Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
By MEGAN HUGHES
Hurley — Members of the Hurley Board of Education met on Monday for their regular monthly meeting and discussed the current state of itle IX policy changes at the federal level. They also heard a presentation from Hurley Education Foundation President Gary Pelkola about the accomplishments the group has performed over the last year.
On Friday, the New York Times reported that the Supreme Court temporarily blocked the Education Department ruling regarding the changes to Title IX due to over 20 states contesting these changes. Wisconsin, at the time of the meeting, was not one of these states. Hence, the board decided to postpone adopting the updated changes until an official ruling is made.
“I don’t think with 26 states getting an injunction, and not having to follow this, and half of Wisconsin waiting for court decisions, I don’t think that the federal government will come after little ol’ Hurley,” said board president Leslie Kolesar, “I don’t want to put a policy in place and have to change it after the presidential election or after court decisions.”
In the meantime, the board voted to reinstate the previously utilized Policy 2266, with the understanding that the board could adopt the Title IX changes in a single meeting, due to having already held its first reading.
Kolesar clarified that the training of teachers for the Title IX changes would still continue, but that the policy simply wouldn’t be officially adopted until the policy clears the courts.
“The protection comes not from the policy itself, but on the decisions going forward,” said district administrator Kevin Genisot. “Administrators need to have a clear policy to follow to reduce liability for a given situation.”
Pelkola spoke briefly about the efforts that Hurley Education Foundation members have accomplished over the past year.
“We have just finished our 25th year, which is an amazing accomplishment with everything that we hade done in those 25 years,” he said.
According to Pelkola, people have had nothing but positive things to say about the Hurley School District, with community members and businesses continuing to help support the foundation, whether that be with engagement or with donations. He noted that he had received a donation from Midland shortly prior to the meeting.
The Hurley Education Foundation took in $124,262 last year. These funds went toward teacher requests and projects for the school district, including upgrades to the library, classroom supplies, Newline Touch Displays, shop equipment, auditorium upgrades and much more.
In other news, the board:
—Heard the pre K-5 principal and athletic director report. The locker room renovations are a little behind schedule, but are expected to be complete by the end of next week.
—Heard the district administrator report, the head of maintenance report and the middle/high school principal report.
—Heard the CESA 12 representative report.
