VIRGINA- The ISD 2142 school board appointed Mallory Manick, of Cook, to fill the North Woods area seat vacated by former board member Nathan Briggs, whose family moved to another state.
Three candidates – Caroline Roesch, Mallory Manick, and Gwyneth Storm – applied for the position. Originally scheduled for the September meeting, the decision was delayed so that board members could meet with the candidates at their October working session in order to make a more informed decision. In the interim, Storm withdrew her name from consideration, reportedly because she is moving out of the area.
Board member Ron Marinaro nominated Manick, and the motion was passed unanimously without discussion. No information on Manick’s background was provided – the Timberjay will have a profile of the new board member in an upcoming edition.
By state law, Manick must wait for at least 30 days before taking the oath of office and assuming her new duties. Because the regular Oct. 22 meeting was cancelled due to a lack of a quorum, Manick won’t become an official board member until the Dec. 10 business meeting.
Among the items in the superintendent’s report, Superintendent Reggie Engebritson told board members that the new student cell phone policy that restricts access during the school day has gone even better than expected. While some students have had to be reminded of the policy, overall compliance has been extremely good with no major issues reported, Engebritson said.
In other business, the board:
• Extended the district’s open enrollment deadline from Jan. 15 to June 1. The move opens the possibility for receiving more transfer students from other districts, something that would aid with the district’s projected financial strains.
• Approved a resolution authorizing the district to accept $600,000 in Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation revenue bond funds for the North Woods wastewater processing rehabilitation project.
• Approved a revised policy increasing the threshold value for inventory of fixed assets from $5,000 to $10,000.
• Approved applications to the Minnesota State High School League for grant funding to offset student fees for extracurricular activities and provided additional training opportunities for students, staff, officials and others involved in athletics and fine arts events.
• Authorized Finance Director Kim Johnson to make changes to the signers for district and school bank accounts.
• Approved a memorandum of understanding with the teachers’ union with regards to salary schedule placement.
• Hired Lorenda Daugherty to a one-fifth time position as the restorative practices coordinator at North Woods.
• Hired Jacob Vernlund and Sherri Elg as paraprofessionals at Northeast Range.
• Hired Trudy Pelach as a teacher aide at North Woods.
• Hired Molly Krueger and Jodi Whiteside as paraprofessionals at North Woods.
• Hired Rachel Hendricks as a van driver and Lois Pajari as a substitute driver at North Woods.
• Hired Chelsea Radosevich as a substitute nutrition employee at North Woods.
• Hired Christa Seelen as a van driver at NER.
• Hired Colleen Villa as a substitute site secretary at Tower-Soudan.
• Hired Shawn Aase as a substitute custodian at NER.
• Hired the following coaching staff: Head robotics coach Michelle Long at North Woods; head track coach Brett Brodeen at North Woods; one-act play director Joe Kaufenberg at NER; head speech coach Jennifer Kaufenberg at NER; head robotics coach Ryan Lindsay and assistants Aaron Donais and Walter Harrier at NER; head wrestling coach Adam Hagen at NER; head girls basketball coach Liz Cheney and assistants Becca Bundy and Mya Buffetta at North Woods; and head boys basketball coach Andrew Jugovich and assistants Black Scofield and Daniel Squires at North Woods.
Hired Jennifer Prepodnik and Jolene Wilson as Little Grizzlies adult aides at North Woods.
• Accepted resignations from NER golf coach Ethan Stachovich; North Woods assistant boys basketball coach Jordan Villebrun; NER paraprofessional MaCayla Flategraff; NER cheerleading coach Rachel Johnson; North Woods paraprofessional Trudy Pelach; T-S paraprofessional Krystal Rynders; NER paraprofessional Brianna Buschman; and NER/T-S ECFE/ECSE teacher Sydney Webb.
• Approved the termination of NER paraprofessional Miranda King.
• Recognized newly-tenured North Woods language arts teacher Ashley Paakonen.