann, who serves on the finance committee, it would take ten years to replace the roofs at all three buildings (elementary, middle, and high school).

A voter-approved levy might allow for more substantial improvements, as well as address other needs, he said.

*The board also heard a lengthy report from elementary principal Deb Gillman. First, Gillman recapped the recent teacher inservice, thanking the board for the time for teacher training and sharing, calling it valuable time.

Second, she informed them that kindergarten screening was going to be done slightly different this year, with parents in groups in order to share information and students in groups to see how they interact and follow directions as well as handle individual skills.

Third, she informed the board that the school may limit the slots for parental preference in the multiage (K-1) classrooms and looping (2-3) classroom for 2006-07. Relying solely on parental requests does not leave the district enough flexibility in balancing classrooms. Maybe two-thirds of the students in these classrooms will be by parental request in 2006-07.

*The board approved a resignation request from elementary teacher Chris Quale, effective at the end of the school year. Quale intends to retire. She has taught in the district for 20 years.

*The board approved extending medical leave for Early Childhood Special Education teacher Pam Pfeifer through Monday, Aug. 28. Teacher inservice for the 2006-07 school year will start on Tuesday, Aug. 29.

*The board also approved extending the long-term substitute contract for ECSE teacher Jessica Kerzman through June.

*The board approved the resignation request from dishwasher/server Diane Schwandt, effective Monday, Feb. 27.

*The board approved extending the hours for paraprofessional Denise Rein, adding an average of 3.75 hours per day, totalling 6.25 hours per day, effective Wednesday, March 1. Rein's hours were extended for her to work one-on-one with a special needs student in kindergarten, superintendent Todd Burlingame told the board.

*The board approved the following athletic coaching assignments for the spring season of the 2005-06 school year: baseball - head, Brad Skoglund; assistant, Tom Ludwig; junior high, Bob Bowden and Chad Campbell; golf - head, Ron Fuchs; assistant, Jeff Meyer; softball - head, Tim Woehler; assistant, Ross Englestad; junior high, Keri Hatlevig and Rick Houske; and track - head boys, Todd Spanier; head girls, Dave Randgaard; assistant, Kyle Nehowig; junior high, Jackie Parsley.

*The board approved continuing its membership in the Southwest/ West Central Service Cooperative for the 2006-07 school year. The district gets its health insurance through this cooperative, with membership costing $586 per year.