District receives $500K donation

NEW BREMEN - School board members on Wednesday learned the district has received an anonymous $500,000 donation.

Treasurer Jill Ahlers said the funds have been earmarked for use in the new building project. The pre-K-8
building is expected to be ready for the opening of the 2020-2021 school year.

Technology director Brian Puthoff presented more details about the one-to-one initiative officials plan to begin at the start of the 2019-2020 school year. The committee, consisting of Puthoff and several staff and district principals, has chosen Chromebooks and the Google Learning Management System, which comes at no cost to the district. The first Google training for the staff is on April 18. Plans call for committee members to become certified Google teachers.

The initiative will proceed this fall with each fifth- and nine-grader receiving a Chromebook, which will be used for four years before being replaced. The process will be repeated each year for four years until all students in grades 5-12 will be equipped with their own device.

Costs of the units will range from $270 to $380 each and will be offset with a technology fee of $50 being assessed for each unit issued. Puthoff said the goal is for "students to become the producers, not just the users of information."

Ahlers told board members that the district's current accounting and payroll software is being phased out. The district has two options: converting to the new Redesign State Software or another called E-Finance Plus.

She presented information on both, saying, "the E-Finance software contains many features and benefits that are not available in Redesign." This plan includes a $20,000 conversion fee and a per-student cost. Members plan to choose a program at the March meeting.

Superintendent Jason Schrader reported that the new building project is in the bid stage and was happy with the number of prospective bidders who have expressed interest in the project.

The roof of the junior high gym needs immediate repairs at five different places, he said. The cost is not to exceed $2,900.

Plans were announced to purchase the district's first gas-powered school bus. Officials hope the purchase of the 78-passenger bus leads to lower maintenance costs than the diesel-powered units.

Supplemental head coaching contracts were extended to the following for the spring sports season: Mark Sharp, boys track; Chad Williams, girls track; and Chad Wells, baseball and facilities coordinator. Assistant coaches for track will be Julie Ferguson and Kris Kuck. Junior varsity baseball coach will be Cory Stephens, with assistants Will Hoskins, Logan O'Neill and Jack Gilberg leading the freshman team. Lindsey Roiberg and Seth Williams will coach the junior high track program, assisted by Cody King and Joel Niekamp.

Board members also,

• accepted the retirement of cafeteria employee Kendra Knapke. Schrader thanked her for her 30 years of service to the district.

• invited community members to provide input on the use of Federal Special Education Funds at the next board meeting, set for 7 p.m. March 20.

• informed the community the 2019 fund drive for the New Bremen Education Foundation has begun. Last year's drive resulted in $88,270 awarded in scholarships to the graduating class. More information can be found at newbremenfoundation.org.

• congratulated Erin Smith, who was chosen as the Franklin B. Walter award winner in the senior class, and spelling bee winners Emma Eshleman and Sophia Eidson.

• recognized the following community members who volunteered their time during the 2018-2019 school year: Tom Thieman, junior high girls basketball; Chris Keller, baseball; and Mark Cisco, softball.

• members met in executive session to discuss personnel with no action taken afterward.