Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
BOTH STUDENTS and board members were recognized at Monday's Ironwood Area Schools Board of Education meeting. Board members received certificates thanking them for their service due to January's designation as School Board recognition month. Several students were also recognized as December's students of the month. Ironwood student Tony Weimeri was also recognized for a display of good sportsmanship in a recent junior varsity basketball game against Bayfield. Among those honored include, first row from left, Selena Pecotte and Weimeri. Second row: Pamela Niemi, Brenda Agee, John Lorenson, Steve Thomas, Ed Rickard and LeRoy Johnson. Not pictured are students Griffin Brown, Hannah Kreiner, Taylor Berry and board member Marilyn Nezworski.
By RICHARD JENKINS
Ironwood - There was positive news relating to the Ironwood Area School District's budget Monday as the district's board of education approved several budget amendments to reflect revenue increases.
"We look at these (amendments) as pretty favorable," said Superintendent Tim Kolesar. "And the nice thing that I am looking at is - after all the adjustments we've been making every month, right now we have a budget (with) $74,169 more in revenues than expenditures."
Board President Steve Thomas noted it was the first time in three years that revenue exceeded expenditures.
The first amendment of an additional $61,354 reflects the district's share of a $201,589 payout by the Gogebic-Ontonagon Intermediary School District to member districts from a county special education millage for 2014-15.
Another amendment was for $59,684, reflecting the most recent state aid amounts, according to documents provided to the board.
The final amount was $227,467 to fund the district's Great Start Readiness Program, run through the GOISD.
Kolesar reassured the board that the district was remaining fiscally cautious, despite the increased revenue.
"We are holding fast on so many of the expenditures," Kolesar said, "Everybody knows that we are watching everything very carefully and if it's absolutely, positively needed for the district, then we get it. Other than that, I mean, we're holding fast."
He also told the board the district spent $550,399 for special education services during the past school year.
In other action, the board:
- Held a brief organizational meeting prior to its business meeting where a number of procedural items were handled including setting the meeting dates for the upcoming year and approval of bylaws.
- Approved renewing the contract with the GOISD for its GSRP program, as outlined in the final budget amendment. The district will have two teachers and two paraprofessionals work with 64 of the district's children to prepare them for kindergarten the following year.
- Renewed the contract with the company providing the district's SchoolMessenger service, which notifies parents and others of importance notices - such as school cancellations.
- Authorized Kolesar to seek bids for the district's motor oil and grease contract, as well as its tire contract.
- Directed Kolesar to write a letter on behalf of the board to teacher Ann Wuorinen, congratulating her and her students who recently competed in the regional Business Professionals of America competition and are advancing to the state competition.
