Tea Area’s Venture Elementary construction progressing

The Tea Area school board met Aug. 13 for their regular monthly meeting.

During the meeting, they approved the architect contract in the amount of $169,950 plus expenses for document reproduction not to exceed $3,000 from Koch Hazard Architects for the upcoming addition to the west end of Frontier Elementary.

The board also heard from Jans Corp. and operations manager Wayne Larsen reported on construction progress on Venture Elementary.

Rainy weather at the beginning of August has put the project another four or five days behind schedule. Larsen said the walls for the gym were to start going up Aug. 14, weather permitting. Xcel Energy has set the permanent transformer for the building.

The board approved resignations from Elizabeth Pitcher, high school science teacher; Lisa Jorgenson, paraprofessional; Alicia Peskey, paraprofessional; and Pam Rieck, foodservice.

They also approved the creation of another second grade teacher at Frontier Elementary, an additional bus driver and another teacher at Legacy Elementary for a seventh third grade section.