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HARTINGTON - The Hartington- Newcastle School Board granted a local teacher her early retirement request and discussed new regulations concerning school vans at their Monday meeting.
The Board accepted Rita Pedersen’s early retirement request to take advantage of the school’s early retirement program. She will now be eligible to collect a year’s worth of health insurance coverage or the cash equivalent.
Pedersen has long been a fixture at the school, teaching multiple junior high school classes over the years. She also served as the school yearbook advisor for several years.
Prior to joining the staff in 2005, Pedersen served on the Hartington School Board.
“She has worn many hats in her time here and has always been a huge Wildcat supporter,” Supt. Johnson said. “She’s served our school quite well and I’d like to thank her for everything she’s done.”
Also Monday, the board discussed federal regulations that will force the school to update their 12-passenger school vans.
HNS currently has three vans, but none of them fit the new federal guidelines mandating vans can fit no more than 10 passengers in them.
The regulations state a van can be modified by an approved company, but there are no such companies in the area.The companies Supt. A.J. Johson has reached out to will modify a new van, but will not modify a used van.
Johnson said he is frustrated with the regulations as no company currently makes a 10- passenger van so the school will have to buy a 12-passenger van and it have retrofitted.
The Board then voted to approve the purchase of a $60,000 Ford transit van from Woodhouse Ford of Sioux City.
