Mikes take the mic at NR-S

At their regular meeting on Monday, July 11, the New Rockford-Sheyenne school board completed a laundry list of necessary tasks ahead of the 2022-23 school year.

First and foremost was welcoming Eric Perleberg, the latest resident to represent the district on New Rockford-Sheyenne’s School Board. Monday night’s meeting was his first since being elected last month.

Among the board’s and Perleberg’s first tasks was consideration of Rhonda Stevenson’s resignation from her position as the district’s Dean of Students/Counselor.

Stevenson has been part of the staff at NR-S for over a year, and wrote in her resignation letter that she’s “truly enjoyed working with the students and staff at NR-S and being a member of this community.”

However, she added, her daughter is expecting her first grandchild this August and has moved back to Nevada.

“As we all know, ‘life is too short,’” she wrote, “and not to waste what precious time we have with those that we love the most.”

Stevenson added, “I can never say thank you enough to this community and this job. I am truly grateful. New Rockford is my childhood home and my roots run deep here. It will always be where I can come to reconnect.”

The NR-S board voted unanimously to approve Stevenson’s resignation, after being assured by Superintendent Jill Louters that there are already two individuals interested in filling the position.

Also on the agenda was election of officers.

President Mary Kay Price began by nominating then Vice President, Mike Jacobson, to become the new school board president. No other nominations were made and the vote was unanimously in favor.

Price appeared ready to relinquish her seat at the center of the table, and, with laughter and smiles all around, switched spots with Jacobson almost immediately, who carried out the remainder of the evening’s agenda.

Price also nominated Mike Schaefer for the role of vice president, and with no other nominations, Schaefer was voted into the position unanimously.

Committee assignments were then made, and relatively few significant changes occurred, with one notable exception.

As it came time to discuss representation on the board for East Central, President Jacobson put forth Alyson Myhre’s name as a replacement for Principal Avolt Baumbach.

This was the first meeting in approximately nine years that Myhre was not participating in as a board member, but Jacobson was quick to point out that New Rockford-Sheyenne’s representatives to the East Central board aren’t required to be NR-S board members or district employees.

Jacobson made the argument that few in the community understand the relationship between East Central and NR-S better than Myhre, and Board Member Todd Allmaras said community members have represented NR-S on East Central’s board in the past.

Patti Larson was the only board member to suggest another name, bringing up Kathy Anderson as a potential alternative.

The rest of the board seemed to agree that Myhre was a good choice, however, and a motion was carried to elect Alyson Myhre and to re-elect Principal Natlie Becker as New Rockford-Sheyenne’s two representatives on the East Central board. Larson was the only board member to vote against the motion.

The board moved on to approve a litany of other formalities ahead of the coming school year, including the approval of food service prices.

Superintendent Louters made the recommendation to increase the cost of meals for both adults and students by $0.50 and the cost of seconds (entree only) by $0.25.

Among the multiple reasons Louters cited for the increased meal costs were rising product costs (inflation), supply chain problems and “the anticipation of an increase in free and reduced applications due to a rise in the consumer price index.”

The board unanimously approved the new food service prices.

Before adjourning, the board also approved a $20,000 bid from Lesmeister Construction to do concrete work on the main entrance of the school.

The next regular school board meeting is scheduled for Monday, August 8 at 7 p.m.