The Wadena-Deer Creek school board passed three resolutions at their Monday night meeting in Bluffton which could spell a new day for the boys' hockey program.
Holding their June meeting in the quiet Otter Tail County community six miles northwest of Wadena, the board heard Wadena Hockey Association President Matt Lunde make a case for allowing Verndale to rejoin the WDC hockey cooperative.
Lunde pointed out the 2010 tornado cost the association almost half its membership. According to Lunde, 26 of the association's 96 current players come from neighboring communities. Only one of those players lives in Verndale.
The Verndale school district dropped out of the WDC high school hockey cooperative several years ago to allow another school to join. At the time, Verndale had no hockey players. When Verndale Superintendent Paul Brownlow asked if Verndale could rejoin the cooperative last year, the WDC school board decided against it, feeling it would not be in the best interests of the district. According to WDC Superintendent Lee Westrum, school figures show 120 Wadena students open enroll to Verndale.
Lunde said the decision to exclude Verndale has had an negative impact on the WHA.
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"We've run into a roadblock with trying to recruit those (Verndale) kids at the youth level," Lunde said. "There is just no future in it for a six or seven or eight year old kid to join as a Mite, a Mighty Mite or a Squirt."
Kids moving out of the youth hockey program often join high school teams.
Lunde told the board he has had Verndale parents ask him, "why should we join hockey when there is nothing for them down the road?"
Lunde said the association needs Verndale support. He also sees stronger numbers in the youth hockey program helping WDC high school teams in the future.
Based on an earlier meeting between board members and the hockey association, Westrum put together a template of an agreement for the board to consider and presented it to board members Monday night.
"It's a tough call for me, " Westrum said. "At this point with reservations, I support the plan to pair with Verndale."
The board passed resolutions to dissolve the current cooperative, a new financial agreement and a resolution to create a new cooperative that would include Verndale. The measures will now be placed before other school districts for their consideration.
The board approved a 2016 budget that tentatively places district expenses at $12,694,061 and revenues at $12,781,081. The general fund has a projected fund balance of $200,120.
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The board approved a 2015-2016 school calendar which will see classes beginning Sept. 1. The first week of classes run three days with classes picking up again Sept. 8, the Tuesday after Labor Day. Westrum pointed out that the calendar will allow students to finish with classes before Memorial Day.
The board gave the green light to a facility analysis by Kraus-Anderson of the WDC Elementary school this summer. The purpose of the analysis will be to give the board a look at what will be needed to make the facility usable for the next 20 years.
Resignations were accepted from Craig Klawitter (High School Science), Brian Maki (High School Social Studies), Mickey Lawson (Elementary Paraprofessional) and Linda Paulson (Elementary Paraprofessional).
The board approved the hiring of Scott Woods (Head Girls' Tennis Coach), Nadine Wegscheid (Elementary Head Cook), Sue Volkmann (Everyday Substitute Teacher) and Gerard Lehmkuhl (Custodian).
The next meeting of the WDC school board will be Monday, July 13, in Wadena.
