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At WEM we practice BUCS PRIDE.
We are a Respectful, Responsible learning community dedicated to a
Safe and Positive learning environment for all individuals.
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Where did the summer go? It feels like graduation was just the other day, and now we are heading into August. Soon we will be back to school. Are you ready? If you are headed out shopping, don't forget the school supplies list.
This e-newsletter contains a summary of the July school board meeting from Chairperson, Gary Michael, including some information about the construction projects that occurred over the summer. There is information about some new community education classes that were recently added, the upcoming August school board special election, important dates, job openings, and more.
Do you have feedback or ideas for future e-newsletter content? I invite you to contact me. Please spread the word to others you think might like to be added by forwarding this email and/or directing them to the e-newsletter subscription sign-up page on WEM's website. Thank you.
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Margo Kulseth, MLIS
Communications Coordinator
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July School Board Meeting |
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On Monday, July 26, 2021, the WEM school board met virtually for our regular monthly meeting. The meeting started at 6:00 p.m. sharp with all board members attending, along with both principals, superintendent Whitehurst, and Athletics Director / Community Education Director, Jeff Boran. We quickly approved the agenda with no additional items. We then approved May 24 regular school board meeting minutes. Looking back, I’m not sure why we did not approve the June meeting minutes. Oh well, I’m sure that will happen next month.
We then approved financial transactions from June and July. We skipped the June financial transactions last month due to time constraints. There was very little discussion on financial transactions before being approved unanimously.
There were no visitor comments; however, we did discuss at this time what the board meeting process would be moving forward and the indication from superintendent Whitehurst was that soon we would be back at the in-person board meetings and no longer conducting virtual meetings. In fact, the only reason the July meeting was virtual was due to the construction being done in the building.
To that end, I was recently able to tour the building project in Waterville with Mr. Whitehurst. A lot of work still needs to be done, but the progress is amazing. The new boilers are in. Boilers are not a shiny object that all visitors will see, but they will reduce annual maintenance costs and provide a much better HVAC system for the school on a daily basis. There are certainly shiny objects for people to see as well, including new handicap locker rooms and bathrooms near the existing gym, a new security entrance, a new concessions area with seating for kids during the day or for spectators during sporting events, and much, much more. It is all very exciting! We briefly discussed scheduling an open house for the public when the work is complete.
The board approved monetary donations including several donations from the Lions Club. It amazes me how much the Lions Club donates to the local community. They simply do not get enough credit for the efforts they conduct and the impact they have on the local community including the school. Thank you Lions Club!
We approved the following monetary donations:
The board then heard reports from both principals, Jeff Boran, and Superintendent Whitehurst. I will let you read through those in the links below. Note all the awards and accolades mentioned in Mr. Boran’s report. The superintendent report included attempting to schedule a time for the entire board to tour the building in Waterville to see the construction progress and a meeting to canvass the special school board election coming up on August 10. We also discussed an update on the new superintendent search, which is currently on hold until we have a full board again. We have decided to allow the new member to be selected prior to moving forward with any decisions on the structure of the position. We will bring that work to the forefront starting in September.
Joint Principal Report
Bobbie Jo Bastian, Elementary Principal / Jennifer Wilson, 7-12 Principal
Jeff Boran, Community Education & Activities Director
Next on the agenda were action items. All items passed without much fanfare.
We approved the following contracted services:
We approved the following memberships:
Finally, we wrapped the meeting up with personnel decisions, and I was sad to see that Julie Splett was leaving as cook. I was able to spend a few hours with the Waterville cooks and crew this past spring and was very impressed with the work that Julie and other food service staff members (Nancy Culhane, Deneen Schulz, Jeanne Bronstad, Donna Bruske, Becky Fessel) do every day for the district. All resignations, FMLA leave, recommended hires, summer school staff, and coaches were approved.
We approved the following resignations:
- Karlane Jensen, Paraprofessional. Effective May 28, 2021
- Rebecca Lang, Speech Language Pathologist Assistant. Effective June 2, 2021
- Julie Splett, Cook. Effective June 3, 2021
- Sheryl Reed, Early Childhood Special Education Teacher. Effective July 30, 2021
- Carrie Hackney, Cook. Effective Immediately
We approved FMLA (Family Medical Leave of Absence) Request from Tyler Kaus, Elementary Teacher - Beginning on or around September 1, 2021, and Continuing up to 10 School Days.
We approved the following hires:
We approved the following summer school staff:
- Angela Dahlberg, Speech/Special Education - $33.43/hour
- Deb Wollin, Administrative Assistant - $15.47/hour
We approved the following 2021-22 coaches:
Football
- Mike Richards $5,277
- 1st Assistant - Doug Androli $3,761
- 2nd Assistant - Harold Neilsen $3,004
- 2nd Assistant - Bob Ross $3,004
- JH - Dan Lemcke $2,261
- JH - Maurice McCabe $2,261
- JH - Chad Atherton $2,261
·Volleyball
- Head - Crystal Lamont $5,277
- 1st Assist. - Ken Trnka $3,761
- 2nd Assist. - Haley Schaaf $3,004
- JH - Pam Heinz $2,261
Cross Country
- Head - Jon McDonough $5,277
Cheerleading
- Head - Tiffany Schmidtke $3,049
Girls Basketball
Boys Basketball
- Head - Jeff Wagner $5,277
Wrestling
Baseball
Softball
- Head - Crystal Lamont $5,277
Boys & Girls Track & Field
- Head - Mike Richards $5,277
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Gary Michael, Chairperson
Note: WEM School Board meetings can be viewed live via Zoom video conferencing, and the recordings for past meetings are available on the website. The agendas and accompanying documents are also available online.
Upcoming Meetings:
August 12, 2021, 6:00 p.m. Work Session (Tentative)
August 23, 2021, 6:00 p.m. Regular Meeting
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Greenwald Places at Championship |
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Congratulations to WEM junior, Ethan Greenwald! Ethan placed 203 out of more than 1,600 students who participated at the 2021 National Championship USA High School Clay Target League in Michigan on the weekend of July 10-11. Clay Target League/Trap is offered to male and female students in grades 7-12. Anyone interested in participating on the WEM team can contact Doug Androli. Also, they have a Facebook page called WEM Clay Target Team.
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School Board Special Election |
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The WEM School board will hold a special election on August 10, 2021, from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. The following three people have filed to be on this ballot.
• Jon Bakken
• Matthew Klicker
• David Schuster
Voting will be at the city halls in Waterville, Elysian, and Morristown. Absentee ballots are available from Le Sueur County Courthouse in Le Center, MN.
For more information:
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The WEM FCCLA Chapter is looking for blood donors for the Red Cross Blood Drive on Wednesday, August 4 from 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at The Village in Waterville (205 N 1st St. Waterville, MN 56096). Donors will get a free T-shirt and a $10 Amazon gift card. Sign up online or contact Mary White. Learn more about donating blood on the Red Cross website.
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Community Ed Quilting Classes
Quilt as You Go
Fridays, September 15 and 22, 2021
6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
WEM High School Room TBD
Deadline to register is Friday, September 8, 2021.
Beginning Quilting
Mondays, November 15, 22, and 29, 2021
6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
WEM High School Room TBD
Deadline to register is Wednesday, November 10, 2021
Supplies are available for rent or sale. Color options, prices, and other details are provided in the registration forms. Contact class instructor, Lisa Nagel with questions: 507-420-3178.
DNR Firearms Safety Certification
DNR Firearms Safety Certification via the Official MN Hunter Safety Course is required of anyone born after December 31, 1979 to purchase a hunting license in Minnesota and to participate in the High School Clay Target League. Students must complete the online course and register for the field day. Students must also attend in-person field days. From time to time, the Waterville area has field days, which we will try to advertise; however, sites may also be found on the MN DNR site.
Drivers' Education
2021 Drivers' Ed classroom sessions have been scheduled for October 25, 26, 28, November 1, 4, 8, 9, 11, 15, 16 in the Morristown Building from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Details and registration are found on the Drivers' Education page of our website.
School Age Child Care (SACC)
Kindergarten Connection
Kindergarten Connection classes will be held from September 2021 through May 2022. This is for children who will be entering kindergarten in the fall of 2022, and as space allows, 2023. Pricing and additional information are available in the 2021-2022 Kindergarten Connection Registration Form. Bussing to and from daycare is available. The first tuition payment is due at the parent meeting in August. Educational benefits are available for those who qualify. All classes are currently full but contact WEM Community Ed (507-362-4403) later in August to inquire about openings. Those who are currently registered will be contacted by Hannah Kuhnley for entrance conferences in the next couple of weeks.
More Information
To stay up-to-date on WEM activities, consult the Community Education page and Athletics page on our website. Also, keep an eye on the news section at the top of the WEM website, and follow us on social media.
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August 10 School Board Special Election
August 26 New Teacher Workshop
August 30-September 2 Teacher Workday (No School)
September 1 Grades 9-12 Orientation/Open House
September 2 Grades 7-8 Open House
September 6 Labor Day (No School)
September 7 Grades 7-12 First Day of Classes
September 7 Grades K-6 Entrance Conferences
September 8 Grades K-6 First Day of Classes
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WEM has job openings, including the following:
Applications are available on the website or by calling the district office at 507-362-4432.
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WEM SD #2143
500 East Paquin Street
Waterville, MN 56096
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