ROCHELLE – Due to the current stay-at-home order and students learning from home, the agenda was short for the monthly elementary education board meeting. 

The first item addressed during the meeting was the approval of the resignation of one teacher and the transfer of two others. Under the recommendation of the district superintendent, board members approved the resignation of Irma Rains, the bilingual teacher at Lincoln Elementary School. 

Board members also approved the transfer of Chelsey Stolte from eighth grade social studies to eighth grade science and Melissa Deutsch from special education at Rochelle Middle School to special education at Central Elementary School. 

The first action item on the agenda was the extension of a land cash agreement that has been in place since the completion of Lincoln School. The agreement is for $230 an acre for 14 acres of tillable land located near the school. 

The second item requiring action was approving a universal registration fee for Stepping Stone preschool classes. For an unknown reason, some classes had registration fees of $19.25, while others were an even $20. The superintendent recommended making all fees $20. This will keep the early education and pre-kindergarten fees the same and will make it easier for staff to handle money.

“We need to have board action to change registration prices,” said Jason Harper, district superintendent. “This is really odd and I can’t find out the reasons why, but some of our pre-school classes were $19.25 and others were $20. Honestly, the change is mainly for the convenience factor for our staff handling money. It is much easier to handle an even 20, than $19.25.”