School board reviews projected growth numbers

The Tea Area School Board met Jan. 13.

Superintendent Jennifer Lowery congratulated Allison Bertram on being named the 2024-25 Assistant Middle School Principal of the Year for the southeast district.

The board approved a resolution to oppose the proposed school voucher program that is expected to go before the state Legislature this session.

They set the school board election date for June 17. Chad Meyers’ seat will the open seat.

Lowery presented the growth and development report with operations manager Wayne Larsen. 

The Frontier Elementary area will see a lot of residential development in the next couple of years. 

On average over the last five years the district has increased by 115 students each year. Over the next five years, Lowery said the projected growth is 400-600 students in the next five years.

Lowery expects the district will need to open an elementary on North Main in fall 2028 or fall 2029 that would likely need a bond issue.

Legacy would transition to an intermediate school of fifth and sixth grade where the middle school would house seventh and eighth grade. She projects that by fall of 2035 they would have four elementary schools that go back to JK through fifth grade and two middle schools, which they would have to build another building.

Lowery said Frontier still has room for a 10-classroom expansion. Venture and Legacy both still have space.

Larsen updated the board on the high school expansion project. The steel crews finished up the balcony stage areas and are working on the stairwells. The roofers have finished the entire project. The concrete crew has done some sidewalks and poured in the performing arts center as they work their way toward the stage. HVAC crews continue to run duct work. Siding installers are working on the east side and then will just have the north side left. Electricians and plumbers continue their work. Painters have finished painting the office, first floor of the classrooms and music rooms.

They approved resignations for Mark Anderson for girls soccer, Taylor Brown, Taylor for middle school ELA, Olivia Esslinger for middle school volleyball, Todd Gannon as manufacturing/welding teacher and assistant wrestling, Carissa Grewe for foodservice, Lexi Hanson as 10th grade volleyball coach, Taryn Helgeson for middle school oral interpretation, Brittany Hutt for ninth grade volleyball, Shawn Kennedy for middle school volleyball, Chelsea Leslie for middle school volleyball, Rachel Lord for high school head volleyball, John Niesen for assistant football, Katie Petersen for football and basketball cheer, Cody Rausch for middle school MS Ag Teacher and FFA Advisor, Jordan Rohrbach for high school assistant volleyball, Sarah Springman for high school competitive cheer and Sydney Trout for middle school science effective at the end of the school year.

The board approved the new hires of  William Hamilton as Chromebook technician at $28.69 per hour, Dirk Jones as technology assistant at $33.50 per hour, Robert Miller as CDL bus driver at $125.78 per day, Brittany Miranda as high school administrative assistant at $20.50 per hour and Jolene Topete as middle school foodservice at $20.53 per hour.

The board received updates on special education and English language learners. The special education student Dec. 1 child count was 393 students. The district has 98 ELL students speaking 14 different languages and multiple dialects.