Charter schools

report to board

District 88 elects officers

By KREMENA TODOROVA

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- At its first meeting of the year, the District 88 Board of Education Thursday elected officers, heard reports from administrators at the Lafayette and Hanska charter schools, and gave a preliminary look at a five-year facilities improvement plan.

On unanimous votes, the board re-elected Susan Ullery chair, Steve Wachter vice-chair, Susan Nierengarten clerk, and Brian Wieland treasurer. All will serve one-year terms.

The board also voted to keep compensation for board members at $1,200 a year, with $35 paid per extra meeting and $70 per day-long training session.

Sheila Howk, lead teacher at the charter school in Lafayette, and Dan Ragan, part-time director at the charter school in Hanska, made lengthy reports, detailing the two sites' enrollment, financial positions, test scores, staffing and student composition.

The two schools are sponsored by District 88, which is scheduled to decide whether to renew this commitment at the end of the school year.

Student enrollment at the Lafayette Charter School increased from 35 students in 1999-2000 to 43 in 2000-2001 and 58 in 2001-2002, said Howk.

In Hanska, enrollment decreased from 47 students in 1999-2000 to 43 in 2000-2001 and 30 in 2001-2002, said Ragan.

The fund balance in Lafayette after its first year in operation was about $90,000. After its second year, the balance dropped to $48,000, which Howk attributed to excessive heating costs and purchasing new material.

The fund balances at the Hanska school were, respectively, $88,390 after the first year and $142,868 after the second.

On the basis of lower-than-anticipated tests scores, both Howk and Ragan acknowledged weaknesses in the schools' math instruction. Both reported they have replaced their math curriculums.

District 88 Superintendent Harold Remme stressed, however, that a deeper look at how the two schools stack up against their peers would provide a clearer picture of student performance.

As a sponsor, District 88 is responsible for monitoring the charter school finances, their compliance with state regulations and student achievement.

A sponsoring district could potentially be liable for financial mismanagement in a charter school. It also has a stake in the quality of education provided, as charter schools 'feed' students into the public school system after a certain grade level.

In another development, the district looked at a preliminary plan for capital improvements over the next five years.

The plan was compiled by principals and lead custodians, said District 88 official Scott Hogen.

Hogen highlighted the potential big spending items for next year: carpet replacement at the Annex, Jefferson and Senior High sites; seal coating parking lots and playgrounds; and eliminating moisture and air quality problems at the Middle School.

These items would cost a combined $400,000 to $500,000.

The money would potentially come from a reserve fund of $1 million and from other revenue.