TOWER- After saying for months that staff reductions were on the table due to budgetary concerns, ISD 2142 Superintendent Reggie Engebritson delivered the bad news to school board members at Tuesday’s meeting: 11 teaching positions will have to be eliminated to stay within the district’s 2024-25 projected budget.
“We looked at the numbers and what the class sizes were,” Engebritson said. “Right sizing is the term that we use based on the numbers. We’re making the cuts that (district finance director Kim Johnson) has recommended in order to help with the budget. We’re fortunate to say that we’re not having to lay off any tenured staff.”
The cuts will affect probationary teachers at four of the district’s five schools, excluding Tower-Soudan, where Tuesday’s meeting was held.
“We’ll keep watching the numbers and re-evaluating,” Engebritson said. “We’ve got some really good probationary staff, and you hate to lose people.”
Board member Chris Koivisto commented on the cuts.
“I do feel for those folks out there that we have to make those cuts for and we’re concerned about where those cuts are and how they affect classrooms,” he said. “It’s important for folks here at the table to recognize what cuts are being made and how it’s going to affect their students in the classroom. I hope that we can make cuts where they are not going to impact on the students’ experience.”
Indian Education
Without comment, the board voted to accept a list of recommendations from the district’s American Indian Parent Advisory Committee (AIPAC) pursuant to a January vote that declared the district is out of compliance with state statutes and is not meeting the needs of Native American students.
AIPAC members want more transparency and greater accountability for designated Indian Education funds, and a greater say in how those funds are spent. They want the district to follow through on creating a dedicated coordinator position for Indigenous Education. They want district officials and the board to be thoroughly knowledgeable about all aspects of the Indian Education program, including funding sources, and they want more timely and effective communication with the district.
Acceptance of the recommendation by the board does not mean that board members agree with AIPAC’s assessment of the state of Indian Education in the district, and the board has 60 days in which to respond to AIPAC. A committee comprised of board members Ron Marinaro, Bob Larson, and Chris Koivisto met last week to begin formulating the board’s response, which will be presented at an upcoming meeting.
In other business the board:
• Hired MaCayla Flategraff and Jennifer Brownlee as a part-time paraprofessionals and Sharon Gilbert as a part-time paraprofessional for bus duty at Northeast Range.
• Hired Amy Hinkel as a part-time paraprofessional and Raymond Potts as a van driver at Tower-Soudan.
• Hired the following as coaches for spring sports: North Woods softball, Dee Ann Sandberg, head, Becca Bundy and Alli Sandberg, assistants; NW baseball, R.J. Kruse, head, Steve Baker, assistant; NW girls golf, Kandi Olson, head, Jon Scherf, assistant; NW boys golf, Tate Olson, head, Jon Scherf, assistant; Northeast Range softball, Misty Roseth, head, Courtney Field, assistant; NER track, Adam Hagen, assistant; NER boys and girls golf, Ethan Stachovich, head, Cody Siebert, assistant; NER baseball, Aaron Donais, assistant.