Ironwood board moves organizational meeting

By RICHARD JENKINS

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Ironwood — The Ironwood Area Schools Board of Eduction will wait until summer to have its annual organizational meeting after the board voted Monday to reschedule the date.

According to Superintendent Tim Kolesar, the move is intended to help newly elected board members.

“This will give our new board members a chance to gain some experience before the election of officers,” Kolesar said.

The meeting will be scheduled for July 17, Kolesar said, explaining the district recently learned July was an option after attending a recent state conference.

The district’s previous policy requires the meeting be prior to the fourth week in January, following a November election.

Two new board members — Marilyn Carey and Amanda Sprague — were elected in November. Board President Steve Thomas also won re-election in November. The three board members were sworn-in for their new terms at the beginning of Monday’s meeting.

The board also approved a schedule of meetings through July. As previously, the meetings will take place on the third Monday of each month — except in May, when the meeting will be held on May 22.

In other action:

— The board approved one-year contracts for the principal and food service director.

— The board’s finance, facilities and policy committees were announced. Thomas said these were to be the district’s three standing committees, with others formed as needed on a temporary basis.

— The board also adopted a chain-of-command document for district employees.

— The board approved a first reading of the district’s new visitor policy.

— Gogebic-Ontonagon Intermediate School District Special Education Director Debra Zelinski presented the district with a check for $149,948 for the district’s special education program. The money was the district’s portion of unused funds from the previous year.

— The board adopted a proposal for creating a student assistance team to aid teachers.