FHS weightroom to be open to public in January

The weightroom at FHS will soon be open to the public, at a small fee, after 94 out of 99 taking the public surveyed said yes to utilizing the weightroom. Seventy-seven people surveyed also said they would pay a small fee for use. The Flandreau school board voted five to one, with board member Brian Johnson being absent, to approve the opening of the weightroom. Board Member Morgan Kontz was the only nay vote.
Prior to the vote Kontz expressed concerns about the weightroom patrons roaming the school and affecting other evening activities. Kontz spent several evenings at the school this fall as a youth volleyball coach. She experienced the chaos that can happen when open gym patrons and schedule practices are trying to find space.
The weightroom topic has been on the boards agenda for the past three consecutive regular meetings and will be on Decembers as well. During the December meeting the board plans to set the opening date and fee/contract specifics. With new flooring set to be installed in early December by students and Coach Edlund and more key fobs needed, the gym will not be opened until sometime in January.
Three teaching and two coaching positions were approved by the Board. They included: Susan Alfson, Special Education (starting Nov. 13); Alison Logue, 7/8 Math Teacher (starting late Dec./early Jan.); Jose Rodrigo Barrientos, Translator/ELL Assistant; Jesse Giles, C team girls basketball coach; Damian Vacin, assistant wrestling coach.
The board also approved the resignation of high school English teacher Emily Pieper, effective December 21. As noted in the August school board meeting, Flandreau High School is already short an English teacher after failing to fill an open position prior to the school year beginning. Principal Kristi Fischer, Librarian Lori Williams, and online classes are being utilized to keep students academic plan on track.