Natalie Knutson, Chair
Committees: Finance Committee; Buildings & Grounds; Policy Committee; Wellness Committee
Negotiations: Special Education Paraprofessionals; District-wide Individual Contracts
Term ends: 2024
Email: nknutson@fergusotters.org
Melanie Cole, Vice Chair
Committees: Spec Ed. Coop & Region I Board; Buildings & Grounds
Negotiations: Certified staff; Special Education Paraprofessionals
Term ends: 2026
Email: mcole@fergusotters.org
Phone: 218-205-4854
Kirby Anderson, Treasurer
Committees: Finance Committee; 544 Education Foundation; Activities Committee
Negotiations: Principals
Term ends: 2026
Email: kirbyanderson@fergusotters.org
Phone: 218-770-7161
Melissa Hermes, Clerk
Committees: Staff Development; Policy Committee
Negotiations: Certified staff; Cafeteria
Term ends: 2026
Email: mhermes@fergusotters.org
Matthew Lemke
Committees: MN State HS League & Co-Curricular; Activities Committee; Finance Committee
Negotiations: Certified staff; Principals; Secretaries & Custodians
Term ends: 2024
Email: mlemke@fergusotters.org
Phone: 218-731-1385
Stephen Vigesaa
Committees: Activities Committee; Policy Committee; Curriculum Review Committee
Negotiations: Principals; Secretaries & Custodians; Title 1 Paras & Para Educators
Term ends: 2024
Email: svigesaa@fergusotters.org
Phone: 507-993-5941
- Details
- Written by: Jesse Thorstad
- Parent Category: Districtwide News
- Category: School Board
- Hits: 843
(First Publication Date: July 13, 2022)
NOTICE OF FILING DATES FOR ELECTION TO THE SCHOOL BOARD
INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 544
FERGUS FALLS PUBLIC SCHOOLS
STATE OF MINNESOTA
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the period for filing affidavits of candidacy for
the office of school board member of Independent School District No. 544 shall
begin on August 2, 2022, and shall close at 5:00 o’clock p.m. on August 16, 2022.
The general election shall be held on Tuesday, November 8, 2022. At that election,
three members will be elected to the School Board for a term expiring Jan. 1, 2027.
Affidavits of Candidacy are available from the school district clerk, Kennedy
Secondary School - 601 Randolph Avenue, Fergus Falls MN 56537. The filing fee
for this office is $2. A candidate for this office must be an eligible voter, must be 21
years of age or more on assuming office, must have been a resident of the school
district from which the candidate seeks election for thirty (30) days before the gen-
eral election, and must have no other affidavit on file for any other office at the same
primary or next ensuing general election.
The affidavits of candidacy must be filed in the office of the school district clerk
and the filing fee paid prior to 5:00 o’clock p.m. on August 16, 2022.
Dated: July 11, 2022
BY ORDER OF THE SCHOOL BOARD
/s/ Melissa Hermes, School District Clerk
Publication Date: July 13, 2022
- Details
- Written by: Jesse Thorstad
- Parent Category: School Board
- Category: Meeting Minutes
- Hits: 140
The regular meeting of the School Board of Independent School District No. 544 was held in the Otter Community Room at the Kennedy Secondary School. Chair Natalie Knutson called the meeting to order at 5:15 pm. The following members were present: Kirby Anderson, Melanie Cole, Missy (Melissa) Hermes, Natalie Knutson, Matthew Lemke, and Stephen Vigesaa. Jeff Drake, Superintendent, Renae Macheledt, Finance Director, and Elaine Jahnke, HR Director, were also present.
The Pledge of Allegiance was recited by all present.
Missy Hermes, clerk, established a quorum.
Melanie Cole made a motion to approve the agenda as presented. The motion was seconded by Matthew Lemke and carried unanimously.
No acknowledgements were presented.
Reports were presented by:
- Kirby Anderson – 544 Education Foundation, Finance, Activities
- Melanie Cole – Spec Ed Coop, Region I
- Missy Hermes - Staff Development, Policy
- Natalie Knutson - Wellness, Buildings & Grounds
- Matthew Lemke – MSHSL
- Stephen Vigesaa – Curriculum Review
- Jeff Drake – Superintendent
General Consent Items
- Details
- Written by: Missy Hermes
- Parent Category: School Board
- Category: Meeting Minutes
- Hits: 250
The regular meeting of the School Board of Independent School District No. 544 was held in the Otter Community Room at the Kennedy Secondary School. Chair Natalie Knutson called the meeting to order at 7:15 am. The following members were present: Kirby Anderson, Melanie Cole, Missy (Melissa) Hermes, Natalie Knutson, Matthew Lemke, and Stephen Vigesaa. Jeff Drake, Superintendent, Renae Macheledt, Finance Director, and Elaine Jahnke, HR Director, were also present.
The Pledge of Allegiance was recited by all present.
Missy Hermes, clerk, established a quorum.
Melanie Cole made a motion to approve the agenda as presented. The motion was seconded by Kirby Anderson and carried unanimously.
No acknowledgements were presented.
Reports were presented by:
- Doug Anderson - Facilities Supervisor
- Scott Colbeck - Elementary Principal (Adams/McKinley)
- Ivan Hirst - Middle School Principal
- Mark Anderson - High School Principal
- Jeff Drake - Superintendent
General Consent Items
The following consent agenda was presented for approval:
- Minutes from the regular School Board meeting held on August 14, 2023
- Bills were reviewed by Kirby Anderson and Missy Hermes
- Personnel
- Details
- Written by: Missy Hermes
- Parent Category: School Board
- Category: Meeting Minutes
- Hits: 292
The regular meeting of the School Board of Independent School District No. 544 was held in the Otter Community Room at the Kennedy Secondary School. Chair Natalie Knutson called the meeting to order at 7:15 am. The following members were present: Kirby Anderson, Melanie Cole, Missy (Melissa) Hermes, Natalie Knutson, Matthew Lemke, and Stephen Vigesaa. Jeff Drake, Superintendent, Renae Macheledt, Finance Director, and Elaine Jahnke, HR Director, were also present.
The Pledge of Allegiance was recited by all present.
Missy Hermes, clerk, established a quorum.
Stephen Vigesaa made a motion to approve the agenda as presented. The motion was seconded by Missy Hermes and carried unanimously.
Stephen Vigesaa offered the resolution of acknowledgements for the following and moved for its adoption:
Thank you to James Morstad for the donation of drum pieces to the Band Department at Kennedy Secondary School.
The motion was seconded by Matthew Lemke and upon roll call vote being taken, the following voted in favor thereof: Kirby Anderson, Melanie Cole, Missy Hermes, Natalie Knutson, Matthew Lemke, and Stephen Vigesaa;
and the following voted against same:
None.
Whereupon said motion was declared duly passed and the resolution adopted.
- Details
- Written by: Missy Hermes
- Parent Category: School Board
- Category: Meeting Minutes
- Hits: 315
Special School Board Meeting
July 24, 2023
The regular meeting of the School Board of Independent School District No. 544 was held in the Otter Community Room at the Kennedy Secondary School. Chair Natalie Knutson called the meeting to order at 5 pm. The following members were present: Kirby Anderson, Melanie Cole, Missy (Melissa) Hermes, Natalie Knutson, Matthew Lemke, and Stephen Vigesaa. Jeff Drake, Superintendent, Renae Macheledt, Finance Director, and Elaine Jahnke, HR Director, were also present.
The Pledge of Allegiance was recited by all present.
Missy Hermes, clerk, established a quorum.
Read more: July 24, 2023 Special School Board meeting minutes
- Details
- Written by: Missy Hermes
- Parent Category: School Board
- Category: Meeting Minutes
- Hits: 332
The regular meeting of the School Board of Independent School District No. 544 was held in the Otter Community Room at the Kennedy Secondary School. Chair Natalie Knutson called the meeting to order at 7:15 am. The following members were present: Kirby Anderson, Melanie Cole, Missy (Melissa) Hermes, Natalie Knutson, Matthew Lemke, and Stephen Vigesaa. Jeff Drake, Superintendent, Renae Macheledt, Finance Director, and Elaine Jahnke, HR Director, were also present.
The Pledge of Allegiance was recited by all present.
Missy Hermes, clerk, established a quorum.
Stephen Vigesaa made a motion to approve the agenda as presented. The motion was seconded by Matthew Lemke and carried unanimously.
Melanie Cole offered the resolution of acknowledgements for the following and moved for its adoption:
Thank you to Gina Ackerson for the donation to the Otter Angel Account, an account created to anonymously assist families unable to pay for student meals.
- June 26, 2023 board minutes
- June 12, 2023 board meeting minutes
- May 22, 2023 board meeting minutes
- May 8, 2023 board meeting minutes
- April 24, 2023 board meeting minutes
- April 11, 2023 Board Meeting Minutes
- March 27, 2023 board meeting minutes
- Board minutes - March 13, 2023
- February 13, 2023 Board meeting minutes
- January 23, 2023 Board Meeting minutes
Subcategories
Meeting Minutes
Minutes from the meetings of the Fergus Falls Public Schools School Board.