Poll on four-day week to be mailed in next few weeks

LITTLEFORK — In a short review at its third meeting in three consecutive days, the Littlefork-Big Falls School Board Wednesday sized up public input received on a proposed L-BF four-day school week.
At public forums on Monday in Littlefork, and on Tuesday in Big Falls, significant disapproval of a change in schedule for L-BF students was voiced in large turnouts at both meetings. The length of the school day and sport conflicts were among major concerns.
In a crowd of approximately 200 people in Littlefork, individuals were asked to speak with a microphone at a podium Monday. Anita Gray, of the L-BF board, said the board was impressed by the research, organization and articulation of many in the group as they voiced their concerns. Speakers drew applause from the audience when points related to particular issues were made.
Gray said that several parents were worried about fatigue and meal hours for their students, and she added that they seemed to have done their homework — contacting not only the MACCRAY school district and others who have implemented a four-day week to find differences in busing programs and schedules.
Officials, students and community members of the MACCRAY district had previously reported only positive outcomes from the shortened week to L-BF Superintendent Fred Seybert, who also personally visited the area with representatives from L-BF.
The board noted that not only parents, but also other taxpayers attended the meetings. “The students are everybody’s children,” Gray said.
And that’s the reason that the board has decided to send out survey polls to all members of the L-BF school district for a broader response. Taxpayers should expect the surveys in the next few weeks, before the regular December meeting of the school board. The surveys will include addressed return envelopes.
“I’ve heard both pros and cons,” said board member John Mastin. “And I’ve also heard about positives beyond the financial. It’s that middle ground that I hope we hear from also, not just those that are 100-percent for or against.”
Depending on the poll response, the board will decide in December to either drop the current pursuit of a four-day week for the 2009-10 school year and table it until later, or continue with the immediate pursuit.
And the board will promptly get to work on inevitable budget constraints should it decide not to pursue the four-day week for the coming school year. The preliminary budget is due in February. The board will meet in committee before the regular December meeting with recommendations for budget cuts.
Individuals from the public who are interested in being on the committee with suggestions of savings for the district are asked to contact Superintendent Seybert at 218-278-6614. The board is also asking that other general public input on financial savings for the district be directed to Seybert or the L-BF Web site.
In reviewing records of budget cuts made after the early 1980s Insulite shut-down, preliminary suggestions for savings have already been made. Ideas include a 5-percent reduction in office staff, the elimination of free admission of staff to games, shut-down of computers at night, more efficient lighting in the gymnasium and not replacing janitor positions which are vacated.
In other business, Seybert reported to the board a projected bestowal to the district of about $60,000 from the estate of Robert W. Dahlen, previous resident of Big Falls who resided in Oregon. The bequeathal is expected to be received in the spring.
The board approved the mandated 403B plan, a public employee investment plan similar to the 401K plan, which ensures that public employees report investments to the IRS.
The hiring of Christina Foreman as a Title I aide, and Doug Henrickson as L-BF baseball coach, was approved.
An early adjournment of 12:30 p.m. on the Dec. 15 school day for an in-service on the school’s Everyday Math Program was also approved.
For the Student Nutrition Committee, Gray reported discussion of the availability of having high school students trained by the ServeSafe program in line-cooking skills, for eventual work-study programs.