L’view board holds first meeting of 2024

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

The Lincolnview Elementary renovation and addition project remains on schedule and should be complete by this spring.

That was the word from Superintendent Jeff Snyder during Wednesday night’s school board meeting, the first of 2024. Snyder is slated to be done by mid-March and he said he may have the board tour the space at the next meeting. Still up in the air – when students and staff members will utilize the new space – this school year or the fall.

“If it makes sense to move kids and staff into those rooms once they’re done we’ll do that,” Snyder said.

The board held a brief public hearing on the 2024-2025 school calendar and Snyder said two different drafts have been made.

“One is exactly what we have this year, that’s draft No. 1,” Snyder said. “Draft No. 2 shows no spring break but we have more days off around the Christmas holidays and around Easter.

The calendar will be up for discussion at next month’s meeting.

Snyder told the board the district remains in need of substitute teachers, custodians, aides and secretaries, and the district’s new website will debut soon. It will have many of the same features and look similar to the current one. He also thanked board members for their service and presented each one with a certificate for School Board Recognition Month.

Lincolnview Jr. High/High School Principal Brad Mendenhall told the board that sophomores will visit Vantage Career Center on February 2, and Elementary Principal Nita Meyer said report cards were sent home last Friday. She also noted the annual elementary Red Cross blood drive will be held from 1-5:30 p.m. Thursday, January 18, at the Community Center.

In other business, the board accepted a $500 donation from the First Bank of Berne for solar eclipse glasses. Board members also approved Rhonda Dannenfelser as a volunteer bowling coach and accepted the retirement- resignation of Eric Miglin as technology coordinator, effective January 31. Miglin has worked for the school system for over 35 years.

Before the regular monthly meeting, the board held its annual organizational meeting and swore in Michelle Gorman, who was re-elected in November, and Ashley Breese, who defeated former board member Brad Coil.

By a 3-1 vote, Eric Germann was re-elected as board president. Board member Mark Zielke cast the “no” vote. Gorman will serve as vice-president. The board set compensation for each meeting at $125 and set 6 p.m. on the third Wednesday of each month as the day and time for monthly meetings, though the board typically shifts meeting days.

The next meeting of the Lincolnview Local Schools Board of Education will be held at 6 p.m. Tuesday, February 20, in the Neubrecht Lecture Hall.