KSMQ-TV executive director Jude Andrews won the Austin Board of Education’s authorization to retain a consulting firm to help with a huge fund-raiser for the public TV station.

Thursday, June 14, 2001

KSMQ-TV executive director Jude Andrews won the Austin Board of Education’s authorization to retain a consulting firm to help with a huge fund-raiser for the public TV station.

The school board gave Andrews the go-ahead to enter into an agreement with Saterbak & Associates of LaCrosse, Wis.

The firm will be paid $22,000 to help KSMQ-TV raise $20.8 million for the public television station’s transition to digital television.

According to Andrews, a federal government mandate requires the change-over.

Both state and federal government grant sources will be explored.

Presently, Andrews said it is in doubt if the 2001 Minnesota Legislature will appropriate any money for the transition.

Saterbak & Associates will conduct a two-phase campaign for KSMQ-TV.

The first phase will take eight weeks and include a planning study of KSMQ-TV viewers and their interest in switching to high-definition digital television. The second phase will include budgeting.

Andrews estimated the campaign will be 95 percent funded by grants.

Personnel changes

Julie Jensen, director of human resources for the school district, received the school board’s approval for the following personnel changes:

Certified staff leaves of absence: Tiffany Syverson, district occupational therapist; Nicole Melgaard, Neveln Elementary School art teacher; Debra Kenyon, Early Childhood Special Education teacher at Woodson Community School. Certified staff resignation, Donna Judson, physical education at Austin High School.

Non certified staff resignation: Patricia Schmidt, paraprofessional at Neveln Elementary School.

Non-unit staff resignation: Charles Volkert, food service helper at Banfield Elementary School.

In other action, the Austin school board:

Approved a new contract for the 2001-2002 health services

provided by the Mower County Public Health Nursing Service. Fees

for school nursing services will increase 5 percent.

Recognized Austin High School Knowledge Bowl participants

Brian Auron and Joe Carlson and their coach, Terry Dorsey, plus

other team members – Jessica Riskedahl and Kari Lippert – for

their accomplishments.

Recognized boys and girls state golf qualifiers Jeff Clark

and Brittany Bertilson and coaches Claudia Pilot and Mark Anderson.

Recognized Bruce and Sandy Hovland and Jeff Hovland for their

support of Austin High School activities and the sponsorship

of the Glen Hovland scholarship. According to AHS Principal Joe

Brown, the family has raised more than $1 million in donations

to AHS over a 10-year period. The Hovlands’ Sportts Restaurant

is a frequent host of AHS athletic fund-raisers and other events.

Acknowledged a donation of a television and VCR for the Kids

Korner day-care program in Austin Public Schools. The equipment

comes from the Student Resource and Referral Center (formerly

the Wo/Men’s Center at Riverland Community College.

Heard a report of a successful ninth-grade trip to Washington,

D.C., from teachers Andrea Malo and Lisa Glynn.

Heard a report from Carol Rickheim and faculty members on

the 2000-2001 staff development activities for the district.

Para-training efforts were examined by Julie Jensen and Linda

Goodard and Lynna Reese discussed peer coaching efforts. Site

reports came from representatives of all school district facilities.

Also, $94,975 in exemplary grants made to enhance the delivery

of educational services were examined.

Call Lee Bonorden at 434-2232 or e-mail him at lee.bonorden@austindailyherald.com.