SLEEPY EYE - The District 84 Board of Education unanimously approved a resolution Thursday to seek a five-year, $500 per- pupil-unit levy referendum.
If passed, the additional revenue will be used to finance school operations for taxes payable in 2013. The board determined and declared it is necessary and expedient for the district to increase its general education revenue, according to the resolution.
Superintendent John Cselovszki said the referendum would raise taxes on a home valued at $100,000 by $110 per year, or less than $10 a month.
The referendum question will be submitted to voters in conjunction with the state general election on Tuesday, Nov. 6.
The resolution was approved by a 6-0 vote. Board member Sheila Schmid did not attend the meeting.
Two previous levy referendums have failed in recent years.
Cselovzski said the Minnesota Department of Education is studying Finland's public education system, rated as the world's best.
"The commissioner is considering sending a Minnesota delegation to Finland to see what parts of it may be adopted in Minnesota," Cselovszki said. "Finland's educational system is based on learning profiles and trusting teachers can teach, not tests, tests, tests."
Cselovzski said he has contacted the commissioner about joining the delegation to Finland.
"It's pretty cool. Some Finnish teachers are working for the St. Paul public schools," he said. "Finland's school system is similar to what I grew up with in Hungary."
In other action, the board approved a contract with the New Ulm Actors Community Theatre for a three-act play adviseor at $2,581 and hired Junior High FFA Adviser Alisa Mangen at $1,116. The Sleepy Eye FFA Booster Club donated $1,283 to pay for the hire.
Cselovszki said Mangen would keep the job as long as donated funds were available.
(Fritz Busch can be e-mailed at fbusch@nujournal.com).