The Blue Earth Area School Board took a look at the new floor in the high school common area, complete with a large Buccaneer mascot in the center.

With the start of school just two weeks away, the Blue Earth Area School Board spent almost its entire meeting on Monday, August 12, discussing things related to the start of school.

But the meeting had only just begun, and all discussion about the upcoming school year was interrupted before it had even begun because one of the board members wanted to add some items to the agenda.

Board member Mark Franta said he wanted to add a discussion about why the Blue Earth Area lost so many teachers and also add an agenda item to address how to hire more substitute teachers.

Board chair Sarah Hauskins said the applications would have to be dealt with individually.

After board member Kyle Zierke seconded the first motion, other board members made some comments. One asked if it would be better to bring the data to a work session for discussion.

“Whatever would be best,” Said Franta. “But we already had people here on this issue (at a previous meeting), so it would be best if we spent our time discussing it.”

Zierke added that in his opinion what has been done has been done, but the board needs to look at how things can be done better.

“We are there for the students,” he said. “And it’s hard to find people for these positions.”

Chairman Hauskins suggested that the board consider the issue for a few months before school starts.

Board member Ted Armon added that it is important to remember that the board is not the manager of the district, but rather the administrator. And board member Jeff Eckles added that such a work session, if it were to take place, should be held in late September or early October.

After all the discussions, the motion to put the discussion on the loss of teachers on the agenda was rejected by 5 votes to 2.

Franta made a second motion to add to the discussion on hiring more substitute teachers, but it failed due to the lack of a second motion.

The Board then voted 6-1 to adopt the agenda, with Franta voting against, and the Board moved on to the regular meeting agenda.

Classes at BEA High School begin on Monday, August 26, and classes for grades Kindergarten through 7 begin on Wednesday, August 28.

From the superintendent’s and principal’s reports to most of the other action items, everything had to do with the new school year.

Superintendent Mandy Fletcher provided the board with an update on summer work projects and led the board into the high school common area to view the newly installed floor featuring a large Buccaneer logo.

The principals reported on all the upcoming back-to-school teacher workshops, the Bucs Bash, and other plans for the upcoming start of school.

Activities Director Travis Armstrong reported on the start of fall sports training and said participation numbers have increased.

This fall, over 80 students participate in football, 60 in volleyball, 22 in cross country, and 24 in tennis. Nine students also participate in cheerleading.

Armstrong also noted that there will be two new activities at BEA in the upcoming school year. One is e-sports, which will start in November, and the other is a drone racing league.

Armstrong also mentioned that strength and conditioning workouts will continue this fall with trainer Elizabeth Stallman.

Armstrong also mentioned that the printable sports and activity calendars in PDF format are returning this year and should be available soon.

As part of further measures for the start of the new school year, the BEA Board has decided the following:

• Approved the elementary, middle and high school handbooks. One of the panel’s questions was about cell phones. The response was that they would not be allowed in class unless the curriculum required it to comply with new state guidelines.

• The fall sports coaches list was approved. One name was added: Jay Armstrong, who will serve as a volunteer football coach.

• Approved the crisis management plan and the bus drivers’ contract for 2024-2026.

• Approved a long list of personnel changes, including: resignations of elementary school teacher Samantha Landsteiner and math teacher Carissa Maday, and aides Monica Robbins, Taylor Robbins and Savannah Lane; lane changes for Nick Milbrandt and Lindsey Norman; hiring of elementary school teacher Rachel Koopmeiners, high school agriculture teacher Emma Fischer, elementary school art teacher Amanda Walters, and aides Krystle Gapol and Linda Garza; contracts with gifted and talented teacher Rachel Petersen, FFA advisor Nick Milbrandt and student support coordinator Jessica Holland; retirement of accountant Karen Hougen.