ELY – The Ely School Board’s challenges with filling administrative vacancies will soon move into the classroom as board members accept the retirement or resignation of several teachers at the end of this school year.

ISD 696’s longtime media specialist Judy Klun, who has worked in the district since 1980, will retire next month.

Math teacher Anna Thompson, who has taught in Ely since 1992, will also retire.

German teacher Robert Braff, who started in Ely in 1981, submitted his intent to retire so late last week, an amendment to the School Board agenda was required Monday night.

Language arts teacher Johnna Suihkonen also submitted her resignation.

Business manager Marie Rinta’s resignation leaves open a crucial position in the School District office.

School Board members, meanwhile, will negotiate a contract with Interim Superintendent Kevin Abrahamson to a permanent part-time position following an interview session last week.

Abrahamson told board members Monday that as many as 11 or 12 candidates have applied for the vacant 6-12 principal position. District teacher Megan Anderson has been filling in this spring as interim 6-12 principal following the abrupt resignation of Mary McGrane from the position in March.

An applicant screening process for the principal position will take place with interviews to follow as soon as possible, according to Abrahamson. The application deadline was Tuesday, May 10.

The principal screening committee includes board members, the K-5 principal, the superintendent, athletic director, and a high school, middle school and elementary teacher.

As soon as Abrahamson and the principals come to agreement on full-time-equivalent recommendations, he said he plans to post or advertise to fill the vacant positions rather than wait for approval at another School Board meeting. “I feel very strongly that we need to move on this,” he said. “We need to get the postings out there and see who is there before we get to June or July when the pool is much lower.”

Board Chairman Ray Marsnik noted that Minnesota has a teacher shortage. “In some areas, it is getting very crucial,” he said. “I understand where you’re coming from on that. The quicker we can get these posted, the better off we are going to be.”

Board member Scott Kellerman inquired about the vacant upcoming German teacher position and wondered if there are any teachers who still teach that foreign language.

Board member Paul Pengal was clearly irritated with Braff’s last-minute retirement announcement. “If it would have been up to me, I would have said we should move on and expand,” he said.

Class scheduling for the 2016-2017 school year was just recently completed. Abrahamson said changes to class offerings could have been possible just five or six weeks ago.

“I feel that this type of resignation at this period in time does this district no good,” Pengal said. “I think we should post this position attached to something else like teaching English. If it was up to me, I would not bring German back in.”

Board member Rochelle Sjoberg pointed out that the teachers’ contract currently does not include an established date to submit resignation and retirement intentions. “I know, the earlier the better for us from a scheduling standpoint, but if that’s something that we want, such as a date, then we need to take that into contract negotiations,” Sjoberg said.

“That could be one of the things that we bring up,” Pengal said. “Make it April 1.”

Marsnik suggested studying the issue at the upcoming School Board study session, scheduled for Monday, May 23. “Every time we do an opening we should look at if want to make any changes,” he said.

Abrahamson said new teachers come into the district on a one-year probationary period and changes can be made again next year. “We also have to think of the kids who are going into German 2 or German 3,” he said.

“Scheduling is all done for next year,” Marsnik said, “and we should take a look at all of our foreign language offerings as we go forward.”

Abrahamson said he anticipates posting the vacant teaching positions next week.

Other business

In other business, the School Board:

•Agreed to study negotiating responsibilities for the Principal and Confidential/Supervisory associations at the May 3 study session;

•Discussed the parameters of and agreed to set a date for the employment contract for the part-time superintendent’s position;

•Granted a request, on recommendation from the athletic director, from the parents of a home-schooled student to participate in C squad sports in the district;

•Approved the reimbursement of $1,387 to the Ely Track Club for participation fees;

•Accepted quotes from Vaaler Insurance Inc., Minnetonka, for workers compensation insurance premium of $21,998, and property, liability and auto insurance premium of $53,586 for the 2016-2017 school year;

•Approved the posting for a 16-20 hour-per-week business manager position;

•OK’d the increase in the grant-funded Indian Education Coordinator position from $14.50 to $16 per hour.