Northland School Board: Superintendent and Business Manager Services Discontinued with Hill City

   After several weeks of discussion between Hill City’s school board and Northland’s school board a final agreement has been formed to discontinue sharing superintendent services between the two schools effective June 30, 2022. The boards have also agreed to no longer share business manager services, which was voted on and approved at the regular school board meeting on Thurs., June 16.

   The board held a special work session on Tues., June 7 to discuss an administration plan to begin July 1, 2023, but was informed at that meeting Hill City was going to go ahead and release Northland from the superintendent contract effective June 30, 2022 instead of June 30, 2023. Along with that release Hill City informed the board the business manager contract would also be discontinued effective June 30, 2022.

   The board then discussed setting up a meeting with Hill City’s board to negotiate these services for a one year term, but was unable to secure a time before Hill City’s special meeting held Wed., June 15. A few board members from Northland attended Hill City’s meeting in hopes of coming to an agreement, but due to those two positions being vacated, Hill City couldn’t offer any services.

   Therefore, the board approved hiring Mary Yakibchuk as Interim Superintendent in a one year contract, contingent upon the negotiation of a contract and attainment of licensure as a Minnesota Superintendent or a valid variance. A meeting has been set for the superintendent negotiations committee on Thurs., June 23 at 4:00 p.m. to agree upon a contract and to bring to the board for approval.

   The board then continued the discussion from the work session concerning how to structure the district’s administration department for school year 2022/2023. Two possible structures were discussed with the district either having a full-time superintendent, full-time high school principal and full-time elementary principal or a full-time superintendent, full-time principal and full-time dean of students. The current administration, Yakibchuk and Janessa Green, was asked how they would like to see the department structured, with Green mentioning the first option being ideal, but was concerned the district may have a hard time hiring for a one year principal position if Yakibchuk decided to return to the principal position after one year.

   The board then discussed options regarding the business manager position. It was presented the district could either post for the position and hire an employee or contract the services with a firm. Both Yakibchuc and Green have worked with firms that offer these services, so the board requested they acquire quotes from various companies and for various lengths of contracts.

   In other business, the school board:

   • Approved the Revised Revenue/Expenditure Budget for Fiscal Year 2022 and the Revenue/Expenditure Budget for Fiscal Year 2023.

   • Heard the Principal, Assistant Principal and Athletic Director reports.

   • Approved the special education programing services agreement with IASC for 2022-2023 and the business associate agreement and contract for mental health services with North Homes for 2022-2023.

   • Accepted the resignations of Aaron Olson-Reiners, Art Teacher, effective June 30 and Robbie Hall, Title I Coordinator, effective June 1.

   • Approved the hire of Brittany Harris as 1.0 FTE teacher with a start date of June 6 and Shayne Loverink as a 12 - month custodian with a start date of June 6.

   • Approved the discontinuation of three para professional positions, speech services position and high school sped teacher position.

   • Approved a contract with Speech Partners for fiscal year 2023 and a contract with Soliant for special ed services.

   • Approved Julie Erpelding as 50 percent payroll clerk and 50 percent bookkeeper for fiscal year 2023.

   The board has scheduled the following meetings: special meeting, Mon., June 27 at 5:30 p.m. and the regular meeting, Thurs., July 21 at 5:30 p.m., all meetings are held at Northland High School.