Ironwood Board of Education approves course offerings

By MEGAN HUGHES

[email protected]

IRONWOOD—The Board of Education for Ironwood Area Schools on Monday approved 2024-25 course offerings, along with final changes to the student handbook and the purchase of new Chromebooks.

Despite power outages in Ironwood that day, the board held its meeting in the usual location, which is Study Hall 230 of the Luther L. Wright School, relying on natural light from the building’s light wells to work by.

As part of approving courses, the board voted to renew for the upcoming year its purchase of Edgenuity, an online learning platform that includes course workbooks.

The total cost of renewal was $30,000 for the first semester.

“It opens up opportunities for our students that are taking more vocational paths,” said Superintendent Daniel Martinson regarding the platform. “They might have three hours of online learning, then work-based learning, and come in for band or choir or something. It is much more flexible.”

The board is working on reaching out to families in the district about the course offerings, including homeschool families, said Martinson.

The board also voted to approve the purchase of 200 Chromebooks to replace aging ones. The original purchase of Chromebooks for the school was done with the plan that the board would replace a certain number each year for student usage. This year’s replacement cost was $58,800. The ones being replaced are more than four to five years old.

Martinson said that Chromebooks swapped out of the rotation will be kept as extras for the school’s use, as enrollment numbers are up.

The board also approved the assistant principal/athletic director contract as presented for Daniel Niemi.

In other news, the board:

— Approved the monthly bills and activity fund report for July.

— Approved the personnel report as presented. This included the hiring of Jay Aijala as athletic activities coordinator, Mercy Craig as cheerleading coach, Patricia Packmayer as elementary special education teacher, Ethan Roehm as golf coach, Macy Leisenring as freshman class advisor, Mark Kukowski as a long-term secondary math teacher through December 2024, Rachael Behrendt as a full-time K-12 secretary and attendance coordinator, Elizabeth Regnier as an alternative education drop-out prevention paraprofessional, James Barber as a paraprofessional/bus driver, Angela Pisco and Yvonne Novascone as paraprofessionals, Damon Kendall as a substitute teacher, and Maria Hagen as a substitute food service worker. The report also included the resignations of Title I teacher Chris Samardich and golf coach David Darrow.

—Approved a school-of-choice resolution for the 2024-2025 school year as presented.

—Heard the strategic planning update.

—Approved an overnight band trip to Milwaukee as presented. The trip will take place on April 11, 2025, with students heading to the Marcus Performing Arts Center to attend a Lakecia Benjamin concert. The board expressed interest in annual trips for the band to listen to professional musicians.

—Approved athletic contracts as presented for tennis, cross country, ski team, golf team, baseball and softball.

—Heard the food service director’s update. According to the update, summer meal programs went well, seeing a 15% uptick in participation by families from the previous summer. In total, 4,062 meals were served. The food service program is continuing to look for additional ways to save money due to skyrocketing food prices, without giving up the quality of food the school serves.

—Heard the alternative education director’s update and the special education supervisor’s update.