Stew-Stras School Board Approves Participation in LLC Career Academy

The Stewardson-Strasburg school board has approved participation in the Lake Land Career Academy.

The Academy will offer programs in construction, manufacturing and automotive. The students will attend classes at Lake Land and get dual credit. Students will complete 16 semester hours per year, 32 hours after two years. The classes will be offered from 8-10am and then the students will return to high school for the balance of the day. The students will earn certificates in those course areas.

The cost of the courses has not been finalized.

The Stew-Stras board also established end of year dates; Friday, May 29 at 7pm for 8th grade promotion, and Sunday, May 31 at 2pm for high school graduation. The Board also revised sports fees and admission prices so the same price will be charged whether Stew-Stras or Windsor is the host school.

Next year's school calendar was discussed, but nothing was finalized. There was also no action on a restroom renovation project. The district has received two $50,000 grants to help pay for the $146,000 project.

The Board decided to extend the current lawn care agreement for next year, approved revisions to the certified and non-certified handbooks, renewed an agreement with the Neoga school district to share school psychology and social worker services for next year, and delayed action on a bid for heating and air conditioning renovation.

In personnel action, the Stew-Stras board hired Sherra Johnson as a Business Tech and Media teacher, named Shane Smith the Stew-Stras Athletic Director, hired Ronda Schlechte as head volleyball coach for the new co-ed program and hired Marsha Frederick as the assistant coach, and hired Scott Dow as golf coach for the co-op program. Action on the boys and girls basketball coaches will come once the seasons are concluded.