The Albert Lea school board again discussed the fate of music education in the district at a regular school board meeting Monday.

Before voting on a resolution placing four teachers on unrequested leaves of absences, board member Jill Marin made a motion to amend the resolution to keep a full-time teaching position, which board member Sally Ehrhardt seconded.

The board then discussed what that amendment would mean. Marin said she was concerned about music education in the schools and said she would like to look for funds to cover the cost of keeping a position. She said she was worried about the continuity of the band program, which has seen many different instructors over the past five years.

The program at Albert Lea High School is under the direction of Peter Gepson, a teacher for whom parents and students have vocalized their desires to keep. The board voted last month for faculty reductions that will result in Gepson losing his job at the end of this school year.

Superintendent Mike Funk said that because of seniority and licensing laws, they would have to first offer to hire Jared Dawson, a part-time band teacher at Southwest Middle School and the elementaries, and that the amendment wouldn’t save Gepson’s full-time job.

“Legally we can do what you’re requesting — is it the best thing for the district? I don’t think so,” Funk said.

Marin then said she thought the music program was being cut too much. The amendment failed on a 4-2 vote, with Marin and Ehrhardt for it, and board members Linda Laurie, Jeshua Erickson, Mark Ciota and Bill Leland against. The initial resolution then passed on a 4-2 vote along the same lines.

Mechanical upgrade

The board approved a project that will upgrade mechanical systems in the district’s older schools. The project is expected to cost around $15 million.

Finance Director Lori Volz said the district received a low-interest loan for more than $10 million from the U.S. Department of Education through its Qualified Zone Academy Bonds program.

“The interest savings are fantastic news,” Volz said.

She said it will save the district more than $3.5 million. Volz said instead of having a 7 percent increase on the levy’s bottom line, it will be closer to 3 percent.

“We’re able to keep our buildings functional for a small levy impact on taxpayers,” Volz said.

The board awarded a contract to McKinstry Essention to make the schools more energy efficient, along with other capital improvements. Volz said this project will be unique in that the energy savings the district earns will go toward the debt repayment. This may mean the district could save more money in energy savings than the debt repayment.

“We’re really excited we’re able to do this,” Volz said.

Some of the projects to improve energy efficiency would be to upgrade lighting systems, install automatic computer shutdown software, heat dishwashers with natural gas instead of electricity and upgrade the boiler systems at Hawthorne Elementary School and Brookside Education Center.

Funk said he was impressed with his administration and the ways they’ve found to save money for the district. Other school board members also thanked the administrators present for their work.

In other action the board:

• Heard from Leland, the board chairman, about a closed session the board had held to evaluate Funk. Leland said he heard from various administrators and that the evaluations were “superior.”

• Selected Chartwells to serve as the district’s food-service-management company. Volz spoke to the board about how the district will work with the company. Mary Nelson will still be the district’s food-service director, and workers will remain district employees. Replacements for those who retire or resign will be Chartwells employees. Volz said she hopes the company will help the district stay on top of federal and health regulations while keeping costs down.

• Increased school lunch prices 5 cents for the 2011-12 school year. Elementary school lunches will cost $2.05, middle school lunches will be $2.15 and high school lunches will be $2.35.

• Presented a certificate of recognition to high school teacher Ken Fiscus for receiving the National Space Educator Award.