Making Good Friday a holiday upsets parent

A Forestview parent told Brainerd School Board members Monday that he was upset that the district calendar calls for a day off on Good Friday, a Christian holiday.

Conrad Evarts said he and his family moved here a few years ago from the West Coast and his daughter attends Forestview Middle School. As a non-Christian, he said the district should not recognize Good Friday as a school holiday. He said he would like to see Good Friday, which is April 2, removed from the school vacation calendar.

"I was shocked to see the school calendar from circa 1945," Conrad Evarts told board members. "Imagine what it would be like if you were a Christian family and there was no lunch available at Forestview Middle School because the cafeteria was closed for a month because of Ramadan."

Evarts said he also was shocked that the school district does not give students and staff Martin Luther King Jr. Day off as a recognized school holiday.

"It's just pretty weird, coming from the West coast, to see that," said Evarts.

The board did not take any action on Evarts' request during the open forum section of the board meeting.

In board action, the board approved the revised budget. A second revision will likely be done in April. The school board finance committee discussed the revisions at the Feb. 2. committee meeting.

The board approved the conceptual proposed trail system for the city of Brainerd as proposed but also requested clarification on the direction of the trail at its southern tip.

The board approved a field trip request for Baxter fourth-graders to attend Deep Portage April 8-9.

The board changed the regular board meeting in August from Aug. 9 to Aug. 16.

The board recognized and thanked several teachers who have announced their retirements, effective June 4: Ann Edman, Baxter kindergarten teacher; Lorin Ellertson, Alternative Education Center special education teacher; Robert Groneberg, AEC work experience teacher; Bonnie Hemstad, Baxter third-grade teacher; Carl Hendrickson, Forestview sixth-grade teacher; Louise Hunt, Garfield special education teacher; Sue Johnson, Lowell music teacher; Anne Klinefelter, Brainerd High School special education teacher; Brenda Marohn, Nisswa first grade teacher; Maurice Olson, BHS South Campus visual arts teacher; Terry Sluss, BHS special education teacher; and Deborah Whitlock, BHS special education teacher.

The board learned that the district's improvement plan required for not making adequate yearly progress for student results on the MCA-II tests has been deemed "proficient" by the Minnesota Department of Education.

The board approved a $1 lease agreement with the Lakes Area Senior Activity Center for the greenhouse facility at the school farm property. The center wants to use the greenhouse to grow plants for the annual senior center plant sale. The agreement will have no financial impact on the district. The senior center will pay for all costs associated with the venture, including utility, operational, cleaning and custodial costs, as well as snow removal. The lease is from March 1 through May 30 with the option of a month-to-month extension.

The board hired the following certified staff: Michelle Pfeiffer, elementary schools visual arts specials on a one-year 80 percent contract; Jennifer Pelowski, Harrison/Riverside music specialist, on a one-year 88 percent contract; and Brent Rekstad, BHS American Sign Language teacher, on a 20 percent contract.

JODIE TWEED may be reached at jodie.tweed@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5858.