The Lyle School Board voted to use a different architect than it had used in last year's construction plans.

After meeting with other school boards, the Lyle School Board has picked Smiley, Glotter and Nyberg Architects of Minneapolis. The firm did architectural work for the new Medford School, which opened last year.

TSP One, Inc., out of Rochester, drafted a $11.1 million construction plan for Lyle School last fall. The bond referendum was turned down by Lyle school district residents Nov. 5.

But the school district has decided it still wants to pursue a construction plan to bring the school up to date. Based on survey results it collected last month, the majority surveyed said they want to keep the school in Lyle, but said the construction needed to be more affordable.

SGN Architects will not charge to design a layout for the new construction unless a referendum is passed, said Superintendent Jerry Reshetar.

In other business, the school board:

n Discussed the possibility of buying a new bus. One had broken down recently, but has since been fixed. Reshetar said it would be beneficial if the school had a spare bus to add to its four buses. Reshetar predicted the school would have too few buses by next fall.

A new bus could cost up to $50,000, while a used bus would cost about $30,000.

n Reviewed the 2002-03 budget. Business services has spent 82 percent of its budget, which Reshetar attributed to rising Internet costs. Some 84 percent of the facilities budget has been spent, part of it coming from architectural and consulting costs for last year's school construction proposal. Because the school needed to buy a new freezer, 95 percent of the food service supplies budget has been spent.

But other areas of the budget are "right on target," Reshetar said.

n Discussed calendar options for next year. By March or, at the latest, April, the school board will have to decide on next year's school calendar. One of the main items to decide is if school would be closed the whole week of Christmas or if school would be held the Monday and Tuesday before Christmas Eve. School board members commented that teachers and parents had told them this past Christmas break was too long.

n Met in closed session for teacher contract negotiations. The board went over initial contract information and hopes to have a contract for the next two years settled by the time the school year ends. The current contract expires July 1.

The board next meets at 7 p.m. March 17.

Cari Quam can be reached at 434-2235 or by e-mail at :mailto:cari.quam@austindailyherald.com