Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
By P.J. GLISSON
Wakefield — The Wakefield-Marenisco Board of Education voted Monday to hire one teacher and two coaches to start in the 2018-2019 school year.
Diane Jaskie was hired as a third grade teacher. She will replace Jason Gustafson, who will take over Catherine Shamion’s job as superintendent when she retires this summer.
Gustafson said Jaskie has taught kindergarten, as well as first and second grades, for the past three years in the Bessemer School District.
Christopher Tweiten was hired as varsity girls’ basketball coach, a position that Gustafson said drew “a lot of applicants.”
The board also received a letter of resignation from Tweiten for his position as sixth and seventh grade girls’ basketball coach, a role he said he enjoyed.
Tweiten, who teaches social studies for Wakefield-Marenisco’s grades 7-11 and careers for grade 12, stated in his letter he feels he now should concentrate on his varsity coaching role.
Jim Tarro also was hired as junior varsity girls’ basketball coach.
Gustafson said a position as a secondary education special education teacher will remain open until June 8.
“We have started interviewing,” he said, adding that the interviewing committee may soon have a candidate to recommend.
The board also voted to recommend tenure to Tweiten, as well as health/physical education teacher Lauren Korpi and elementary special education teacher Heather Skulan.
“To get tenure, a teacher has to teach successfully for five years,” said Gustafson.
Board members also took time to praise the May 15 spring concert led by K-12 music teacher Isaac Boehnlein.
“I thought the music program was just wonderful,” said trustee Marg Lynott. Vice president Micki Sorensen and secretary Stacie Rooni said the concert was one of the best yet, and Gustafson described it as “excellent.”
In other news, the board:
—Voted to table acceptance of an agreement regarding the Gogebic Miners football program, which combines students from Wakefield, Bessemer and Ironwood schools.
—Voted to increase lunch prices for 2018-2019 from $4.25 to $4.50 for adults only (with the exception of substitute teachers, who get free lunch).
—Reviewed academic reports for midterm quarter 4.
—Learned students of all ages had participated in spring cleanup activities at the school, Sunday Lake and for the city of Wakefield.
—Learned physical education sessions are including activities such as brush clearing, mini golf, laser tag, etc.
—Heard trustee Dan Obradovich’s suggestion that the board consider a future discussion regarding how to address the deteriorating tennis courts next to the school.
The district calendar includes the following items:
The last day of school for seniors is today. Graduation is on Friday at 6 p.m. in the school gym.
The last day of school for other students is June 7. A retirement lunch will be held the same day at 1 p.m. for Shamion, as well as for secondary special education teacher Connie Hellman and lunch room worker/custodian ToniAnn Anderson.
The next meeting of the board of education will be on June 18 at 5 p.m. in the board chambers on the second floor of the Wakefield-Marenisco School.
