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HARTINGTON — Hartington-Newcastle School Board members honored Dana Rosener during her last meeting as a member of the board.
Rosener chose not to seek another term after serving on the HNS Board since 2014.
Prior to the 2014 merger between Hartington and Newcastle schools, Rosener was a member of the Newcastle School Board from 2002-2014.
Brett Wiendenfeld was elected to replace Rosener on the HNS Board. Wiedenfeld was in attendance at Monday’s meeting to get an idea how the board works, and will begin his term in office in January.
Also Monday, the Board approved the negotiated agreement with the Hartington- Newcastle Education Association. The new agreement calls for a 3.5 percent increase in the total compensation package for teachers. The new agreement also calls for a $1,000 increase in the base salary.
Structural changes in the salary schedule were also made to give more of an increase to veteran teachers with more education.
The package also includes increased pay for the FCCLA sponsor and for teachers that work during the school’s extra curricular activities.
The Board also agreed Monday to spend an additional $19,300 for increased sound proofing in the new elementary school gym.
Earlier this fall, the school had wall accoustics installed to help soften the noise in the gym.
The first round of acoustics installation did help, but it’s obvious more is needed, Supt. A.J. Johnson said.
‘’I can tell you that there is a big difference in there after we put those panels on the wall. We were actually able to hold a conversation in there,’’ he said.
Johnson said Gemini Accoustical of Sioux Falls, S.D. will install 1,200 square feet of material to be used as ceiling baffles. It will take four weeks to process the materials and two days to install, he said.
This is the same company that installed wall accoustics earlier this fall after it was discovered the new facility was too loud to even hold a conversation while activities were going on.
Johnson also told the Board a new school van is expected to be delivered before the end of the year. The van had to be ordered to stay in compliance with federal laws mandating that vans used to transport students must have a maximum capacity of 10 passengers. The school currently has three vans - all three will need to be replaced as the regulations also make it very difficult to retrofit current 12-passenger vans down to a 10-passenger van, Johnson said.
Also Monday, High School Principal Corey Uldrich said he was pleased with the newly released Neb Education profile report. The report gives Hartington- Newcastle High School and Junior High the highest ratings possible.
The next Hartington-Newcastle School Board meeting will be held at 5:30 p.m., Monday, Jan. 13.
