Students at Viroqua Area Schools will return to the classroom Aug. 22, and the board of education received an update on events leading up to the start of the 2023-24 school year at its meeting, Monday, July 17.
District Administrator Tom Burkhalter said the summer is condensed, as the school year begins early because of upcoming construction.
Burkhalter said new teachers will have two days of in-service Aug. 14-15 and will be paired with mentors. “We want to make sure they feel comfortable and ready to go and start forming relationships.”
Aug. 17 is Back to School Night, and board members will be on hand to welcome students and their families. Burkhalter said the first home football game is that night, and plans are still being made to have a tailgate party for school district families. “We are trying to catch the momentum of having a home game the night of the open house. We want to capture the energy.”
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An all-staff in-service will be held Aug. 21. Burkhalter said Viroqua High School graduate Garth Larson will be the guest speaker and lead some professional development.
Burkhalter gave a facility planning update. He said planning is on track with the timeline and is on budget. The project goes to bid in September, and Burkhalter said local contractors will get to bid. He noted a student is going through the process to become a paid apprentice with Miron Construction; the student will spend part of their day in class and work with Miron. “It’s really exciting that we do have that. There’s a careful vetting of the student.” Burkhalter said construction documents will be complete in September and work will begin in January.
The district administrator said the facility planning update presented by HSR Associates, Inc. and Miron Construction during a school board workshop held just before the regular board meeting, was recorded and will be available on the school district’s website.
Burkhalter gave a report on the summer projects. One of the projects that’s been completed is the elementary school playground. He said the project was completed in early July when the rubber surface was poured and cured.
“It’s gorgeous,” he said. “It was cool to incorporate what was already onsite.” He added the school district will now begin phasing out some of the equipment that has aged out; some of the playground equipment was moved to the elementary school when it opened in 1995. He said as equipment is phased out, the playground will be moved to the back of the building.
The high school gymnasium floor is currently being sanded and is closed until Aug. 14, Burkhalter said. Work on the middle school and elementary school gymnasiums is set to begin July 25.
He said the two-car garage near the kitchen at the middle/high school building will be moved closer to the kitchen and will face the parking lot. The greenhouse behind the middle/high school building will be moved to a new foundation.
Burkhalter said the hydroponics greenhouse will be completed by the end of July and lettuce will be grown first for school meals, and will expand to more produce, except for potatoes and other root vegetables.
He said cleaning of the school buildings is on track. He commended the custodial staff for their work.
Board members accepted the resignations of Riley Abing, high school math teacher, and Maggie Albright, middle school PE/Specially Designed PE teacher.
Angela Cina can be reached at [email protected].