The Exira-EHK School District’s Board of Education held a meeting Monday evening. Superintendent Trevor Miller told KJAN News there were no comments about the budget during a public hearing, and the budget as presented was approved later on during the session. Miller said there is a four-cent decrease in the property tax asking, from $12.04/per $1,000 assessed valuation, to $12.00/$1,000. Miller said they managed to drop the levy four-cents, even though they’ll still be paying on their bond. He recommended, and the Board agreed, to pay their Classified Staff and other personnel not only through April 30th, but through the closure of their contract year.

He said “There’s enough uncertainty going on, and we wanted to make sure that our staff’s taken care of and have one less thing to worry about….As a school district we value our employees  and we want to make sure they’re taken care of so we keep them, and they’ll be back in the fall.” Mr. Miller said also, the Exira-EHK Board approved Certified Teachers, Support Staff and Administrative salaries. The total package increase, including insurance, was 3.5-percent.

The Board also approved Amanda Nelson as School-Based Interventionist, and acted on other personnel matters, including Katie Boehm, who will transfer from 2nd Grade to 5th Grade. Jen Petersen and Connie Jessen will switch from teaching to TLC full-time instructional coaches. Along with that, Irene Blazek was hired as Special Education Instructor, and Cami Bruck was hired as a 2nd Grade teacher.

Trevor Miller said also, the district continues to serve meals to students during the COVID-19 pandemic. He says they handed-out 66 meals the first week. Yesterday (Monday) they were up 126. The meals cover the whole week. The district’s updated, voluntary Distance Learning (Online) plan started Monday. Everyone (Students/teachers/parents) is encouraged to participate in the program.