BLUE EARTH– The Blue Earth Area School Board had two special presentations from staff members during its meeting on Monday.

One was from BEA music teacher Peter Koenig, who gave the board an update on the music department and their events during March, which was Music in Our Schools Month.

Koenig had four of his orchestra students perform for the board members before the meeting even started.

Then he gave an update at the beginning of the meeting on the music department which included information on the four staff members and all the music programs at the BEA schools.

All elementary students have music every week, and there are 142 students in choir in grades 6 to 12, 134 students in band in grades 5 to 12 and 97 students in orchestra in grades 5 to 12.

Plus there were 27 orchestra students, nine band members and 10 vocalists who went to music contests in Mankato and BEA had 29 of those students receive superior ratings and 17 had excellent ratings, Koenig reported.

The other presentation was from BEA middle school science teacher Heather Hernandez, who told the board members about the middle school Science Fair which was held locally on March 6.

Hernandez not only told about the Science Fair, she had four sixth graders present at the meeting to show their Science Fair entries and tell the board members about them.

“We had 87 sixth graders and six fifth graders participate in the Science Fair,” Hernandez told the board. “And several have opted to go on to the Regional Science Fair on April 26.

In other business at the meeting, the BEA School Board:

— Decided to hold three special work sessions dealing with strategic planning on June 11, July 15 and Aug, 21. All three will begin at 5:30 p.m. In addition the board will have a special work session for one hour after the regular meeting set for June 9.

That June 9 special session will be to receive the findings of a Comprehensive Facilities Assessment that is being conducted by Kraus-Anderson over the next five to six weeks.

— Approved a Notice of Desire to Negotiate with the BEA Education Association.

— Approved the purchase of social studies curriculum for fiscal year 2026. The vote was 6-1 with board member Mark Franta voting no.

— Approved several personnel items including: new hires Tim Hynes as a bus driver, and paraprofessionals Kellie Miller, Megan Henn and Monica Robbins; retirements of Kay Bogan (pre-school teacher on wheels) and Roxanne Mennenga (ECFE parent educator); contract with Lorena Beletti (accountant); and resignations from paraprofessionals Carly Passante and Pam Engleking.