It was a topic that evoked the least discussion and required little time, but it was a vote of confidence for the current leadership of the West Fargo School Board.
Duane Hanson was unanimously re-elected as the Board president, while Angela Korsmo will remain as the Board's vice president throughout the 2005-2006 school year.
The decision was handed down by the Board on Monday night at a regular meeting, held one week late after the Board decided to postpone its first July meeting (normally held on the second Monday of the month) last June.
Hanson, who has served as the Board president since Jeff Shirley resigned in early 2003, said it was an honor to continue to lead the group.
";I do my best,"; he said. ";Hopefully, that's been enough to keep us on the right track.";
He is the second-longest tenured member of the Board, in the midst of his second full term. At six years, he trails only Korsmo, who will actually be up for re-election in 2006 when she completes her second term.
";I will continue to do my best,"; Korsmo said after being dubbed vice president for a second full year.
In other news, the Board was given a presentation by YHR architect Julie Rokke as the firm enters its design and development stages for the new ninth-grade center and the elementary school located in Eagle Run.
Voters approved those projects, along with a six-classroom expansion at the Early Childhood Center that is well underway, last February with a special bond issue vote.
Rokke showed the Board preliminary drawings of each building, and small-scale models. She also gave the Board a virtual tour of each school thanks to a computer program called Sketch-Up, which literally allowed a cyber-walkthrough of both buildings.
";Things are on schedule and progressing very well,"; Rokke said. ";The costs that we're hearing are a little bit higher than we expected. Roofing costs, for example, have almost doubled since we did the Cheney Middle School.";
That building was complete last summer and opened in August of 2004.
Rokke said the design and development stage will last through early fall, as the YHR team discusses design attributes and necessities with ninth-grade teachers and administration, along with elementary administrators.
The initial documents (blueprints and maps) should be completed by the new year, and bidding could be done for the project at that time, Rokke said.
Ground could be broken for both schools by the spring thaw next year. Both buildings are slated to open in 2007.
";I think we very much like what we see so far,"; Chuck Cheney, superintendent of West Fargo schools, said.
The Board will meet again next Monday at the Leidal Education Center for its second meeting of the month. The District is set to delve into next year's budget at that meeting, which will begin at 6 p.m. at the LEC Board Room. |
