New fire-suppression system approved at school board meeting

At the September Malta School Board meeting, a resolution to hold a sale was approved as well as a new fire-suppression system to be purchased at the high school and several new staff members were hired and or reappointed to previous positions.

An obsolete property resolution was passed at the meeting.

Jane Knudsen, Malta School's District Clerk, said that resolution allows the school to hold another sale of unneeded or outdated items. The sale will take place on Wednesday, October 28 and will include various tools, office equipment and computer equipment. Knudsen said a public notice about the sale will run in the coming weeks of the PCN.

The school board also voted in favor of purchasing a new fire-suppression system. The current suppression system was installed when the high school/middle school was built in 1997 and the school recently received a memo that parts for the original system are no longer being made. The new system comes with a price tag of $34,741.83.

There were several new-hires or re-hires at the school board meeting Knudsen said Nicole Fercho was hired as a second kindergarten aide at the elementary as the class now has 47 students. For extra-curricular contracts, Hal Moore was hired as a middle school football coach, Kara Bates was hired as high school speech and drama head coach and Knudsen as assistant coach. Also being hired was Lynne Nevrivy as high school golf coach and Tad and Amy Schye as head and assistant coaches of the track teams, as well as Scott King as an assistant track coach.

Under new business at the Malta School Board meeting, the first reading of a budget amendment proclamation was heard by the board members because of the increase of students of the kindergarten classes. Knudsen said Magnolia Mouat was hired in August as a kindergarten aide and will be joined by new hire Fercho. In October, the adoption of the amendment proclamation will be voted upon.

Also falling under the new business heading was snow removal. Knudsen said there was only one bid received for the winter work and the contract was awarded to JD’s Repair and Sales owned by John Dovre. The bid was accepted by the board and Dovre will be in charge of snow removal for the Old Gym, high school and elementary school.

Malta School District Enrollment Numbers:

Malta Elementary School 232

Malta Middle School 112

Malta High School 152

The next Malta School Board meeting will be held on Wednesday, October 7. The meeting was moved up a week because of a football game and a teacher’s convention.