With the 2025-26 school year in the rearview mirror, the School Board of the Fennimore Community School District spent their first post school year meeting getting ready for the upcoming new school year.
The meeting, held last Tuesday, June 30, began with a viewing of a promotional video made by PSI, the general contractor during the district’s recent building expansion/remodeling project.
The video included testimonials from Fennimore School District staff and administration, as well as footage from the work done inside the building, and drone footage of the outside of district buildings.
The video is currently on the school district's Facebook page.
District Bookkeeper Chad Freymiller informed the board that after some various revisions that the district did “come in” at the projected budget for the previous school year.
Two resignations were presented to the board for approval. Tara Faulkner resigned from the speech and drama program, and Chad Cleveland resigned as middle/high school art teacher.
Additionally one retirement was submitted to the board, Donna Hines as food service dishwasher/server and bus driver.
Two sets of hirings were approved by the board including Paige Siegert as the new middle/high school art teacher. Siegert is currently serving as a summer school teacher in Potosi.
The food service dishwasher/server hiring will be job shared by Lori Bredeson and Dana Engel.
Dean of Students Alisha Richard was approved as middle school volleyball coach and Tyler Matthews was approved as a football assistant coach.
The district buildings handbooks for the 2026-27 school year were also approved by the board during their June 30 meeting.
Richard provided most of the updates were pertaining to staff directory, calendar, and elementary school daily schedule.
Richard also stated the middle/high school implied a restriction on earbuds/headphones during class time.
One of the major additions to the handbook was regarding dual sport guidelines. Middle/High School Principal Boone Tollefson stated that “dual sport participation is great, but can be confusing. We needed clear guidelines for coaches, parents, and students.”
Students interested in participating in two sports during the same season, must, according to Tollefson “declare up front before the season starts,” as well as choose a primary sport and sign an agreement. Tollefson also stated that a meeting must be held with the parents, coaches, athletic director, and student. “We want kids to be successful, but they need to know it is asking a lot.”
Board member Heather Horsfall asked if the guidelines were because of WIAA regulations. Tollefson replied that “schools make their own guidelines and the coaches wanted something they can follow.”
The dual sports guidelines do not apply to nonathletic co-circulars. Tollefson gave an example of if students had an FFA or FBLA commitment the same day as a softball game, the student would choose their preference without consequences.
The subject of a basketball shot clock came up and Tollefson said that Fennimore would not be adopting or purchasing a shot clock until it was a WIAA requirement, maybe during the 2028-29 school year at the earliest. An article regarding the WIAA shot clock ran in the sports section of the July 2 Fennimore Times.
Prairie Farms was unanimously approved as milk provider for the district, with board member Herman Maier abstaining.
The board unanimously approved the hiring of a contract with the Fennimore Police Department for a district liaison officer. The contract had been also approved by the Fennimore City Council at a recent council meeting.
The board also approved two national trips for the 2026-27 school year, FFA and FBLA to their respective national conventions.
Among the other approvals made by the board were H&N Plumbing, Heating, and Electric to replace a bathroom sink at the elementary school.
Fennimore Baseball Coach Brent Sheckler’s proposal to expand the batting cage was also approved. Sheckler reported to the board the batting cage improvements would be made at no cost to the district through donations and the current baseball fund.
Two donations were approved by the board, two anonymous monetary donations toward unpaid school lunch fees, and the Fennimore Grid-Iron Club toward uniforms.
Lastly, the board approved to keep school fees the same as the previous year.
The next meeting of the School Board of the Fennimore Community School District is scheduled for Wednesday, July 22 in the cafeteria of Fennimore Elementary School.
