SHERBURN — The Martin County West School Board met on Monday evening.

Superintendent Cori Reynolds reported on finances and enrollment. Fifty-two percent of the budget has been used and the enrollment was 625.

Reynolds also reported on the building project.

The bid for pre-cast walls is out. The Design Development Phase is complete and work on construction documents will begin. There will be a Finishes and a Playground meeting. They are planning a Ground Breaking Ceremony this spring.

In the district happenings and celebrations report, the Superintendent mentioned the Red Bull Wrestling season results, Music in the Schools month, third-grade doing the HyVee Squats Competition with over 45,000 squats and the first fundraiser for the school trip which was a fun MCW Trivia Night.

After the board discussed and tabled the calendar for the 2025 to 2026 school year, it also approved that there would be 171 elementary days, 173 secondary days and 182 teacher contract days. Graduation will be on Friday, May 29, 2026. Discussion about the graduation included that the advanced notice would help families plan, there would be more teachers available to attend and help and that make-up games for baseball and softball were not likely to be needed.

The board passed the pay equity implementation report. The Enrollment Assumption report said that 38 kindergarten pupils were projected and 600 students were projected for the others. Most projections are based on migration (Ex. First graders now will be second graders in the future, etc). Most of the meeting was discussion based on the budget considerations and adjustments to reduce expenses.

State Aid should be a $200 increase per student for a positive increase of $120,000. The levy would show the decrease in enrollment from 625 to 600 for a decrease of $250,000 the levy would also reflect some retirements for an increase of $50,000. Reduction in purchase services + $5,000. Welcome School reduction on utilities and street assessments + $13,600. Eliminate Superintendent salary increase + $2,000. Eliminate boiler insurance so only break down would be covered + $7,000. Balance and reduce office supplies + $10,500. Balance and reduce Media center budgets + $1,100. Reduce Classroom supplies budgets elem and h.s. + $3,000. Regarding grounds and buildings reduce pool supplies and equipment and transfer one hour daytime custodial salary + $24,500. Balance supplies to match grant application for Title one + $2,800. Secondary salary and wages reduced at secondary level $100,000 (reduce business). Update current staffing, fees, and supplies for athletics + $7,000. Reduce sections elementary so reduce salaries (by retirement $107,500 and resignation $66,000) + $173,500. Building Consolidation + $260,400.

Reynolds had some other ideas and asked for ideas to reduce expenditures or revive revenue. Four-day school week; fees for participants for activities and athletics; reduce curriculum, technology, and vehicles expenditures; staffing changes; more efficient buildings and grounds operations; late bus changes, transportation fees; and shift PSEO to CIS (both give students college credit, but CIS would have significant cost difference) were mentioned.

Some adjustments that are not being explored were reduce principals and school deans before the new school is ready, reduce non-early education office staffing, reduce busing if student is within a mile of school and reduce special education Psychologist and Coordinator.

A board member said, “Bear with us, everyone is trying to do due diligence.”

Another board member asked about the amount of reductions not matching the amount needed or planned for in the past meetings. Another remark was that no adjustments or reductions should put the education of the students in jeopardy. All in attendance agreed with that remark. The board did approve discontinuing some positions and programs that they do annually. They also approved changing the date and time for the next school board meeting to 6 p.m. on April 14.

The discussion about which field to use for home football games was tabled until the April meeting and donations are being sought to help retrofit the Trimont Field.

In other news:

— With gratitude, the board approved the following grants and donations: $721.91 from the Donors Choose Program for sensory supplies for the Special Education Dept.; $500 from Parks of Minnesota for FFA; $2,750 from Gene Haas Foundation for Robotics; $689 from Donors Choose Program for First Grade’s chicken/duck egg hatching project.

— The board hired several coaches for the coming season: Lee Carlson as Head Varsity Track Coach; Tyler Wille and Ryan Melkert as Junior High Baseball Coaches; Parker Anderson as Assistant Baseball Coach; Courtney Schultz as Junior High Softball Coach; Jennifer Clow as Assistant Softball Coach; Stanetta Svoboda and Dave Schoen as Assistant Track Coaches; Noah Anderson as Assistant Golf Coach; and Grant Carlson as Volunteer Softball Coach.

— The board approved hiring Rachel Hanson as an administrative assistant and Taber Sheldrup as an agriculture teacher at the high school.

— The board went into a closed session to discuss the selling of the Welcome School and approved the sale to Brian Rosburg with one more question to be answered by him.

The Martin County West School Board’s next meeting is at 6 p.m. on April 14 in the Board Room at the Sherburn Elementary School.