Cloquet school district looks post-pandemic

As the school year winds down to a close, Cloquet school administrators and board members began signaling changes for the next school year Monday.

In actions taken every spring, board members approved terminating 10 long-term substitute teacher assignments at the end of the current school year, along with those of 11 first-year probationary teachers. Sometimes those probationary teachers — who have not achieved tenure — are rehired for the next school year, superintendent Michael Cary said, and other times it gives administrators the opportunity to look for someone who might be a better fit in that position.

Board members also approved the termination of or changes in a number of positions created especially for the pandemic, including teachers who were hired at the elementary school level to allow for distance learning classes, three paraprofessionals, two health assistants and additional cleaning staff.

“It’s a lot of Covid-

related movement, and we’re kind of undoing many of the things we did at the beginning of the year,” Cary said.

Board member Hawk Huard wondered aloud if the district was assuming the pandemic was just going to cease at the end of the financial year. “The pandemic will end June 30th and we’ll go back to the old method of doing what we did?” he said.

Cary said he has no crystal ball. He pointed out that the state’s vaccination process is ahead of schedule. “My thoughts are, once you’ve had a chance to vaccinate everybody who wishes to be vaccinated, that kind of feels like ‘mission accomplished’ and we should be moving back toward life as normal in schools.”

In terms of the budget, Cloquet is in a good spot for the next school year. The district did not lose as many students to homeschooling during the pandemic as some, which helps with ongoing state and federal funding. Additionally, the school district has a lot of federal stimulus dollars that have not been spent or distributed yet, including $1.4 million that the district can use over the next two years and $3.1 million for the next three years.

The money will pay for some additional positions created to help students catch up with their schoolwork, he said, and whatever other needs arise. It would be irresponsible to use the one-time funds for ongoing expenses like employee raises, he stressed. “The second that money is gone, you have a giant budget shortfall.”

Also Monday, Cary told the board that he has not talked to Carlton school district officials again. He and finance director Candace Nelis have been looking into things they would ask for as part of a tuition agreement. They are also looking into financial background and plan to set up a followup meeting.