School board approves poured floor for Rib Lake gym

The Rib Lake Middle School gym floor was the topic of discussion once again for the school board meeting Thursday night.

As promised back in September, Rick Cardey said he would bring samples of the different floor choices to the board to the November board meeting. With no trace of asbestos in the current floor, they are able to go full steam ahead and make an informed decision of which floor to pick.

Cardey brought three different samples for the board to examine.

The first sample is a pad and pour floor treatment. This floor has more texture, which can provide better traction for sporting events and less risk of a fall if something were to be spilled on it.

The next two samples are each treatments that would go over the existing floor. These choices are more of a hazard when it comes to prolonging the longevity of the current floor. Currently there are spots in the floor where the moisture has heaved up the surface in certain areas over the years. Cardey added “Knowing the condition that this floor is in now, covering it up, wouldn’t be my first choice. It would create more problems in the future. I’m expecting this floor replacement to last 30-40 years.”

After seeing the samples, the board was all in favor of doing the first choice, which would involve, tearing up the existing floor and starting fresh with a pad and pour treatment. The pad underneath will help with shock and impact from students using it for gym classes or sporting events.

High School Guidance Counselor, Michelle Rhodes, and Elementary Principal Jon Dallmann, gave a report on how the students did during the state testing this past year. Overall they were each pleased with how well the students did. The scores matched up closely with the state requirement, as well.

Dallmann pointed out that Rib Lake Elementary School was recognized as one of the best in the area. Ranking as 77 out of 1030 elementary schools in the state. Dan Winkler and Leah Hoogland, presented a program called “Culture of Champions”, which is a club that works on implementing initiatives at the elementary, middle and high school levels.

Winkler also expressed his interest in a program that has quickly become nationally known. He added “I think this is a great program that can help promote positivity in schools. I think Rib Lake is a tight-knit community and is a great way to get the community involved. The program is called “A Day Without Hate.”

Winkler also added that “This program is a student led organization that promotes nonviolence, unity, and respect in our schools. After the shootings at Virginia Tech in 2007, students at Standley Lake High School, in Westminster, CO asked their classmates to wear white in order to show a commitment and trust in each other to make their school a safer place. The day was an overwhelming success. Since then, students across Colorado and the nation have taken this incredibly positive day to their communities to say that they will not tolerate violence or hate, and they will reach out to friends and acquaintances to spread the message.”

Rib Lake’s Pump for Pride program through the Medford Cooperative, plans to use their first set of funds to purchase shirts for the “A Day Without Hate” program.

In other business, parent/teacher conferences happened at the elementary school on Thursday night.

Christmas programs have been scheduled for the upcoming Christmas season.