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Written by: Missy Hermes

Parent Category: School Board

Category: Meeting Minutes

Published: 10 December 2024

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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, and Stephen Vigesaa. Matthew Lemke was absent. 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 Melanie Cole and carried unanimously. 

Melanie Cole offered the resolution of acknowledgements for the following and moved for its adoption:

Read more: December 9, 2024 board meeting minutes

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Written by: Missy Hermes

Parent Category: School Board

Category: Meeting Minutes

Published: 26 November 2024

Hits: 1107

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, and Stephen Vigesaa. Matthew Lemke was absent. 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 Kirby Anderson and carried unanimously. 

Stephen Vigesaa offered the resolution of acknowledgements for the following and moved for its adoption:

Thank you to Charlie Boughn for the donation of art supplies, tools, and storage containers to the Area Learning Center in memory of Gail Grutle Boughn, Class of 1966.

The motion was seconded by Melanie Cole and upon roll call vote being taken, the following voted in favor thereof: Kirby Anderson, Melanie Cole, Missy Hermes, Natalie Knutson, and Stephen Vigesaa; 

and the following voted against same: 

None. 

Whereupon said motion was declared duly passed and the resolution adopted.  

Read more: November 25, 2024 board minutes

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Written by: Missy Hermes

Parent Category: School Board

Category: Meeting Minutes

Published: 14 November 2024

Hits: 1180

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: Missy (Melissa) Hermes, Natalie Knutson, and Stephen Vigesaa. Kirby Anderson, Melanie Cole, and Matthew Lemke were absent. Jeff Drake, Superintendent, Renae Macheledt, Finance Director, and Elaine Jahnke, HR Director, were also present.

The Pledge of Allegiance was recited by all present. 

Reports were presented by: 

• Eide Bailly – Audit Report

• Mark Anderson – FY26 High School Courses

Read more: November 12, 2024 board meeting minutes

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Written by: Missy Hermes

Parent Category: School Board

Category: Meeting Minutes

Published: 29 October 2024

Hits: 1063

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 beginning at 5:15 pm. The following members were present: Kirby Anderson, Missy (Melissa) Hermes, Matthew Lemke, and Stephen Vigesaa. Melanie Cole and Natalie Knutson were absent. 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.

With the chair and vice chair absent, Missy Hermes called for nominations for Chair Pro-Tem. Matthew Lemke nominated Stephen Vigesaa as Chair Pro-Tem. Kirby Anderson seconded the nomination. The board unanimously approved (4-0) Stephen Vigesaa as Chair Pro-Tem.

Kirby Anderson made a motion to approve the agenda as presented. The motion was seconded by Matthew Lemke and carried unanimously. 

Read more: Oct. 28, 2024 board meeting minutes

Details

Written by: Missy Hermes

Parent Category: School Board

Category: Meeting Minutes

Published: 15 October 2024

Hits: 1243

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. 

Matthew Lemke made a motion to approve the agenda as presented. The motion was seconded by Stephen Vigesaa and carried unanimously. 

Melanie Cole offered the resolution of acknowledgements for the following and moved for its adoption:

A special thank you to the following: 

- Amy Tietz for the donation of an infant CPR doll to the school 

• Otter Tail County Historical Society for their donation of Earth and Space science lessons and STEM materials to the Lincoln School and the Area Learning Center

• Rachel Cox, Jen Jensen, and the Otter Girls Swim Team for their donation towards the Wellness Room in the FFHS

• Fergus Falls 544 Education Foundation for their classroom wish lists donation

• Jared McCauley for the donation to Mr. Van Santen’s third grade classroom and Adams Elementary

  Read more: October 14, 2024 board meeting minutes