ELY- Athletics were the theme here on Monday, with four sports-related topics taking up a third of the 45-minute meeting of the Ely School Board.
The board accepted a quote of $53,650 from Phil Hegfors and Son Construction, of Ely, for track repairs, which are scheduled to get underway next June. While the track repair quote has been reviewed by the track coaches and the track club, school superintendent Anne Oelke said there is still some discussion over materials. Oelke urged going forward with the work, “none (of the ongoing discussion) has deviated hugely from what we already have decided. That’s why we’re moving forward with this quote … We don’t want to delay this any longer.”
The new track surface will complete the loop around the football field and extend out to the pickleball courts.
The board also accepted a donation of $48,000 from the Ely Track Club to help pay for the new track surface and repairs.
The board also approved giving an individual pass for team sport events to those school staff who complete a supervision shift at an Ely game. This supervision would be in addition to the supervisory staff already in place at games. “This is just an enhancement,” remarked Tom Coombe, athletic director.
The board also approved a new cooperative agreement with Northeast Range School in Babbitt for boys basketball, and boys and girls nordic skiing for the 2023-24 season. Coombe pointed out that if the agreement did not pass, Northeast Range would not be able to field its own basketball team on its own this year.
“The only teams that they have by themselves right now, Coombe added, “are volleyball, and girls softball, and I would not be surprised to see softball coming down the pike (in a future cooperative agreement) as well. They also host girls swimming. And really, it’s a good deal for us … It’s really a win-win situation for everyone.”
Coombe was confident that Ely’s cooperative sports teams with Northeast Range students was balanced by the cooperative swimming team hosted in Babbitt. He noted that Northeast Range saved a lot because they didn’t need to hire coaches for the teams run by Ely, while footing the large bill to run the swim team and maintain the school’s swimming pool.
Coombe also noted that a detailed balancing of costs with Northeast Range School might be something to consider for the future. “I think there’s room to talk … on just how that will take shape. I’d be more than happy to get involved in those discussions.”
The fourth athletics-related item concerned more donations, all of which support sports in the Ely School District.
The first three donations were from the Ely Net Club, TD Club, and Ely Hoop Club, for $1,300, $1,500, and $2,600 respectively, to fund Hudl subscriptions for football and basketball. Hudl is a subscription service that allows team sports to upload videos of games and watch videos of other teams in turn. Coombe described how a Hudl subscription eliminated the former practice of driving out-of-town to scout other teams.
The last donation that the board accepted was for $13,759, for a new floor in the school district’s weight room, which Coombe revealed included some astroturf.
In other action, the board:
• Heard from Superintendent Oelke that 23 students between the ages of 5 and 17 are currently being home-schooled within the boundaries of ISD 696 during the 2023-24 school year.
• Approved the September financial report, with receipts of $686,826, and disbursements of $281,805.
• Approved the hiring of paraprofessionals Trenton Flegel, Ronda Puzel and Michelle Zollar, as well as adding one new paraprofessional position.
• Approved the following extra-curricular assignments for the 2023-2024 musical as recommended by Jeff Carey, Ely Memorial 6-12 Principal and Mike Rouse, Musical Director: Elias Mocole, Music Director; Tatianna Riabokin, Choreographer; Marcia Homer, Band Director; Nick Holt, Technician; Cathy Gucciardo/Jane Dandron (split stipend), Costumers; Barb Litchfield/Margie Miller, (split stipend) Accompanist.
• Approved a correction for Nick Bates, a part-time Science/Social Studies teacher at the high school, to change in employment status lane from “MA, Step 2” to “MA, Step 3,” effective Sept 5.
• Approved the 2023-24 Q-Comp budget. Q-Comp is a state-approved alternative teacher professional payment system that allows school districts and teacher representatives to design and collectively bargain an alternative career development, performance, evaluation and compensation system. Over one hundred Minnesota public school districts use a Q-Comp system.