Salk, Prairie View schools to see updates, additions

Elk River Star News

Changes are coming to some schools in the Elk River Area School District.

The School Board approved a bid acceptance and lease-purchase financing during a regular meeting on Monday.

The first bid acceptance was for phase three of improvements at Salk Middle School in Elk River. The board rejected a bid for more than $205,000 to install an elevator to the gym mezzanine, but approved bids for more than $108,900 for installing a wheelchair lift to the mezzanine, $33,180 to turn the teacher’s lounge into a flex classroom and more than $63,000 to renovate an existing classroom into a flex classroom.

The board also approved lease-purchase financing and certificates of participation to Piper Jaffray out of Minneapolis to fund a portion of the additions to Prairie View Elementary and Middle Schools in Otsego. The other portion will come from the voter-approved bond levy.

In other action at the meeting, the board:

•Approved the consent agenda, which included closing open enrollment at Twin Lakes Elementary School for grades K-5, effective for the 2018-19 school year.

•Held a first reading to adopt policies dealing with the legal status of the school district, the name of the school district, complaints of students, employees, parents and other persons, the school district mission statement, public hearings, the code of ethics, criminal or civil action against the school district, school board member development and organization of the school calendar and school day.

•Held a first reading to rescind policies dealing with limited open forum for students.

•Held a second reading and approved rescinding policies dealing with shared time for grades 10-12, overnight travel for athletic teams, early admissions programs, issuing letters, participating in the graduation ceremony, eligibility for extracurricular activities and service animals in the classroom.