Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
P.J. Glisson/Daily Globe MEMBERS OF the Bessemer Area Board of Education pose after their Monday evening Meeting, in which they elected new leadership. From left are, front row, seated, Trustees Annette Lillie and Robert Berg; and back row, standing, Vice President Dick Matrella, Secretary Beth Steiger, Interim Superintendent Dan Niemi, Treasurer Tara Graham, and President Jim Partanen.
BESSEMER - The Monday evening meeting of the Bessemer Area Board of Education resulted in a lot of people in new positions, including a new position of dean of students/head teacher at A.D. Johnston Junior and Senior High School shared by two teachers.
After a unanimous vote by the board, Richard Matrella now will assume that role for grades nine through 12, and Mark Movrich will assume the same role for grades seven and eight. Both men also will retain their current teaching positions at the school.
According to ADJ Principal Dan Niemi, who was appointed interim superintendent at a special meeting last week, there were four "outstanding applicants for the new position," and he added that Matrella and Movrich are "very well qualified" to take on the added responsibilities.
The action was the result of a recommendation by Alan Tulppo, superintendent of the Gogebic-Ontonagon Intermediate School District, who recommended the board add a head teacher at ADJ to support Niemi as he balances his own dual role.
Tulppo said the new head teacher could receive $2,500 per semester in additional pay, but those funds now will be split between Matrella and Movrich.
Also at Tulppo's suggestion, the board voted to increase the salary of Diane Hansen, who is head teacher at the Washington Elementary School, by $450 per month for the added responsibilities that she has undertaken since the board placed Dave Wineburner, now former superintendent, on leave on Oct. 10 of 2019.
The board accepted Wineburner's resignation on Jan. 7.
At Monday's meeting, board members also elected the following new officers: Jim Partanen as president, Dick Matrella as vice president, Tara Graham as treasurer, and Beth Steiger as secretary.
Eric Stanislawski, who was absent, will remain as a trustee, and former President Bob Berg and former Vice President Annette Lillie now also will be trustees. Partanen formerly was treasurer, and Steiger is the only officer who is continuing in the same role.
"Thank you, I guess," said Partanen, who added, "I'd like to thank Mr. Berg for the number of years he's been president." Partanen said Berg has carried the board through "thick and thin" and a lot of "rocky roads."
In line with School Board Appreciation Month, Niemi presented certificates of appreciation to all board members and invited them to enjoy snacks after the meeting.
The audience gave applause to both Berg and board members.
In other news, the board also:
-Voted to hire Wendy Meldrum as a paraprofessional at WES and Scott Niemi as a part-time custodian who also plans to undergo training as a bus driver.
-Voted to hire the following extracurricular positions for the fall, 2020 football season: Nick Heikkila, head coach; Richard Matrella and Adam Mackey, assistant coaches; and Tony Bunt and Jason Suckow, junior high coaches.
-Voted to set legal counsel as Thrun Law Firm, P.C., and, for specialty work, LaPointe and Associates.
-Voted to pay, among other expenses, $12,272.92 to Thrun Law Firm, PC, for legal expenses, and $10,004.95 to PFM Financial Advisors, LLC, for professional services.
-Learned from Niemi that progress is being made in relation to various maintenance issues, including repairs needed for the school's boiler system.
