© 2024 WXPR
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

LUHS Electors Approve Residential Lot Purchase

commons.wikimedia.org

MINOCQUA – The Lakeland Union High School campus grew a bit physically after electors Monday, June 19th approved the purchase of an adjacent residential lot with a single-family house for $134,500.

Subject to electors’ approval, the school board last month agreed to the land purchase.

Board members were swayed by arguments that the district needs it as a hedge against future needs, albeit they are unknown at this time. Among possible uses: varsity and co-curricular events, practice facilities, and event parking.

Administrator/Principal Jim Bouche gave a short presentation on the proposed purchase, noting that the district needs the additional land: “This is one of the smallest campuses I have seen for a high school,” he said of Lakeland. The purchase could mean academic uses of the house, he said. “We are starting to see more kids get into our construction program, along with our automotive program. We may need additional tech ed, pre-engineering teachers in the future because the (student) numbers are growing in that area, and we don’t want to lose that.”

The special meeting of the electors attracted one outside citizen; the rest of the 17 people present were school board members and school staff, along with two reporters. Of those voting, all favored the purchase of the property owned by the Westphal family. That one individual, Bill McCutchin, said he was neither for nor against the purchase, but cautioned that state and federal regulations may mean expensive upgrades to the house if it were to be used by students or staff. School officials say technology education students could use the house at 8678 Niemi Drive as they learn house remodeling and construction techniques.

No definitive plans have been laid out for its use, however. The acquisition does mean the school can move the long jump and triple jump to the west side of the athletic field, which is now being renovated for artificial turf. The district will pay for the land purchase from its fund balance account. It was reported that the Westphals plan to move into their new home later this year.

In an unrelated matter, the board voted 7-2 against spending $260,000 for new stadium lights for the athletic field. Only Jon Berg and Gary Smith voted for it. At one time, replacement of the lights was folded into the ACT 32 energy-saving projects currently underway at the high school. However, the contractors recommended additional replacement of substandard ducts and that took those lights out of Act 32 project consideration. ACT 32 refers to Wisconsin legislation that allows school districts to finance energy savings projects as debt without going to referendum. Bouche said the stadium lighting “doesn’t have to be done right away.”

The board set Sept. 25th as the budget hearing and annual meeting for the 2017-18 school year. The board approved the hiring of the following, and their annual salaries: Matthew Dassow, mathematics teacher, $41,000 and Kasandrah Alft, school counselor, $46,500. Bouche reported that the graduation rate for seniors was 95 percent this past school year. Of special note, he said, the graduation rate for Native American students was 97 percent, up from 86 percent last year and up substantially from the 56 percent of several years ago. “Our communities can be very proud of what we do for our students,” he said. The emphasis on helping students achieve in their studies during the regular school year is also reflected in summer school enrollment where fewer students are taking “credit recovering” classes.

There are 37 students enrolled in those classes this summer.

Up North Updates
* indicates required
Related Content