School board sets dates for public meetings - Fechner submits resignation

At the Jan. 14 Tea Area School Board meeting, the board set up public meeting dates to discuss boundary changes.

Superintendent Jennifer Lowery will present information and data at public meetings on elementary attendance center boundaries Jan. 21 at 6:30 p.m. and Jan. 24 at 7 p.m. at the District Education Center.

Lowery, business manager Chris Esping and operations manager Wayne Larsen have done some preliminary work in regards to discussion on district islands in the Tea Area School District and the Lennox School District and land to be developed in the area. Board president John Herr and member Todd Irvine volunteered to work on the committee, with member Conrad Pick as an alternate. The committee will periodically meet with a similar committee in the Lennox district.

The board approved the resignations of Attia Ibrahim as custodian, Hailey Jones as paraprofessional and Jacky Diehl for TASK, all effective Dec. 21, 2018. They also approved the resignation of Mary Louise Marso for TASK, effective Dec. 28, 2018 and Kellie Lee as paraprofessional, effective Jan. 18.

They also approved the resignation of Chris Fechner as middle school principal and boys basketball coach, effective at the end of the school year. The board approved the resignation of Tom Stadem, who has been a bus driver with the district since the beginning, effective Jan. 25.

The board approved the new hires of Fuad Mratovic as custodian, Stacy Ernster as paraprofessional and Carter Slykhuis for TASK.

Larsen reported on construction progress at Venture Elementary. Steel walls, bar joists and decking in the main classroom area is complete and about 85 percent complete in the office and classroom area on the west end. Plumbing and electrical is being installed throughout the building. Brick laying on the exterior continues. By the end of the week, they should be nearly fully enclosed. They will be heating the ground in the gym, which will probably take a week, before they can pour concrete in that area.