The Crookston School Board met on Monday, November 24 at the Crookston High School Choir/Orchestra room. The meeting began with the addition of an agenda item, which requested approval of a music trip to the Twin Cities in March.
SCHOOL BOARD AND TEACHER UNION REACH A TENTATIVE AGREEMENT
The Crookston School Board and Crookston Education Association (the teachers’ union) had mediation on Wednesday, November 19, and after a full day of mediation, they came to a tentative agreement. The agreement is a 2.3 percent increase this year (2025-26) and a 2.3 percent increase next year (2026-27). “We had a state mediator come up, and we started at 9 a.m., went to about 8 p.m., and back and forth. It was some tough sledding for both sides, and I guess they say a good agreement is when everybody goes away not completely happy,” said Crookston School Board lead negotiator Mike Theis. “So I think both sides bent and worked with each other, and we did come to a tentative agreement that we’ll go out for a union ratification vote on December 3rd. At that time, their membership will vote on what they wish to go forward with.”
Theis said there were other tentative agreements besides the salary increase. “We did boost the amount that the district will pay into their health insurance, raised it by $100 for a family plan, $25 for a single plan, so we’re a little over $1,900 per month for a family plan, which is what the district will be paying per employee. We did add some additional dollars to their 403B, which is a retirement portion of it, $120 for participants,” said Theis. “And then we did some language. We gave up some language that we would have liked and compromised on others. For the first week and the last week of school, they will be available for the first 15 minutes to be able to assist with kids getting off the bus, that type of thing, welcoming kids to the school district. So we’re very happy that we came to a tentative agreement with the Crookston Education Association.“
The teachers’ union will vote on December 3, and it is expected that if they vote yes, the school board will approve the contract at their meeting on December 15.
The teachers have been working without a contract this school year.
MUSIC TRIP APPROVED
Crookston School District orchestra director Lori Carlson and choir director Adrienne Winger gave a presentation to the school board on a proposed music trip for 9-12 grade music students to the Twin Cities on Friday, March 27, and Saturday, March 28. The trip will include a Minnesota Orchestra performance, a visit to the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, and the Chanhassen Dinner Theater performance of Guys and Dolls. The trip will also include a visit to the Mall of America. The cost per student will be approximately $200 or slightly more, depending on the number of music students who sign up for the optional trip. “So it’s going to be about $220, maybe $230, but it could be less. It all depends on how many students come,” said Choir Director Adrienne Winger. “We’re very excited that the school board has approved the trip. I think Emma Pearson, our ninth grader who’s in choir, may have helped a little bit when she stood up and explained how amazing and excited she was for this trip. So we greatly appreciate the school board approval.“
The students have already held one fundraiser with more to come. “I think we’ve been in communication about having the pancake breakfast at the Crookston Masonic Hall,” said Winger. “We will also be doing the Puffin’s Pastries, which is the spring version of the Butter Braid. Concessions at some games, possibly at the wrestling tournament. We have some amazing people who are willing to donate 20 bucks here, 20 bucks there.”
WASHINGTON SCHOOL FUTURE STILL UP IN THE AIR
The school board’s decision on whether to keep Washington School open or close it is still a way off from being decided. A handful of speakers in the open forum expressed their concerns about keeping Washington School open. Elizabeth Murphy, a concerned parent, started a petition on November 14 and has garnered 463 signatures to keep the school open. Alex Koespell said it seemed like there was a lack of a plan in place. Morgan Hibma handed out a feasibility study done on Washington School a few years ago by Short Elliot Hendrickson, Inc., which recommended improvements, and the probable cost was estimated to be $996,500.
Crookston School District Interim Superintendent Randy Bruer said it was loud and clear that those in attendance at the public forum want the district to have concrete numbers, and they heard and appreciated all the feedback. “The school board proposed to look at the Washington School closing. It hasn’t been approved at this point, but they need to hear the results and listen to the people. They need to take into consideration those things, all the way from class sizes to the costs, an assessment of the present school,” said Bruer. “What is it going to cost to make some of those adjustments, those priority needs that have to be fixed, and those that don’t have to be fixed right away. Class sizes, nutrition, space, and special education needs all need to come into play here. What are the costs for some of those things? What’s some data? We need to find that out first.”
A decision on Washington School won’t be made for some time, as they will gather more information and numbers in the coming months.
SANDFORD POWER TRAINING CONTRACT APPROVED FOR 2026
Several Crookston High School students, including Chloe Boll, Ashlyn Bailey spoke in favor of continuing the Sandford Training contract after its first full year wraps up on December 31, 2025. Both students said it was a huge part of their training and have actually worked with Coach Dan Rooney for several years, which is part of the reason why both will be playing college sports next year. The number two-ranked wrestler in the state at 152 pounds, Gavyn Hlucny, also said the program should be kept. The Crookston High School Activities Director and Dean of Students stated that he has secured donations of $10,000 from the Crookston Pirate Boosters and the Crookston Baseball Association, as well as $2,500 from the Crookston Wrestling Association. He is waiting to hear back from the Crookston Blue Line Club, and the school received $5,000 from the Crookston Youth Basketball Association to help fund this year’s contract.
Pederson also said that they will be charging students for the Summer Weights program to help offset the cost of the 10-week program.
9-12 graders will pay $325 for 4 to 5 days a week. Sessions will be 90 minutes.
7-8 graders will pay $225 for 4 days a week. Sessions will be 60 minutes.
5-6 graders will pay $125 for 2 days a week. Sessions will be 45 minutes.
The fees would bring in an estimated $30,125.
FINANCIAL INFORMATION-
The program’s cost in 2026 is $44,000.
Summer Weight fees – $30,125
Donations – $22,500
School District contracts $7250
Money raised – $59,875
Pederson said the program during the school year will stay the same, with weights before school, and Coach Rooney will work with teams after school. “It’ll be a lot of the same. Most of our work for Coach Rooney is during season, our kids are working out twice a week, different exercises, different weights that they’ll lift around and throw around,” said Pederson. “In the summer, it’ll be some stuff utilized on our turf, agility stuff, and then also weightlifting in our weight room.”
If you would like to donate to the training program or help cover the cost for a child who may not have the funds, you can contact Pederson or Corky Reynolds. “Reach out to us, me, or Corky Reynolds. He’s our Pirate Booster president. But yeah, this isn’t possible without the generous donations of our clubs within the Crookston community,” said Pederson. “They understand the importance of the weight room as well, and they’re helping us boost our program and start our program with the added cost for our student athletes now.”
Pederson said he received a call from the Climax-Fisher Booster Clubs and said they would be interested in covering some of the cost if their student-athletes could come and work out in the summer as well and the board seemed to like that idea to help with the costs.
ELECTRIC BUS GRANT APPROVED FOR THE CROOKSTON SCHOOL DISTRICT
Superintendent Bruer informed the board that the district’s grant application for two electric school buses has been approved. The district will now determine if it is suitable for them, and the grant includes funds to help cover the costs of installing charging stations and other necessary items. “We know that it’s cold up here, and they don’t last as long. However, from what we’ve heard, we can offer some in-town routes, which are a short distance, and we’d receive the necessary miles to work with those buses. The rule is that you have to use them at least three days a week. So that’s something we could probably work with,” said Superintendent Bruer. “I know we’re up for buying buses every year because buses wear out. And perhaps this is a good way to pay very little for buses, as they are pretty expensive. And they’re the new generation of electric buses. That’s why we pursued that grant, to see where it could take us.”
Bruer said the board will need to gather more information before deciding whether to accept the $900,000-plus grant. “Now the board will have to listen to some more information to see how far we want to do this, but we’re in the initial startup stages,” said Bruer. “There have been other schools around us, from Moorhead and Red Lake. Red Lake is also far north, where it’s cold. So let’s give it a try and see what we can come up with. If it doesn’t work for the district, we don’t need to take it.”
The grant would cover about 95 percent of the project and electric buses take over a year to acquire. “There is some expense. We are approved for 95% of that purchase, which is quite a bit. If you look at electric school buses, they’re in the neighborhood of $400,000 for one of those. However, we do need to install some charging stations. You know, that’s probably going to be another grant through Otter Tail,” said Superintendent Bruer. “We’ll pay for some of it, but not all of it. So there are some things we need to do. And these buses don’t come for at least 18 months from now. So it’s a little bit in the future.”
CROOKSTON SCHOOL DISTRICT/UMC FACILITY RENTAL CONTRACT TABLED
The Crookston School District and the University of Minnesota Crookston are considering approving a mutual lease/rental contract for the use of each entity’s facilities, including KROX Radio Stadium, gym, classroom, and wellness center. Everything in the contract looked good, but the board wanted to ask for more money if UMC uses KROX Radio Stadium since it is a brand new track, artificial turf and the best facility in northwest Minnesota. UMC has used it for softball practice and baseball practice and will also look to use it for soccer, and other events as needed due to weather. The School Board will increase the price from an all day rental from $125 to more, in the ball park of $300. It will be brought back for approval at the next meeting.
CONSENT AGENDA
The consent agenda was unanimously approved, including the regular and special meeting minutes from October 27 and 31. The current bills in the amount of $670,411.18. The personnel items of employment with Emma Mekkes and Donald Braam as paraprofessionals at Highland School, and the acceptance of $10,307.42 of donations. The donations are $5,000 from the Crookston Pirate Boosters for the HUDL film/stats program for the Pirate teams, $2,607.42 from the Red River Valley Co-op Power for Dollars for scholars program, $1,600 from the Polk County Public Health for the SHIP Program (Statewide Health Improvement Partnership) for the Safe Routes to Schools Initiatives, $1,000 from the Crookston Pirate Boosters for Pirate Wrestling headgear, and $100 from the Highway 2 Cruisers to help students in need for the Nutritional Program.
NEXT MEETING
The next scheduled school board meeting is Monday, December 15, at 5:00 p.m., with the Truth in Taxation Hearing scheduled for 6:00 p.m. on December 15.