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Written by: Missy Hermes

Parent Category: School Board

Category: Meeting Minutes

Published: 13 February 2024

Hits: 1248

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. 

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. 

Kirby Anderson offered the resolution of acknowledgements for the following and moved for its adoption:

Thank you to Lake Region Electric Cooperative for their donation to the High School Scholarship Fund, Caryn Williams for donating Kirk’s cape to the Theater Department, Holiday Gas Station for their donation to the Automotive Department, and the Fergus Falls 544 Education Foundation for their donation to the Kennedy Secondary School Weight Room. 

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.  

Reports were presented by: 

• Kirby Anderson – 544 Education Foundation, Finance, Activities
• Melanie Cole – Spec Ed Coop, Region I, Meet & Confer
• Missy Hermes – Staff Development, Policy
• Natalie Knutson – Wellness, Building & Grounds, Policy
• Matthew Lemke – MSHSL
• Stephen Vigesaa - Staff Development 
• Jeff Drake  – Superintendent

General Consent Items

The following consent agenda was presented for approval: 

1. Minutes from the January 22, 2024 regular School Board meeting 
2. Bills and Treasurer’s Report – reviewed by Missy Hermes and Kirby Anderson:

1. Personnel

Certified Staff Hire:

• Sandy Sundblad, long-term special education teacher substitute @ Cleveland, increase contract to .1803 FTE; effective 2/1/2024-2/16/2024

Certified Staff Retirement: 

• Michael Evavold; Title 1 teacher @ Adams; effective end of the 2023-2024 school year 

Administration Hire:

• Julie Domino, assistant director of special education; effective 7/1/2024

Support Staff Hires:

• John (Jay) Montgomery, mechanical worker; effective 1/29/2024
• Elizabeth Quiram, part-time custodian; effective 2/5/2024
• Timothy Rustand, long-term/part-time custodian; effective 2/12/2024-5/31/2024
• Erin Lemke, food service/dishwasher-3.5 hrs/day @ KSS; effective 2/14/2024
• Jennifer Albertson, certified occupational therapy assistant (COTA); effective 2024-25 school year

Support Staff Resignations:

• Kenneth Kunz, custodian @ KSS; last work day 2/9/2024
• Wendy Schiesser, noon hour supervisor @ KSS; last work day 2/2/2024

Melanie Cole moved to approve the consent agenda. The motion was seconded by Stephen Vigesaa and carried unanimously. 

Read more: February 12, 2024 Board meeting minutes

Details

Written by: Missy Hermes

Parent Category: School Board

Category: Meeting Minutes

Published: 23 January 2024

Hits: 1123

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. 

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. 

No acknowledgements were presented.

Reports were presented by: 

• Scott Colbeck - Elementary Principal (McKinley/Adams) 

- Matthew Lemke entered the meeting at 5:20 pm

• Tindy Rund - Elementary Principal (Cleveland)
• Ivan Hirst – Middle School Principal
• Mark Anderson - High School Principal
• Jeff Drake - Superintendent

General Consent Items

The following consent agenda was presented for approval: 

1. Minutes from the reorganization meeting and regular School Board meeting held on January 8, 2024
2. Bills (January 9-22, 2024)

3. Personnel 

Certified Staff Hires:

Read more: January 22, 2024 Board Meeting minutes

Details

Written by: Missy Hermes

Parent Category: School Board

Category: Meeting Minutes

Published: 08 January 2024

Hits: 1350

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 5:36 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. 

Missy Hermes, clerk, established a quorum. 

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

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

Thank you to LaWayne & Beverly Rogness for their generous donation to the Fergus Falls Public Schools.

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

and the following voted against same: Melanie Cole

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

Reports were presented by: 

• Kirby Anderson – 544 Education Foundation, Finance, Activities

Matthew Lemke entered the meeting at 5:39 pm

Read more: January 8, 2024 board meeting minutes

Details

Written by: Missy Hermes

Parent Category: School Board

Category: Meeting Minutes

Published: 08 January 2024

Hits: 1159

January 8, 2024

The reorganization meeting of the School Board of Independent School District No. 544 was held in the Otter Community Room at the Kennedy Secondary School. Natalie Knutson, acting chair, called the meeting to order at 5:15 pm. The following members were present: Kirby Anderson, Melanie Cole, Missy 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, acting clerk, established a quorum.

Kirby Anderson made a motion to adopt the agenda as presented. The motion was seconded by Melanie Cole and carried unanimously. 

Election of Chairperson:

Melanie Cole nominated Natalie Knutson for the position of chair. Due to no further forthcoming nominations, Natalie Knutson, presiding chair, declared Natalie Knutson as elected 2024 chair by acclamation.

Election of Other Officers:

Read more: 2024 Reorganization School Board Meeting

Details

Written by: Missy Hermes

Parent Category: School Board

Category: Meeting Minutes

Published: 21 December 2023

Hits: 1304

December 21, 2023

A special 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. 

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

General Consent Items

The following consent agenda was presented for approval: 

Read more: Special School Board Meeting minutes