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Northland Community Schools Board of Education's string of back and forth decision-making continued last week when the board learned three of the teachers they had put on Unrequested leave of absence (ULA), can not be placed on ULA, due to seniority issues.

Northland's Board of Education met in an emergency closed session to meet with school attorney Kristi Hastings to discuss pending hearings/litigation.

The first of two scheduled meetings on Wednesday was cancelled. The first meeting was scheduled to hear from staff members, or representatives speaking for staff members, who had received notification they'd been placed on ULA.

Wednesday, during a scheduled special meeting, the board rescinded actions taken at a previous board meeting. On June 15, 2010, the board approved resolutions to place Charlene Murphy, Dan Martin and Brett Short on unrequested leave of absence. The board later learned of technicalities associated with the ULAs.

Murphy had been incorrectly identified on the seniority list, as a teacher to be placed on ULA. Instead, Raina Boucher should have been the teacher identified to be placed on ULA. However, Boucher was allowed to keep her position with the district. Murphy, being more senior than Boucher, contractually could not be placed on ULA if Boucher remained employed with the district.

The second technicality the board was faced with was the delay in notifying Martin of the board's decision to place him on ULA. Martin was served notice on June 16, not June 15. Contractually, employees have 14 days to request a hearing. Because of the late notification there was no feasible way to accomplish a hearing before the midnight deadline on Wednesday. Because the district didn't notify Martin in a timely manner, Short, who has seniority over Martin, by default, can not be placed on ULA. Board Chair, Bill Hansen explained Superintendent Theresa Meyers had contacted Martin asking where he would be on June 15. Martin told Meyers he would be doing work at his father's home in Grand Rapids. Meyers went to the home on June 15, however, Martin was not there. The superintendent contacted Martin, who explained due to the rainy condition, he was unable to do the work as planned so he stayed home. Martin lives in Chisholm. Meyers didn't drive to Chisholm.

Longville third grade teacher, Roxann Lathrop said "I'm wondering if the board feels that the superintendent is truly doing her job?"

I'm sure every board member has an opinion," Hansen said. "This is a pretty big mistake, it's a lot of money," he added.

Murphy, Martin and Short may still be needed, depending on enrollment numbers. There are a few grades that are teetering on the border of needing to be split into two classes. To date, the district has lost 11 students to other districts through open enrollment. District Principal, Joe Akre, said he's had families with students who attended the recently closed Emily Charter School, contact him seeking information about open enrolling into Northland. Akre will meet with those families to tour the Northland facility.

I'm sure every board member has an opinion," Hansen said. "This is a pretty big mistake, it's a lot of money," he added.

Dave Kitchenhoff initiated discussion on bringing back former Superintendent Mike Doro to be a mentor to Meyers and a part time "Very limited" business manager. Kitchenhoff said he wanted to have the discussion before the board went into a closed meeting that was scheduled to follow the special meeting. The board was set to discuss Doro mentoring Meyers during the closed session. Kitchenhoff said by having the discussion prior to the closed meeting, if the board was ready to take action, they could vote on it after the closed meeting.

Terry Gross said he'd talked with Doro about mentoring Meyers, to give her a hand on what's going on. "He knows the numbers," said Gross, adding "He's willing to help us out and I think the superintendent needs the help." Gross told the board, "We should have been putting in a business manager to begin with, with her, because we knew she was not good at finances, and here we go, this is why we're here." He said he didn't believe she had the right mentoring to begin with. Meyers had been mentoring with Hill City Superintendent Scott Vedbraaten, and a professor in St. Cloud. Gross suggested moving forward with the idea and find out how much Doro would require to come on board.

The board recently received a request from the Northland Area Family Service Center, regarding leasing a portion of the Longville School, and would pay $12,000 for the upcoming school year. The family center would like to occupy the middle level of the school.

Hansen said the estimated cost of heat and lights would be a little more than $30,000 per year. The lease wouldn't cover the cost, but it would provide service to children from birth through pre-school for the district. Hansen said the family center could move to Remer, but that would cut down on the students it would serve from the western part of the distrcit. Michelle Tessin, director of the family center, said the option of moving into Remer Elementary is no longer a possibility with Murphy, Martin and Short coming back.

Tessin acknowledged the hard financial times for the school district, but thinks offering pre-school in Longville would go a long way with the community. Tessin asked, "Is it worth $30,000 for the district to do that? I don't know, you'd have to make that decision." She said the family center board has been considering the possibility of joining forces with the joint powers board which expressed interest in acquiring Longville Elementary. Any decisions townships would make wouldn't be until spring, after they could hold their annual meetings.

Kitchenhoff asked if the Family Center would pay their own transportation costs. Tessin said the Family Center doesn't have funds for transportation. The district has, in the past, provided transportation for pre-schoolers, providing the buses didn't have to go off a regular route. With Longville School now closed, all buses will be going to Remer, therefore delivering students to the Family Center in Longville would be outside of appointed bus routes. Tessin said if they can't offer transportation through the school, for early childhood, pre-school and head start, it would be a step backwards.

Kathy Burch, executive secretary for the district, addressed the board as a taxpayer and resident of the district. Burch said a contract the district made with Climate Makers, did not include service at the Longville School. A recent bid notice for snowplowing services at Longville Elementary was for limited plowing, not regular plowing. Add together the cost of transportation, maintenance, insurance and food service, Burch said "The number's going to be a lot higher than $30,000 to help you get into, and stay in there." Hansen clarified the estimate of $30,000 was for heat and lights only. Burch questioned, in regard to all the costs being added to keep the Family Center in Longville, "What have we saved by closing the Longville building?" Moving the Family Center into the Longville Elementary building Burch said, in her opinion, "It's a move that the district can't afford to do."

Dan Switzer made a motion to table the vote until the next meeting when more cost analysis information could be made availalbe to the board.

In other board business, the board:

•Finalized the uncontested resolution to place Jill McKinney on ULA.

•Approved hiring Shem Daugherty as head football coach, and Dale Foss as assistant football coach.

The board's next regular meeting will be at 7 p.m., Thursday, July 15, at Longville School.

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