School Board OKs elementary schools enrollment map

Talk about it

The Jamestown Public School Board unanimously approved a redesigned elementary schools enrollment map that will go into effect the first school day of next year at Monday’s meeting.

Dave Saxberg, director of elementary education for JPS, retooled the old map and presented the new one to the board.

The major change is the elimination of “flex” areas, where students could be enrolled into one of two schools in certain neighborhoods, Saxberg said.

Current students and their siblings will be grandfathered into schools as the change aims to balance the district in the future, he said.

“The changes are minimal,” Saxberg said. “There are some changes but if you currently have a child in school you don’t have to stress over it. I just think it’ll help the district.”

Saxberg broke down the number of students who would attend school in each neighborhood and drafted the new boundaries with that in mind.

The boundaries for Gussner Elementary School now cover a greater rural area to the northwest and northeast. The boundaries for Louis L’Amour Elementary also stretch further south and more westward as well.

The new map will be available on the district’s website as well as at the main office.

In other news the board approved 5 percent raises for Superintendent Bob Toso and Business Manager Sally Ost.

Toso’s annual salary will be $133,126 and Ost’s increases to $83,868 for the 2012-2013 school year.

There was some discussion about whether or not Toso deserved the 5 percent raise.

Board member Shelly Jystad said that while Toso’s performance evaluations have been consistently satisfactory, there have still been members who wanted to see more with “vision, increased leadership and communication.”

Board President Greg Allen said this was not the time to discuss performance.

“It would be difficult to speculate (on) his performance,” Allen said. “The best way to express your concern is to vote.”

The 5 percent for both Toso and Ost was budgeted for.

The motion passed for Toso 6-3 with board members Diane Hanson, Gary Peterson, Gail Martin, Rosemary McDougall, Heidi Larson and Allen in favor and Tanya Ostlie, Roy Musland and Jystad opposed.

The motion for 5 percent for Ost passed unanimously.

Toso also only took a contract for one year; he plans to retire after the 2012-2013 school year.

“The gavel and the chisel are out that next year will be it,” Toso said. “It’ll be more fun to chase grandkids and I don’t play golf as much as I used to.”

The board also unanimously approved the purchase of new textbooks, which will cost the district $291,714, without shipping.

The vast majority of the cost is for new books for reading in elementary schools.

The new books for reading are also ready for the new common core standards, which will be implemented across the state in the coming years.

“It is time we have to purchase and nothing is getting cheaper, and I don’t know what the alternative would be at this point,” Toso said.

Sun reporter Ben Rodgers can be reached at 701-952-8455 or by email at brodgers@jamestownsun.com

Tags: local news, news, education