Stew-Stras Board Discusses Continuing Co-op w/Windsor

Whether to continue in a sports co-op with the Windsor school district was a topic of considerable discussion at the recent Stewardson-Strasburg school board meeting.

Stew-Stras Superintendent Michelle Lindenmeyer said 10 people spoke to the issue at the meeting, predominantly positive about the co-op. The Board, though, has taken note of signs around both Stewardson and Strasburg that read "Bring Back the Comets", the nickname used by Stew-Stras high school sports teams before the co-op. Just in the last few days, Lindenmeyer said there are signs reading "End the co-op". 

Lindenmeyer presented statistics from the three years of the co-op. The numbers show that where girls sports are concerned, more than 70% of the participants are from Stew-Stras. However, in boys sports, Stew-Stras participation has been 45.8%, 41.6% and this year 40.4%. Lindenmeyer noted that there are only four boys in the entire sophomore class at Stew-Stras and none of them participate in sports so that is one reason for those figures.

Lindenmeyer said there is no drop dead date for the Board to reach a decision on whether to continue the co-op, but said they need to move ahead with scheduling if things are going to change. 

Meanwhile, Windsor/Stew-Stras is again in the market for a boys basketball coach. Austin Robinson has resigned from the position after one season.

Also at the meeting, the Stew-Stras board got an update on their Pre-School for All program, which has 13 participants this year, and approved a new dual credit Tech Math course offered in co-operation with Lake Land College. The Board also heard about a $1,000 Earning for Learning grant from Consolidated Communications that will purchase coding kits for elementary technology classes. The students will learn to program games, learning coding skills along the way.

Stew-Stras board members approved an intergovernmental agreement with Neoga district to share a social social worker, and agreed to advertise for an elementary teacher, a .5 Full Time Equivalency Dean of Students, and a Head Teacher.