Sigourney School Board Discusses Community Engagement for Planned High School Update

SIGOURNEY – During the Nov. 13 meeting of the Sigourney School Board, the board received a presentation from Rusty Wolfe and Darren Overton of SitelogIQ, the company who managed the elementary school infrastructure update and was recently hired to manage the planned Jr/Sr High infrastructure update. Wolfe explained that SitelogIQ is working to update the assessment of the high school, which should be done in December. He stated that, in coming months, his company will help facilitate the forming of a facility advisory committee, provide surveys, create initial drawings, and assist with the 2025 bond referendum needed to fund the project. He stated that SitelogIQ will not charge for the referendum work, but may charge if the referendum fails and the district requests it be voted on again in the future.

Overton, who handles community engagement, explained that the staff needs to align the needs of students and staff for the project, and that doing a good job with the infrastructure update can provide confidence in the school board. He stated it was vital to involve the community in the project. Overton explained that SitelogIQ will assist with communications, including open houses, surveys, mailers and fliers, focus groups, and creating a community group made out of students, parents, community members and businesses. He stated that the board and admin should not be involved in the community group, and that in a few months the community group will present a list of requests to the board with SitelogIQ’s help.

The board spoke with Connor Sorenson from OPPA! Food Management, the company that manages the district’s breakfast and lunches. Sorenson stated that the Second Chance Breakfast established at the Jr/Sr High had gone well and doubled the number of kids using breakfast. He stated that Second Chance Breakfast had just been implemented at the elementary that week. Superintendent Kevin Hatfield stated that the board was excited about Second Chance Breakfast, and that they wanted kids to eat even if they are late for school or if the first breakfast is insufficient. He stated the district needs to question if the free breakfast should also apply to second chance breakfast and students who eat a second breakfast, because the district wants to be able to afford to offer free breakfast next year. Sorenson also showed the board surveys sent to students, where they could rank how much they enjoyed different lunches; the most popular lunch was super nachos and the least popular was General Tso’s chicken.

Jr/Sr High Principal Shannon Webb stated that she had sent out 12 letters telling students that they had missed five days of school and only had to meet with one family about a student missing eight days. Elementary Principal Deanna Spence stated she had sent 14 letters and had one meeting. She noted that many parents send the letter back without signing for it. Webb stated that attendance had improved this year. Spence noted that parents had begun bringing their children back to school after doctor’s appointments. Webb stated that she had several students at the 4.5 missed day mark, and asked them to not miss any more school days for just one more week, when the trimester will end and the five day limit will be reset.

Hatfield stated that certified enrolment was down 6.3 students compared to last year, but noted that Sigourney had been up 12 the previous year and 13 the year before that. Webb stated this was due to graduating a large class of seniors, with the district having 29 kindergarten students this year after a class of close to 50 students graduated. Hatfield noted resident enrolment was slowly dropping over time, but that Sigourney had a lot of students open enrolled at the school.