The
week of March 16 will mark spring break in the Menomonie Area School
District. Whether traveling, working, spring cleaning, or just relaxing,
students and staff members will have the opportunity to enjoy some time
away from the daily routine that we all have become so accustomed to
over the past several months of school. Spring break can also be used to
take a step back to review the progress that has been made so far this
school year, and to get ready for the final push toward graduation and
the last day of school before summer vacation.
From
the central office perspective, this time of year is important for
getting ready to finish the year strong and continue making preparations
for the future. There has already been much discussion regarding the
planning that is taking place for next year’s budget, but we also will
continue to monitor this year’s figures to bring the budget in on
target. The continued analysis and evaluation of instructional
programming and staffing will lead to important decisions as employee
contracts for next year are considered and updates to curriculum
resources are ordered. Plans for summer school programming are well
underway, and a schedule for summer cleaning and maintenance at our
facilities is becoming a more pressing priority.
With
the spring election just weeks away, the community will have the
opportunity to elect officials who will play a critical role in setting
policy, approving budgets, and setting the future vision for our school
district. Running for the three available seats are current school board
president, Colleen Davis, and new school board candidates Urs
Haltinner, James Swanson, Semone Thomas, and Todd Welch. To help
electors make an informed choice for this very important decision, a
candidate forum will be held on Tuesday, March 24 at the United
Methodist Church located at 2703 Bongey Drive. The public is welcome to
attend the forum that is scheduled to start at 7:00 p.m.
The
weather has already started to change, so more children can be seen
using the sidewalks, parks, and bike paths in Menomonie. It won’t be
long and students from MHS will be traveling almost daily to Wakanda
Park for baseball and softball events. We all need to remember the
importance of slowing down and diving with caution when children are
present, and please remember that it is illegal to pass a school bus
when the blinking red lights are on.
Should
school stakeholders have any questions about the school board candidate
forum, or anything else in our school district, I invite you to visit
the Administrative Service Center on Pine Avenue or contact me at
715-232-1642. More information about our schools can be found on the
school district website (www.sdmaonline.com) and on Twitter (www.twitter.com/sdmaonline).