ISD 2142 board reorganizes, Bruns named new chair

Article from the Cook News Herald: Jan. 13th, 2011
Full Article Link(s):
http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=68030627294&topic=27962
http://www.cooknewsherald.com/page1.html

Summary:

New board members sworn in: Jody Feist of Cook, Troy Swanson of Tower-Soudan, and Lynette Zupetz of Cherry. Orr board member Zelda Bruns and AlBrook board member Bob Larson were nominated for chairman with Bruns replacing Larson on a 4-3 vote. Larson was elected vice chair. Babbitt-Embarrass board member Gary Rantala was elected clerk, and Cotton board member Chet Larson was named treasurer. That meeting ended at 5:11 p.m. and the regular meeting started.

The Cook News-Herald was named the legal newspaper for 2011.

The new south school is officially now the South Ridge School. The name of their teams is the Panthers and their colors are Black and Blue.

The big item on the agenda was the approval of the new Flex Scheduling plan for the district. This plan calls for six-period days for Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. On Wednesday, classes start at 9:45 a.m. and go to 11:45. Then there is an afternoon class from 1:15 p.m. to 3:15 p.m. Supt. Charles Rick said the kids and teachers are all fired up and this would start now. According to Rick, this new plan utilizes all of the district's talents and resources, allows greater choices and opportunity for all secondary students, more "hands-on" student directed education, and brings their vision of a 21st Century Education together. It will allow time to implement and carry out student advisory and personalized learning plans, allow for teacher collaboration time prescribed in the Q-comp program, and tie all four directions of the district's strategic plan together.

The final agenda item was the ratifying of the clerical contract for 2009-2011. It calls for a total of a 2 percent raise over those two years and it was ratified.

Board members all welcomed the new board members. Rantala spoke of the event last Wednesday when 54 Tower-Soudan students came to the Babbitt-Embarrass School in a prelude to next year. They discussed the new school's name and came up with three ideas. They also picked the school's colors, which will be black, blue and silver. B-E counselor Joan Kjorsvig spoke of how they came together as one. The two schools already combine for some sports.

The board planned to have a study session on Jan. 27 at 4 p.m. in the district office and a special meeting on Jan. 31. The combining of Cook and Orr will be discussed.