NEW ULM — The District 88 Board of Education voted on a variety of action items Thursday with highlights on a revised FY19 budget, a resolution relating to the non-renewal of contracts of four probationary teachers and the adoption of the 2019-2020 school calendar.

Following a report from New Ulm Public Schools Business Manager Myrna Meunier, the board voted 7-0 to approve a revised FY19 budget with new total revenues at $26,095,914 and total expenditures of $27,762,411.

The previous adopted budget accounted for a total revenue of $25,743,327 with total expenditures at $26,532,515.

The revised budget sees a dollar change of $352,587 in revenues and $1,229,896 in expenditures.

In a 6-0, with one abstention , the board approved a resolution relating to the termination and non-renewal of the contracts of four probationary teachers in District 88. The resolution terminates the contracts effective at the close of the current 2018-2019 school year.

“We’re non-renewing them because what we’re looking for, what they have, isn’t evidently working or matching for us,” Superintendent Jeff Bertrang said.

Board member Denny Waloch abstained from the vote for reasons related to his profession.

During Thursday’s meeting, the board was originally scheduled to hear and vote on the second reading of policy number 724 Financial Transactions within Individual Buildings and Student Activities Fund Management.

However, Bertrang recommended moving the policy reading to a different date because of recent state legislative movement that dictates governable accounting practices.

“So the part about having separate activity accounts is going to go away,” Bertrang told the board. “And that’s in a couple bills being introduced, so it would wipe away about half of this policy.”

The board voted 7-0 to table the second reading until the bills come though and policies are updated.

The Board also voted 7-0 to approve a memorandum of understanding with food service employees to establish a sick leave bank option with employees.

Bertrang said food service employees are among a few groups within the school district that don’t have sick leave bank options in their contracts.

The memorandum states employees may, upon request, donate sick leave to an employee in a bargaining unit.

An additional memorandum of understanding for new or changed positions with New Ulm Middle School’s musical and play program was approved by a 7-0 vote.

The memorandum is an agreement between the school district and the New Ulm Education Association for new or changed positions within New Ulm Middle School’s play and musical program. Proposed positions are directorial roles for the middle school’s play or musical program.

With a 7-0 vote, the board approved the 2019-2020 school year calendar.

The biggest change to the 2019-2020 calendar is the addition of two teacher professional development days in August for high school teachers. Bertrang said this change will allow for more work preparation for the career and technical education curriculum.

The total amount of planned school days is 170 days for the high school, middle school and elementary with 168 days at Washington Learning Center. Total teacher days are 185 days.

The first official school day is Tuesday, September 3, 2019, with the last school day planned for Thursday, June 4, 2020. High school graduation is planned for Friday, May 29, 2020.

The next school board study session is 5 p.m. Thursday, April 11, in the district conference room, and the next regular school board meeting will be held 6 p.m. Thursday, April 25 in the district boardroom at 414 S. Payne St.

gcureton@nujournal.com.