GRAND FORKS – Business continued as usual at Monday’s regular school board meeting, which was held before a special meeting to review the conduct of Superintendent Terry Brenner.

In fact, there was a lot of business going on: Board members heard the latest data from a survey on student drug use, a report from the new bus service provider, and signed off on the sale of a large bond—all in 93 minutes.

Here is the summary:

Alcohol, cigarette and marijuana use continues to decline among Grand Forks middle and high school students.

The most recent survey of youth behavior in Grand Forks shows that use of these substances is lower among high school students than in previous years, but use is increasing among older students.

The biennial survey is funded by a grant from the federal Drug-Free Communities program and is conducted in parallel years to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Youth Risk Behavior Survey.

Deputy Superintendent of Secondary Education Catherine Gillach presented the report.

Seven percent of eighth, ninth and eleventh graders reported consuming an alcoholic beverage in the past 30 days, while 2.5 percent reported smoking all or part of a cigarette.

Both figures have decreased since the survey was first conducted in 2018. That survey found current alcohol consumption rates of 13.9% and 6.1%, respectively.

Gillach noted that graduation rates in 2024 are significantly lower than in previous years, as only about half of students participated in the spring survey.

She highlighted data showing that more students felt their peers disapproved of the use of alcohol, cigarettes and marijuana.

“Our colleagues and families ultimately make the biggest difference,” she said.

Perceptions of the risks of marijuana smoking among students have also increased by nearly 13 percentage points since 2018, to 72% of students surveyed. However, Gillach expressed concern about increasing rates of use as students age and perceive fewer risks associated with substance use.

“This is where our work comes into play, because as we get older, risk perception decreases and consumption increases,” she said.

She emphasized that older students perceive marijuana as less risky and also expressed concern about students’ e-cigarette use, citing statistics showing that 23% of 11th-graders believe e-cigarettes are not or only slightly addictive.

“We know that e-cigarettes are quite addictive, probably even more addictive than cigarettes,” she noted.

John McLaughlin, owner of Valley Bus, said the district’s bus provider had a difficult start to the 2023-24 school year but is optimistic about the coming year.

Due to a short-term shortage of drivers at the beginning of the school year, bus operations relied on temporary workers to fill positions and on Cities Area Transit to cover some of the 23 bus routes.

McLaughlin compared the Fargo-based company’s expansion to Grand Forks – it signed a three-year services agreement with Grand Forks Public Schools last April – to both a start-up company and a football team.

“It was a good learning year,” McLaughlin said. “I feel like a football coach whose team just played 6-6. Maybe 5-6.”

He said the bus service is currently expected to be fully staffed and explained that the company has been more aggressive in advertising and recruiting for its positions.

School board members praised McLaughlin. Council member Amber Flynn praised McLaughlin for his “professionalism” in handling Valley’s uneven year.

Joe Drumm, vice president of the Grand Forks Education Association, told the Herald he appreciated McLaughlin’s presentation and hoped the company would be able to maintain and expand its routes in the future.

“As a football coach, I appreciate having a bus that takes us from point A to point B,” he joked.

The school board gave final approval to divert $1.7 million in federal pandemic funds. These funds would not be used for the already completed heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) upgrades at Benjamin Franklin Elementary School, but would instead be used to eliminate an operating deficit.

The funds from the building fund will instead cover the costs of heating, ventilation and air conditioning. Total expenditure will remain unchanged for 2023-24.

“We’re not asking for more money to be spent. We’re asking for it to be spent out of a different pocket?” asked Lunn, to which Baumbach replied in the affirmative.

Board members also approved the issuance and sale of $52.8 million in general obligation bonds to cover construction costs for Valley Middle School and the district’s central kitchen, as well as an estimated $18 million for safety improvements to buildings throughout the district.

Baumbach said the school district received nine offers and a better interest rate than forecast, at 3.73 percent.

“It was a very competitive market and that’s good to see,” he said.

The sale actually included the sale of $6.5 million in bonds to cover construction costs for the Career Impact Academy. However, a 60-day protest period must be entered before those bonds can be issued, Baumbach said.

He expects the vote on the final sale of these bonds to take place in October.

More news:

• Gateway Cenex will be the district’s gasoline supplier for priority in-town stations, while Circle K Holiday won the contract for other in-town and out-of-town stations, according to a proposal signed by board members on Monday. M&W Service, Inc & Fert-L-Lawn will be the district’s snow removal provider for 2024-25.

Joshua Irvine covers K-12 and higher education and the Grand Forks County Commission for the Grand Forks Herald. He joined the Herald in October 2023.