Langdon Area Schools

Langdon Area School District Making Cuts

The Langdon Area School Board conducted their July meeting this past Monday, July 21. The evening started with a retreat that focused on public perception of school district spending following the failed referendum vote for a school district maintenance bond in June. Topics discussed were transportation, extracurriculars, staffing, health benefits, budget and future planning. Following the retreat, the regular public school board meeting was opened for business. Dave Hart was elected president with Tiffany Hetletved being elected as vice president. Both of these board members were serving in these roles this past year.

The school board confirmed cuts in staffing with a half-time social studies teacher being cut at the high school and both 1st and 2nd grades moving from 3 teachers for the 2024-25 school year for each grade level to two teachers in each grade level starting the 2025-26 school year. The board moved forward with discussion on elementary extracurriculars and ended with the decision to make elementary sports no longer part of what the school district offers, putting this responsibility back on the parents and community as is the case with many of our surrounding communities. It is becoming more common place with schools feeling the budget crunch. The board heard a request from Mr. Olson for a third high school coach for the volleyball program; that request died for lack of action. There was in-depth discussion on the use of volunteers as coaches to assist in our programs. In the end, the board decided that they would allow volunteer coaches with Mr. Askvig working closely with the head coaches for each program to ensure that volunteers are effective and productive. The board made a recommendation that the activities committee work with our cooperative schools on increasing the participation fees for each of our sports offerings. There was in-depth discussion on how our local media provides our sports activities to the public through radio and Cardinal Vision on the television. With attendance at our sporting events becoming less each year, the board has asked the administration to engage in discussion with our local providers to see if there is any potential revenue streams and evaluating continuing providing these opportunities.

Lastly, there was discussion on future planning. There are numerous large, deferred maintenance projects that are just not possible to save for with the current school funding. These projects are roofing updates costing $3.55 million, HS/MS HVAC $3.4 million, electrical updates $965,800, PA/bells communications $335,100, and secured entrances for both buildings pushing $1 million as some type of addition and remodel would be required at both buildings. These numbers are the numbers that were presented for the last bond proposal and will be impacted by inflation the longer they are delayed. The fear is that one of these systems would fail, not allowing us to provide the face-to-face instruction that we expect to provide and receive. No decisions were made on future planning at this meeting other than the efficiencies described earlier.

The level of state funding and limited economic growth at this time is creating a burden on our school system to provide the level of education that we have come to expect and value for our students. I do not think things are going to get any easier.



Daren Christianson
Langdon Area School District
Superintendent