Students at Culver Elementary School may notice a tree missing from the school’s playground when they return from fall break Monday. Principal Erin Proskey told the school board this week the tree in the southwest corner of the playground has become a bit of a safety hazard. “If you look, on all sides of the tree, there are rot lines that go up almost every limb,” she said, “and if you look at the tree, there are a few limbs that have no bark, no leaves, no branches.”
She says the problem’s gotten to the point where the tree has had to be roped off, “The kids love playing under that tree, and at this point, I think that it has become a safety issue for the kids.”
The school board agreed to allow Pro Tree Service out of Rochester to cut the tree down, for a cost of $1,500. Board member Bill Sonnemaker agreed it was time for action. “If we have to rope something off right now because we’ve got safety issues, it should come down,” he said. “We have to step up to it and get rid of it. You’re just delaying the issue and the liability goes up.”
Board members also discussed the possibility of having another tree planted as a replacement.
In other business, the school board got its first look at the proposed 2017-2018 school calendar. It calls for Culver Schools to remain on the balanced calendar. Following further consideration from the teachers’ association, the school board is expected to vote on the calendar in January.
