NEW ULM — The New Ulm Public Schools’ Board of Education approved $281,626 in summer contracts at Thursday’s school board.

The list of contracts includes 12 different projects. The first contract was for playground maintenance awarded to Safety First Playground for $12,400.

A $9,940 boiler inspection and repair was awarded to Paape’s. Paape’s was also awarded a contract to install heating and cooling loop filtration systems to monitor Glycol systems.

Blackout shades installation for pre-k rooms was awarded to Design Home Center for $5,020. Paape’s will provide and install digital cameras for $9,730. Minneco will paint 12 classrooms at Jefferson and New Ulm Middle School for $2,150. Turf maintenance at the New Ulm High School athletic field will be done by Turfix for $3,950. Kendall Door and Hardware will replace New Ulm Middle School classroom doors for $50,915. Ground Zero will replace and update the New Ulm Middle School parking lot for $65,540. Gerard Chimney Company will perform tuckpointing on the main campus boiler chimney and inspect for leaks and make necessary repairs for $65,540.

Jefferson interior remodeling of three classrooms will be performed by four companies. Flooring will be done by Hiller Company at $23,730; wall construction by ARR for $5,615; plumbing by Klassen for $3,430 and casework by SMW, Inc. for $9,956.

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Superintendent Jeff Bertrang said spring Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments (MCAs) started at Jefferson. The middle school and high school will start MCAs next week. The MCAs are state required assessments taken every spring, but the MCAs were not taken last year because of the statewide shutdown. Without data from last year’s MCAs, the school is still looking at what the state’s new baseline will be.

The district has met with contractors for the Career and Technical Education Center to review the scope of the remodeling that needs to be accomplished. The contract bid quotes will come back on May 3. The board is expected to approve the bids at the May study session rather than waiting two additional weeks for the regular school board meeting.

The high school will host a Prom Grand March at 8 p.m. Saturday, April 24. The school will follow the Minnesota Department of Health and Minnesota Department of Education guidelines for events. The grand march is invite-only. The school will use the gym and auditorium to further separate groups.

Superintendent Jeff Bertrang said this will look different from previous proms, but was pleased to give the students something. There was no option for a grand march in 2020.

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The next school board study session will be 5 p.m. Thursday, May 13, at the District Conference Room. The next regular school board meeting is 6 p.m. Thursday, May 27, at the District Boardroom.