Cloudy / 57° F
Free kindergarten offered [UPDATED]
Published 9:18am Wednesday, February 27, 2013 Updated 11:23am Wednesday, February 27, 2013At Monday night’s School Board meeting, the Board voted to provide free all-day, every-day kindergarten to all students entering school – starting the 2013-14 school year.
The School Board has strong beliefs that ensuring every child has access to all-day, every-day kindergarten will benefit our students and our District.
Besides the all-day program, the District plans to continue the options of Monday-Wednesday-Friday and half-day kindergarten.
A kindergarten registration event is scheduled for 6 p.m. Monday, March 25 at McKinley School.
More information will be sent directly to parents.
Tournament time
This time of year certainly gets the adrenalin flowing, especially if you are an Otter fan. We have had the pleasure of witnessing some amazing performances from our teams and individuals.
Congratulations to Mike Donaghue for becoming the hockey coach with the most wins in Otter history with 109 wins.
In addition, congratulations go to senior wrestler Abbott Aho for setting the record with the most career wins; Mike Aasness for setting the school diving record; Joe Kitzman for setting swimming records, Mike Millard for outscoring every boys basketball player in Otter history; and to Brianna Rasmusson for scoring 1,000 points, plus setting the school record in career and season assists, with another year to add to her totals.
The Wrestling Booster Club and our activities personnel — Gary Schuler and Sue Thorsen — hosted another successful tournament this past weekend.
Congratulations to state-bound wrestlers — Abbot Aho, Tyler Giza, Dane Ringquist and Gus Makovsky. Mark Aho was named the Section 8AA Assistant Coach of the Year; and Dane Ringquist and Ben Schindler were named to the Section 8AA Academic Team.
The Swimming and Diving team had a successful section meet. Moving on to state are divers Michael Aasness and Reid Magnuson and swimmers Joe Kitzman, Daniel Kowalski, Clay Danielson, Cal Mouritsen, and Luke Raitz. Congratulations to Diving Coach Mike Hartwell who was voted Section 5A Diving Coach of the Year.
Public hearing set
on bond referendum
You are invited to attend a Public Information meeting on the Outdoor Facility Bond Referendum scheduled for 7 pm, Thursday, February 28 in the Kennedy Secondary School auditorium.
Legal voters who are residents of the Fergus Falls School District will be asked to vote on Tuesday, April 2, 2013 on an outdoor facility proposal. Any eligible voter residing in the school district may vote at this election.
Additional information can be found on the District’s web site: www.isd544.org or call the Superintendent’s Office: 218-998-0544, Ext. 1010
Absentee ballots will be available beginning March 1 from the hours of 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (Monday through Friday) at the Otter Tail County Government Services Center, 510 W. Fir Ave., Fergus Falls; and also 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, March 30; and 8 a.m.. to 5 p.m. Monday, April 1.
When doing presentations throughout the community, I typically get asked these two questions:
• Did you consider other plans?
Yes, we explored the possibility of leaving the football field in the same location with the bleachers located on the opposite side.
The cost of this proposal was the same because the amount of soils that would have to be hauled in to complete the project.
Another disadvantage of this plan is the reduction of two practice fields versus the plan proposed.
• Who would pay for the bond referendum?
All property owners in School District 544, not just the property owners within the city of Fergus Falls, would pay for this bond referendum.
