Education Briefs

Published Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Cleveland gym won’t open with school:

Completion of the Cleveland Elementary School gym will not be done in time for the 2008-09 school year. The gym was expected to be complete, but recent lab results revealed the cement floor is too wet to serve as the foundation for the wooden court. Construction Manager Michael Beach said the cement should be ready in one month, but it will take 30 days to lay the floor and have bleachers set up. The gym is expected to be complete for student use by the middle of October, Beach said.

Band position to be reinstated

A community group has raised enough funds to bring back an instrumental music position. The Fergus Falls Band Booster club set out in May to raise $50,000 for the position, which will allow for traditional band programs such as the pep and marching band to continue on.

Teachers rehired from lay-off list:

By the beginning of the school year, the Fergus Falls District will have hired all but two of the 23 teachers back who in April were placed on the unrequested leave of absence list. Superintendent Jerry Ness said the district was able to do this while still sticking to the necessary budget cuts the district made last year. Retirements, transfers and grants are responsible for the district’s ability to hire back teachers from the list.