Fliers football coach resigns

After five seasons, Travis Ahrens has resigned as head football coach for Flandreau High School.

“Coaching football here at Flandreau the last 11 years as an assistant and as a head coach has been one of the most enjoyable parts of my life,” he said. “I wish nothing but the best for our players into the future, and I will definitely miss being involved in that part of their lives.”

Ahrens will continue to teach high school social studies, drivers education and coach wrestling. He took over as head football coach after Chad Stadem left for Washington High School and was an assistant coach under Stadem.

A Jackson, Minn., native, Ahrens had a 5-36 record as head coach. He said there is potential and excitement for the program in the coming years and he wishes the team the best of luck.

Superintendent Rick Weber said the district will advertise and hire a replacement. Weber will wait to see if there are any teacher openings before looking for a new coach and also will consider interested internal candidates.

In a motion to accept Ahrens’ resignation, board members Brian Johnson and Tom Stenger voted no.

In other action…

• The school board election will be April 10 with positions currently filled by Tricia LeBrun, Johnson and Matt Lacey up for election. LeBrun and Lacey said they are not planning on running again. Both have served nine years. Johnson said he will circulate petitions to be on the ballot.

Petitions can be picked up at the school starting Jan. 26 and are due Feb. 23. Those interested in running for a board position need 20 valid signatures to get their name on the ballot.

• The board approved the school calendar for 2018-2019 with school starting Aug. 22 and graduation on May 18. Given a choice between taking President’s Day off or the Friday before the state wrestling tournament in February 2019, events that fall in the same week, the board voted to take that Friday off, similar to what is done with basketball tournaments.

Because boys and girls basketball tournaments are combined next year, the district will take March 14-15, 2019, off as spring break dates that coincide with the tournaments.

The school will go back to having 3 p.m. dismissals on Wednesdays for professional development time. On other days, school will be dismissed at 3:30 p.m.

• The board voted to fix the penthouse area on the elementary school roof because it is leaking. The district will have RSArchitects provide an estimate for the cost of the project.
• The board approved a contract for occupational and physical therapy with Goodcare Inc., which has provided services in recent years and also goes to other area schools, including Colman-Egan and Dell Rapids. Weber said that in the past three years, Goodcare has provided good service and has been more economical. The contract is for another three years.