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St. Francis Area Schools reports facilities, program and communications updates; abatement‑bond hearing set for Aug. 25
Summary
District staff updated the board on community education, program staffing shortages (drivers ed, childcare), building upgrades including a gym retrofit and indoor‑air quality submission to the state, and a public hearing on parking‑lot abatement bonds scheduled for Aug. 25; a local business donated about $20,000 in field and bench work.
St. Francis Area Schools staff briefed the board on a range of operational and program items including community education, staffing challenges in childcare and driver education, building upgrades and an upcoming public hearing on issuing abatement bonds for parking‑lot repairs.
District communications and community‑education staff described outreach efforts, new alumni spotlights and Hall of Fame plans. The district announced a Hall of Fame induction scheduled for Sept. 26 and a Meet‑the‑Candidates event on Sept. 23 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the district office. Staff also said the district’s voluntary pre‑kindergarten application had been accepted for this fall.
On program staffing, a district staff member said driver‑education availability is limited because licensing is tied to state requirements: "we only have 1 person who's licensed to teach driver's ed" and the staff member described the state licensing pathway that makes it difficult to recruit instructors. The staff member encouraged board members to advocate for regulatory changes to make it easier for schools to license drivers‑education instructors.
Childcare at one site was described as "struggling greatly" because of hiring challenges; staff said the district is prioritizing placements based on need and using a wait list while recruiting additional staff.
Facilities and maintenance staff reported ongoing summer projects: work‑order completion rates have increased, custodial practices and a new custodial handbook are being implemented districtwide, a gym retrofit is nearly complete with a new floor, ADA bleachers and planned LED lighting, and the district is finalizing a project‑services agreement with a design firm identified in the packet as Sidewalk Oak. The indoor‑air‑quality documents were submitted to the state for approval, and staff do not anticipate problems with the review.
A public hearing on potential abatement bonds to repair or replace district parking lots is scheduled for the board meeting on Aug. 25; later in that meeting the board may consider a resolution to approve abatement bonds, staff said.
The district also reported a community donation worth "just over $20,000" from a local business that provided sandblasting and powder‑coating services for benches at athletic facilities. Staff said many employees at that company are district graduates and live locally.
Administrative notes included a special election on Nov. 4 and a candidate filing period that a board presenter said "closes tomorrow at 5 p.m.;" candidates may withdraw on or before Aug. 14 at 5 p.m., the presenter added. The board packet contained a list of policies on first reading (502, 414, 418, 501, 515, 516, 534, 602, 621, 707, 709, 802, 806); a board member said most of those will proceed to final approval and noted policy 602 may not need action because the redline showed no substantive change.
No votes or formal approvals occurred on the items at this meeting; most items were informational updates and staff flagged the Aug. 25 public hearing as the next opportunity for formal public comment and possible action on abatement bonds.
