Melanie Cole – Spec Ed Coop, Region I
Missy Hermes – Staff Development, Policy
Natalie Knutson – Wellness, Buildings & Grounds
Matthew Lemke – MSHSL
Stephen Vigesaa – Curriculum Review
Jeff Drake – Superintendent
General Consent Items:
The following consent agenda was presented for approval:
Minutes from December 11, 2023 regular School Board meeting and December 21, 2023 special School Board meeting
Bills and Treasurer’s Report - reviewed by Melanie Cole and Kirby Anderson:
General Fund
$2,330,447.64
Food Service
$88,300.10
Community Service
$52,622.13
Building Fund
$289,213.39
Debt Service
$2,774,636.53
Trust & Agency
$10,682.04
Activities
$67,208.49
TOTAL
$5,613,110.32
Personnel
Certified Staff Hires:
Sandy Sundblad, special education substitute teacher @ Cleveland; effective 1/2/2024-1/31/2024
Alexander Howe, language arts substitute teacher @ iQ Academy; effective 1/22/2024-3/22/2024
FY25 Certified Staff Hires: (1 FTE / Effective beginning with the 2024-25 school year)
Emma Koza, speech language pathologist
Amy Powers, speech language pathologist
Emily Nelson (Petersen), speech language pathologist
Rachael Rein, speech language pathologist
Shelby Sowers, speech language pathologist
Jennifer Swanson, speech language pathologist
Kendra Fox, school psychologist
Kevin Frank, school psychologist
Sarah Amos, early childhood special education teacher (plus extended contract)
Kari Krein, early childhood special education teacher
Amy Jurgens, early childhood special education teacher
Jessica Raguse, early childhood special education teacher
Kara Johnson, Occupational Therapist Registered
Ashley Johnson, Occupational Therapist Registered
Support Staff Resignations:
Kelly (Carolyn) Nelson, accounts receivable associate; last day-1/11/2024
Samantha Aune, food service @ KSS; last day 1/12/2024
Lori Grewe, food service @ KSS; last day 1/12/2024
Levi Schiller, custodian @ KSS; last day 1/17/2024
Kimberly Goeden, para educator @ ALC; last day 1/5/2024 (but will continue to long-term substitute)
Support Staff Hires:
Wendy Schiesser, noon hour supervisor @ KSS; effective 1/2/2024
Lisa Ecker, special education paraprofessional @ KSS; effective 1/2/2024
Samantha Aune, special education paraprofessional @ Adams; effective 1/15/2024
Erin Shea, food service/dishwasher-4 hrs/day @ KSS; effective 1/12/2024
Jaiden Campbell, food service/dishwasher-3.5 hrs/day @ KSS; effective 1/12/2024
Matthew Lemke moved to approve the consent agenda. The motion was seconded by Melanie Cole and carried unanimously.
Old Business:
Stephen Vigesaa moved to enter into a Closed Session (Close the meeting) at 6:06 pm as per MN Statute 13D.05, Subd.3 to discuss the School Board evaluation of Superintendent Jeff Drake. The motion was seconded by Kirby Anderson and carried unanimously.
Matthew Lemke moved to re-open the meeting at 7:04 pm. The motion was seconded by Stephen Vigesaa and carried unanimously.
Natalie Knutson, school board chair, reported on the annual performance appraisal of Superintendent Jeff Drake, stating that he met all expectations and thanked Supt. Drake for his passion and leadership.
New Business:
There was a first reading of the tentative FY 2024 Certified Seniority List for Independent School District #544 - Fergus Falls Public Schools. No action was taken.
Missy Hermes moved to approve the following Lakeland Mental Health Center Agreements with ISD #544, effective 01/01/2024-12/31/2024:
- School Based Mental Health Practitioners (2)
- School Based Mental Health Practitioner (1)
- School Based Mental Health Professional (1)
- School Based Mental Health/Chemical Health Practitioner (1)
The motion was seconded by Kirby Anderson and carried unanimously.
Matthew Lemke moved to approve the Employee Assistance Provider Contract with Lakeland Mental Health Center and ISD #544; Effective 1/1/2024 - 12/31/2025. The motion was seconded by Kirby Anderson and carried unanimously.
Melanie Cole moved to approve the Pupil Transportation Agreement between ISD 544/Fergus Falls Public Schools and Ottertail Coaches, Inc.; Effective 7/1/2023 - 6/30/2025. The motion was seconded by Missy Hermes and carried unanimously.
Matthew Lemke moved to approve the Agreement between CE, LLC dba CE Contract (contractor), R.A. Morton & Associates, LLC (construction manager) and Zerr Berg Architects (architect) and the Fergus Falls Public Schools for the Phase II Lincoln Project - 12A Furnishings (L&M). The motion was seconded by Melanie Cole and carried unanimously.
The next regular School Board meeting will be held at 5:15 pm Monday, January 22, 2024 in the Otter Community Room at the Kennedy Secondary School.
Kirby Anderson made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 7:07 pm. The motion was seconded by Matthew Lemke and carried unanimously.
A work session followed the regular board meeting.
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Melissa Hermes, Clerk
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Approval Date