Natalie Knutson, Chair
Committees: Finance Committee; Buildings & Grounds; Policy Committee; Wellness Committee
Negotiations: Special Education Paraprofessionals; District-wide Individual Contracts
Term ends: 2024
Email: nknutson@fergusotters.org
Melanie Cole, Vice Chair
Committees: Spec Ed. Coop & Region I Board; Buildings & Grounds
Negotiations: Certified staff; Special Education Paraprofessionals
Term ends: 2026
Email: mcole@fergusotters.org
Phone: 218-205-4854
Kirby Anderson, Treasurer
Committees: Finance Committee; 544 Education Foundation; Activities Committee
Negotiations: Principals
Term ends: 2026
Email: kirbyanderson@fergusotters.org
Phone: 218-770-7161
Melissa Hermes, Clerk
Committees: Staff Development; Policy Committee
Negotiations: Certified staff; Cafeteria
Term ends: 2026
Email: mhermes@fergusotters.org
Matthew Lemke
Committees: MN State HS League & Co-Curricular; Activities Committee; Finance Committee
Negotiations: Certified staff; Principals; Secretaries & Custodians
Term ends: 2024
Email: mlemke@fergusotters.org
Phone: 218-731-1385
Stephen Vigesaa
Committees: Activities Committee; Policy Committee; Curriculum Review Committee
Negotiations: Principals; Secretaries & Custodians; Title 1 Paras & Para Educators
Term ends: 2024
Email: svigesaa@fergusotters.org
Phone: 507-993-5941
- Details
- Written by: Jesse Thorstad
- Parent Category: Districtwide News
- Category: School Board
- Hits: 716
(First Publication Date: July 13, 2022)
NOTICE OF FILING DATES FOR ELECTION TO THE SCHOOL BOARD
INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 544
FERGUS FALLS PUBLIC SCHOOLS
STATE OF MINNESOTA
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the period for filing affidavits of candidacy for
the office of school board member of Independent School District No. 544 shall
begin on August 2, 2022, and shall close at 5:00 o’clock p.m. on August 16, 2022.
The general election shall be held on Tuesday, November 8, 2022. At that election,
three members will be elected to the School Board for a term expiring Jan. 1, 2027.
Affidavits of Candidacy are available from the school district clerk, Kennedy
Secondary School - 601 Randolph Avenue, Fergus Falls MN 56537. The filing fee
for this office is $2. A candidate for this office must be an eligible voter, must be 21
years of age or more on assuming office, must have been a resident of the school
district from which the candidate seeks election for thirty (30) days before the gen-
eral election, and must have no other affidavit on file for any other office at the same
primary or next ensuing general election.
The affidavits of candidacy must be filed in the office of the school district clerk
and the filing fee paid prior to 5:00 o’clock p.m. on August 16, 2022.
Dated: July 11, 2022
BY ORDER OF THE SCHOOL BOARD
/s/ Melissa Hermes, School District Clerk
Publication Date: July 13, 2022
- Details
- Written by: Missy Hermes
- Parent Category: School Board
- Category: Meeting Minutes
- Hits: 134
The regular meeting of the School Board of Independent School District No. 544 was held in the Otter Community Room at the Kennedy Secondary School. Chair Natalie Knutson called the meeting to order at 5:15 pm. The following members were present: Kirby Anderson, Melanie Cole, Missy (Melissa) Hermes, Natalie Knutson, Matthew Lemke, and Stephen Vigesaa. Jeff Drake, Superintendent, Renae Macheledt, Finance Director, and Elaine Jahnke, HR Director, were also present.
The Pledge of Allegiance was recited by all present.
Missy Hermes, clerk, established a quorum.
Kirby Anderson made a motion to approve the agenda as presented. The motion was seconded by Melanie Cole and carried unanimously.
Stephen Vigesaa offered the resolution of acknowledgements for the following and moved for its adoption:
Thank you to Stenerson Lumber for their donation of drop-off pieces of OSB plywood to the Career and Technical Education department at Roosevelt.
Congratulations to the following:
- Details
- Written by: Matthew Lemke
- Parent Category: School Board
- Category: Meeting Minutes
- Hits: 150
The regular meeting of the School Board of Independent School District No. 544 was held in the Otter Community Room at the Kennedy Secondary School. Chair Natalie Knutson called the meeting to order at 5:15 pm. The following members were present: Kirby Anderson, Melanie Cole, Natalie Knutson, Matthew Lemke, and Stephen Vigesaa. Missy (Melissa) Hermes was absent. Jeff Drake, Superintendent, Renae Macheledt, Finance Director, and Elaine Jahnke, HR Director, were also present.
The Pledge of Allegiance was recited by all present.
Matthew Lemke, acting clerk, established a quorum.
Stephen Vigesaa made a motion to approve the agenda as presented. The motion was seconded by Melanie Cole and carried unanimously.
Kirby Anderson offered the resolution of acknowledgements for the following and moved for its adoption:
Congratulations to the FFA Ag Mechanics team Caden Carlson, Joseph Rogal, Landen Krause, and Jadan Heikes for taking 1st place in the state and advancing to the National FFA Convention this fall for the national contest.
- Details
- Written by: Missy Hermes
- Parent Category: School Board
- Category: Meeting Minutes
- Hits: 548
The regular meeting of the School Board of Independent School District No. 544 was held in the Otter Community Room at the Kennedy Secondary School. Chair Natalie Knutson called the meeting to order at 5:15 pm. The following members were present: Kirby Anderson, Melanie Cole, Missy (Melissa) Hermes, Natalie Knutson, and Stephen Vigesaa. Matthew Lemke was absent. Jeff Drake, Superintendent, Renae Macheledt, Finance Director, and Elaine Jahnke, HR Director, were also present.
The Pledge of Allegiance was recited by all present.
Missy Hermes, clerk, established a quorum.
Stephen Vigesaa made a motion to approve the agenda as presented. The motion was seconded by Missy Hermes and carried unanimously.
Missy Hermes offered the resolution of acknowledgements for the following and moved for its adoption:
Thank you to the 544 Education Foundation for their generous donation to the Otter Angel Account, an account created to anonymously assist families unable to pay for student meals.
Congratulations to advisor Danielle Buckmeier and KSS 9th grader Aalexis Gunther for taking 1st place at the State History Day competition for her exhibit Charles Schulz: A Silent Voice in the Frontier of Inclusion. Aalexis will be moving onto the National Competition at the University of Maryland in June. Also honorable mention to iQ Academy 6th graders Siah Roberts and Izabell Ray for their 4th place finish.
The motion was seconded by Kirby Anderson and upon roll call vote being taken, the following voted in favor thereof: Kirby Anderson, Melanie Cole, Missy Hermes, Natalie Knutson, and Stephen Vigesaa;
and the following voted against same:
None.
- Details
- Written by: Missy Hermes
- Parent Category: School Board
- Category: Meeting Minutes
- Hits: 251
The regular meeting of the School Board of Independent School District No. 544 was held in the Otter Community Room at the Kennedy Secondary School. Chair Natalie Knutson called the meeting to order at 5:15 pm. The following members were present: Kirby Anderson, Melaine Cole, Missy (Melissa) Hermes, Natalie Knutson, Matthew Lemke, and Stephen Vigesaa. Jeff Drake, Superintendent, Renae Macheledt, Finance Director, and Elaine Jahnke, HR Director, were also present.
The Pledge of Allegiance was recited by all present.
Missy Hermes, clerk, established a quorum.
Stephen Vigesaa made a motion to approve the agenda as presented. The motion was seconded by Melanie Cole and carried unanimously.
Matthew Lemke offered the resolution of acknowledgements for the following and moved for its adoption.
Thank you to Tom and Mary McGovern for their donation of a trumpet & guitar to the Kennedy Secondary School Band Department. Also thank you to Barry & Pamela Boettcher for their donation to the Otter Angel Account, an account created to anonymously assist families unable to pay for student meals.
- Details
- Written by: Missy Hermes
- Parent Category: School Board
- Category: Meeting Minutes
- Hits: 381
The regular meeting of the School Board of Independent School District No. 544 was held in the Otter Community Room at the Kennedy Secondary School. Chair Natalie Knutson called the meeting to order at 5:15 pm. The following members were present: Kirby Anderson, Melanie Cole, Missy (Melissa) Hermes, Natalie Knutson, Matthew Lemke, and Stephen Vigesaa. Jeff Drake, Superintendent, Renae Macheledt, Finance Director, and Elaine Jahnke, HR Director, were also present.
The Pledge of Allegiance was recited by all present.
Missy Hermes, clerk, established a quorum.
Matthew Lemke made a motion to approve the agenda as presented. The motion was seconded by Melanie Cole and carried unanimously.
Missy Hermes offered the resolution of acknowledgements for the following and moved for its adoption:
Thank you to Jamie Lill for her success in leading the Kids Heart Challenge at McKinley School and raising over $8,500 for the American Heart Association.
- Board minutes - March 13, 2023
- February 13, 2023 Board meeting minutes
- January 23, 2023 Board Meeting minutes
- Jan. 9, 2023 School Board Reorganization Meeting minutes
- December 12, 2022 board meeting minutes
- Nov. 14, 2022 board meeting minutes
- October 24, 2022 Board meeting minutes
- October 10, 2022 Board Meeting minutes
- September 26, 2022 board meeting minutes
- September 12, 2022 board meeting minutes
Subcategories
Meeting Minutes
Minutes from the meetings of the Fergus Falls Public Schools School Board.