Nevis School will have a spring break in 2024

Families and staff in the Nevis School District will have a week off for spring in 2024, following approval of the new calendar at Monday night’s school board meeting.

According to Dean of Students Shawn Klimek, the staff were presented with two options for the calendar. The first option represented a typical school year with days off spread out throughout the year. The second option combined five days off into the month of March, prior to Easter. March is usually the longest month off without days off.

It was reported that 71% of faculty preferred the spring break option. The spring break is scheduled for March 25-29, 2024. The calendar approved also features a week off for winter break as has been done in the past.

A new bus costing $127,702 will be purchased using the Minnesota State School Bus Cooperative Purchasing program through North Central Bus & Equipment, Inc.

Superintendent Gregg Parks explained that this cooperative purchasing program allows the state to negotiate the best prices for everyone so that they do not have to receive multiple bids. “We plan to use the lease-purchase option once again to allow us to spread the payments out over three years,” he said. “North Central currently has the bus on hand and will reserve it for delivery in July allowing us to use (fiscal year) 2024 funds. Our plan is to replace the oldest route bus (Bus 10), which is a 2006 bus with around 250,000 miles.”

In other business, the board:

• Approved transitioning Parker Torkelson from a regular bus route driver to a substitute driver as he requested.
• Approved spring coaching staff. Kevin Longtin will be the assistant track coach for the district and Bill Dent will be the junior high assistant baseball coach.
• Heard the district’s cash balance as of Jan. 31 was $1,707,845.
• Accepted donations totaling $3,393, which included a $2,000 donation from the Nevis Fire Persons for the community education football program and a $500 donation to basketball transportation from Israel Moe. 
• Approved updates to school district policies dealing with weapons, attendance and student dress and appearance, in accordance with Minnesota School Board Association guidelines.
• Completed the first reading of changes to the student sex nondiscrimination policy.
• Heard that the student council is planning a rec night and a spring fling.

The next board meeting will be at 7 p.m. Monday, March 27 in the school media center and on Zoom. A listening session with one school board member will be held from 6:15 to 6:45 p.m. in the school media center. To join the school board meeting via Zoom, contact Lynne Gustafson at 218-652-3500 ext. 100 or lgustafson@nevis308.org for the link.