District 518 staffing, technology on the list of potential uses for federal ESSER funds – The Globe

WORTHINGTON — District 518’s deadline for spending $5.68 million in federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief isn’t until 2024, but a new list of staff and technology needs is being developed after the district decided to use other available funds to pay for indoor air quality improvements.

“It’s strategic investment by the board to support those initiatives that either principals or the teachers have been promoting,” said Superintendent John Landgaard, presenting a preliminary list to the Instructional Committee of the District 518 Board of Education Monday.

He emphasized the list still needs to be refined, and that some items may be removed from it before it goes before the full board for approval.

Potential options on the tentative list include:

• Putting paraprofessionals in every second grade classroom.
• Adding a fifth grade teacher at the Intermediate School, which would reduce class sizes from 25-26 to 23.
• Adding a guidance counselor for Worthington High School, allowing each grade at WHS and Worthington Middle School to have a counselor.
• Hiring a fourth physical education teacher at the middle school.
• Adding another language arts teacher at the Learning Center.
• Hiring a middle school activities coordinator.
• Adding a faculty liaison coordinator position for Community Education.

Technology upgrades have also made the list of possibilities, including the replacement of the district’s phone system, which will become obsolete in six months, as well as audio systems for classrooms, security for vape sensors, and televisions and monitors for classrooms and offices.
In total, all the items on the list add up to nearly $1.8 million.

If District 518 doesn’t spend its ESSER funds by the deadline, the money will be taken back, but if the district spends all the money on hiring staff, it will either have to pay for those positions itself when the two years of ESSER funding are over, find an alternative funding source or cut the positions.

“I’m trying to avoid a funding cliff at the end of ‘24,” Landgaard said.

In other news Monday, the committee:

• Heard that the “Grow Your Own” pathway aimed at getting Worthington-area candidates their teaching credentials had received a $624,375 grant.
• Received an update on the draft of the employee incentive policy.
• Learned that eight candidates have applied for District 518’s three open administrative positions, and that candidates could potentially be hired by the first week in May. School board members will be involved in the interviewing process for administrators. The district is also making progress in hiring speech therapists, as well as teachers and food service workers.
• Heard a request from the Worthington Area Youth Baseball Association to sell beer during two WAYBA home tournaments for 13- and 14-year-olds. Beer has been sold at events for older groups without incident, Landgaard said, and noted that because the school leases the ball field to the city of Worthington, the city ultimately has the final say on the matter.

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