ISD 2142 News: Jan. 27, 2011 - North School Bids Going Out, Babbitt Campus Renamed Northeast Range "Nighthawks"

Articles from the Cook News Herald:
http://www.cooknewsherald.com/page1.html

Construction bids for new North School due Feb. 8
Babbitt-Embarrass/Tower-Soudan school gets new name, mascot, colors

Excellent Editorial By Gary Albertson
http://www.cooknewsherald.com/page2.html

Letter To The Editor By Jewell "Bud" Herring
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=68030627294#!/topic.php?uid=68030627294&topic=27999

ISD 2142 News, Jan. 21, 2011 - It's a GO! Planning & Zoning approves new ISD 2142 North School variance 3-1

Article from the Cook News Herald: Jan. 20, 2011 Article Links Below:

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=68030627294&v=app_2373072738#!/topic.php?uid=68030627294&topic=27980

http://www.cooknewsherald.com/page1.html
Article Summary:

St. Louis County Board Of Adjustment grants variance for the ISD 2142 North School on a 3-1 vote.
Presentations by Johnson Controls: Storm water runoff would be better with the new construction than before.Many supporters and a few opponents spoke during the comment session.
The board finally came to a vote and the variance passed on a 3-1 vote.
The new school is a reality.

Related Article on the Cook News Herald:
State Auditor charges into St. Louis County reorganization fight
Article Summary:

Acting on a complaint, the State Auditor has asked for information on seven items. The district and Johnson Controls are busy answering this request, but this will take time and money. The money will come from taxpayers of ISD 2142 or from the students due to reduced educational opportunities. The Auditor apparently has no power in this matter, but is answering the complaint that was filed that apparently thinks there could be fraud.

Editor's Comment: More of the same from the same people, full article is on the Cook News Herald. Not worth more of a comment.

District News Release Concerning Variance and MPCA Permit: For a copy of the district news release click on the following link:
St. Louis County Board of Adjustment grants variance and MPCA issues wastewater permit,both for ISD 2142’s New North School

North School Variance Passes - ISD 2142 Construction Will Expand

Video below from News Center 6 in Duluth. Construction to begin next spring.

For those of you who would like to learn more about the county schools reorganization, change, process and history, good link(s) to visit are the following:

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=68030627294
http://www.choose2142schools.com/ 

"The district has been working through the process and one of the last steps in the county planning process was to consider a variance request for the site," said superintendent Dr. Charles Rick.

The district requested to build on 14 percent of the land, instead of the two percent previously allowed.

For a copy of the district news release click on the following link:
St. Louis County Board of Adjustment grants variance and MPCA issues wastewater permit,both for ISD 2142’s New North School

ISD 2142 Gets Okay To 'Build Bigger' / North School Building Variance Granted

Link Below: The variance allows the district to build on 14% of the land instead of their previous 2%.
http://www.northlandsnewscenter.com/news/iron-range/ISD-2142-Gets-Okay-To-Build-Bigger-114152174.html

Cliffs in C$4.9 Billion Consolidated Thompson deal

Article Link:
http://www.miningweekly.com/article/cliffs-to-buy-consolidated-thompson-iron-for-c49bn-2011-01-12

Babbitt Ice Arena Announcements: Jan. 14, 2011

Come Skate with us!

Open Skating

Monday, 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.

Open Hockey
(14 years old & up)

Wednesday, 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.

Babbitt Figure Skating will be taking orders for Butter Braids!! 

Watch for the hockey and figure skaters. To place an order between 1/11/11 through 1/25/11 email us at bfscbabbitt@yahoo.com or call Tammy @ 827-2411 after 6 p.m. or Terra @ 827-2274

If you would like to sign up your kids for:

Figure Skating - Terra Bird @ 827-2274

Hockey - Chad Rasmussen @ 827-9951

Please call!

Updated Schedule Listing:

3:30-4:30-Snowplow 1 & 2
               Basic 4
               Basic 7
               Basic 8

4:30-5:30 Basic 1
                Basic 3
                Basic 5

5:30-6:30 Hockey Fundamentals

6:30-8:30 Freestyle

We will be skating on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Freestyle will also
skate Sunday nights.

*Remember to have your kids where stretchy pants (no jeans for practice) and
no electronics are allowed on the ice.

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.

Babbitt, Minnesota Public Library Announcements

Stop at City Hall ASAP to apply for a position on the Library Board. Meet once a month with a nice group of people.

Enjoy Hot Reads for Cold Nights! Adult winter reading program at Babbitt Public Library.

Benefit for Steve and Karen (Denny) Fall - Help Requested

A Cancer Benefit for

Steve and Karen (Denny) Fall

Karen was diagnosed with breast cancer in early November (just days after becoming a Grandma for the first time!). She recently underwent a successful bilateral mastectomy.

A new diagnosis, however, has indicated a very aggressive and invasive cancer. Treatment for this cancer will involve chemotherapy and radiation. Karen is a self-employed business owner (residential and business cleaning). Her treatments start January 4, and will likely mean she’ll have to scale back her cleaning accounts, resulting in loss of income. Medical costs alone are going to cause a significant strain for Karen and Steve, so we’re looking to you to help them out.

A benefit will be held Saturday, January 22, 2010, 12:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m.

The Settlement, 698 200th Ave. in Somerset, Wisconsin.

Lunch (goodwill offering), Karaoke, Raffle Drawings and Silent Auction

Raffle tickets are available now. Cost is $1 per ticket.

Winning tickets will be drawn for many great prizes.

(Prizes to include gift cards, gift baskets, etc. – many items being added daily.)

Need not be present at the benefit to win.

To purchase raffle tickets – we’ll send them anywhere in the country! – please contact Sherri at sherri.lincoln@gmail.com

Checks can be made payable to Karen Fall;

please send to Sherri Lincoln, PO Box 700, Anoka, MN 55303.

Silent auction and raffle donations are being accepted as well. Please contact Sherri at the e-mail address above if you’d like to donate.

If you would like to help with spreading the word a .pdf of this posting is available here:

Steve and Karen (Denny) Fall Benefit

Holiday Thanks To Tank's Bar And Restaurant

Tank's Facebook Site: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Tanks-Bar-Restaurant/365083623627?v=wall&ref=ts#!/pages/Tanks-Bar-Restaurant/365083623627



The Ely-Winton Rod & Gun Club manages pull tabs at Tank's Bar and just donated $2800.00 TO OUR COMMUNITY in areas that benefit the children of our town! $800 to the Babbitt Figure Skating Club, $700 to the All Night Grad Party, $500 to the Babbitt Rec Dept and $800 to BETA swimming! This is absolutely wonderful !

On behalf of Northeast Country Swim Boosters and all of these groups, many thanks to Tank's Bar and Ely-Winton Rod and Gun Club for their support of these community minded groups.

Richard J. Niss Natatorium Dedication at the Babbitt-Embarrass School, ISD 2142 School District Photo Set

ISD #2142 School District News: Dec. 16th, 2010: Tower-Soudan High School Closure Finalized

Article from the Cook News Herald: Dec. 16th, 2010
http://www.cooknewsherald.com/page1.html 
Article Summary: 
_________________________________________________
The ISD 2142 Board, at their regular meeting on Monday in the Central Office in Virginia, gave their final approval for the 2010 levy that will be paid in 2011. The levy had $583,507.43 for the General RMV Levy, down from $604,521.16 for last year. The General NTC Levy for payment in 2011 was $1,070,518.91, up from $533,120.99 for last year. The total levy calls for a total of $7,051,905.34 or up $283,575.19 or 4.19 percent from last year. The big figure in this is $5,397,879 for debt service for the building referendum.


Orr, Cotton,Tower-Soudan most costly to operate.


Students  of the 7-12 Educational Programs and students from Tower-Soudan  transferred to Babbitt-Embarrass and Cook for next year. This would, in effect, close the Tower-Soudan 7-12 high school.A motion was first made by T-S board member Andy Larson to table this item. It failed on a 4-3 vote. The board moved to transfer the Tower-Soudan Education Program for 7-12 and its students to Cook and B-E. The motion passed.
__________________________________________

Report shows Cotton, T-S, Orr costliest

The ISD 2142 Board, at their regular meeting on Monday in the Central Office in Virginia, gave their final approval for the 2010 levy that will be paid in 2011. The levy had $583,507.43 for the General RMV Levy, down from $604,521.16 for last year. The General NTC Levy for payment in 2011 was $1,070,518.91, up from $533,120.99 for last year. The total levy calls for a total of $7,051,905.34 or up $283,575.19 or 4.19 percent from last year. The big figure in this is $5,397,879 for debt service for the building referendum.

The board also approved a direct payment agreement to Kraus-Anderson so it won't go through Johnson Controls.

Business Manager Kim Johnson presented a report showing the cost per student for the individual schools, plus the average number of students per teacher.

The cost per student had Cook with the lowest cost at $10,650,66 and an average pupil to teacher ratio of 14.04. Cherry was second with an average cost of $10,733.40 and an average student/teacher ratio of 14.80, with AlBrook third at $10,793.30 and a pupil/teacher ratio of 13.68. Babbitt-Embarrass was $11,456.36 and a ratio of 13.37, Tower-Soudan fifth at $13,656.64 and a ratio of 10.01, Orr sixth at $12,558.44 and a ratio of 11.44, and Cotton seventh at $13,967.29 and a ratio of 10.91.
These figures were actually audited for the school year 2009 to 2010 and showed a total district cost of $25,410,338.91. The report showed administration costs at $1,503,278.09.

Prior to the meeting, during the study session, a contingent from the proposed Tower Charter School appeared before the board with a report that apparently showed Tower was the fastest growing community in the northeast. Ray Toutloff, who is a member of the Bois Forte Council, spoke of the 16 new housing units being built on the Vermilion Reservation and said another 20 were planned, plus there would be building on the lakeshore. He thought the youngsters from the Vermilion Reservation would come back to Tower if the school stayed open.

The second item to come up during the regular meeting was the transfer of the 7-12 Educational Programs and students from Tower-Soudan to Babbitt-Embarrass and Cook for next year. This would, in effect, close the Tower-Soudan 7-12 school.

A vociferous contingent from Tower was on hand to argue this. A motion was first made by T-S board member Andy Larson to table this item. It failed on a 4-3 vote. A motion was then made to approve it. Several people from the T-S proposed Charter School were on hand to argue against this. They asked that the old portion of the school, plus the swimming pool be transferred to them. The ISD 2142 Board will look into this.
Then Tim Kotzian, who was on the board of the Tower-Soudan School District when it was brought into ISD 2142, spoke. He complained he didn't get figures on the district's operation. He said he wanted them before the meeting was over. Business Manager Kim Johnson immediately went to get them while the meeting waited. She said she had given the Tower group the figures before, but here they were again. More discussion followed, both on the floor and between audience members. The board finally moved to transfer the Tower-Soudan Education Program for 7-12 and its students to Cook and B-E. The motion passed.

The board also approved selling some property along Highway 65 in Chisholm to Richard and Debra Mayerich of Hibbing for $6,000.
The dates for the board meetings for 2011 were also approved.
Probationary teachers Allison Theil was hired for .2 elementary at Cook, Cathy Ann Anderson as Title I at Tower-Soudan, and Jessica Deal as Special Ed. at Orr for .4 FTE elementary LD/.2 FTE elementary EBD/.4 secondary EBD.
Sandra Mancini was hired as instructional aide at Cherry, Jim Boutto as in- school suspension monitor for Cook, Wendy Jordan as instructional aide at Cook, and Becky Constantine as bus driver at Cherry.
Shelby Slygh was hired as the assistant girls basketball coach at Cotton.
The resignation of Cook Site I Secretary Gloria Bartlett was approved.

The meeting finally adjourned at 7:45 p.m.