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Superintendent: Portland Valley Elementary and middle-school addition moving forward; district will continue covering reduced-price meals for now
Summary
Superintendent Larson reported on construction progress at district schools, roadwork affecting routes, free and reduced meal availability and tentative enrollment of about 5,200 students. He urged caution around construction zones as the school year begins.
Superintendent Larson reported to the Brandon Valley School District 49-2 Board of Education that construction projects and school-start preparations are on track and reminded families to plan for roadwork that will affect travel routes.
“Portland Valley Elementary continues to progress nicely,” Larson said, noting that trades are on-site and work is moving toward completion. Larson said the Brown Valley Middle School addition is nearly finished; the parking lot has been completed and light poles and finishing items remain. He asked families to obey safety signage and stay out of construction zones as students return to class.
Larson reviewed operational items for the start of the academic year: staff welcome-back and professional development schedules, a teacher leadership summit on Aug. 15 with law-enforcement keynote speakers, and the academic calendar with the first full day for grades 1–12 scheduled for Aug. 20 and kindergarten starting later that week. He said enrollment at the time of the meeting was “just over 5,200 students,” characterizing that figure as tentative until the official September count.
On student meals, Larson said free and reduced meal applications are open and that the district will cover the cost of a reduced meal for the coming school year. “Free and reduced application from last year is good for, I believe, 30 days into this respective school year,” Larson said, and added that turnaround for new applications is usually processed within a week.
The superintendent thanked custodial and maintenance staff for summer work and noted road construction at Veterans Parkway and Arrowhead Parkway intersections will remain in place for the year; a Highway 42 bridge project remains delayed with a timeline to be determined. He asked drivers to be patient during school bus routing and closures.
The board heard a routine activities update from secondary staff highlighting senior volunteer events, freshman orientation activities and marching band participation. No contested policy decisions or formal changes to district procedures were recorded during the superintendent’s report.
