Barnum hires new elementary principal

The Barnum school board hired Melisa Maxwell as the elementary principal at its monthly meeting Tuesday, May 17. Maxwell is currently K-6 Dean of Students in the Isle School District and will start with Barnum in July or August, after the new financial year begins. The board approved her appointment as part of its consent agenda vote, with no discussion.

Representatives of the Northern Lights Special Education Cooperative spoke to the board and explained that there has been legislation to apply for $6 million in state funding for a facilities project, totaling $12 million, to house all of the cooperatives programs under one roof.

There are 12 member school districts in the cooperatives, with the superintendents from each district serving on the cooperative’s board, explained Dena Hagen, cooperative director.

There was another piece of legislation for the cooperative that is in its third year at the legislature.

The cooperatives want to equalize funding to be more in line with funding for the programs in the Twin Cities area, said Hagen.

That would mean a levy lease increase of $65 per student, which will bring in $47,000. There would be a tax impact of $3 or $4 per year for a $100,000 property, Hagen explained, if the funding from the state is approved.

She said that they would come back to each school board in the cooperative for approval if the request for state funding was approved.

In other business on May 17:

-Superintendent Mike McNulty presented a certificate to student Jennie DeCaigny in recognition for her service as the student representative for the school board.

-The board approved the internal assignment of Paul Riihiluoma from elementary interventionist to Title I teacher, approved the internal assignment of special education teacher Jill Juntunen to elementary interventionist, terminate Jaclyn Koehler, a probationary teacher, and hire her as the 0.45 Spanish teacher, effective Aug. 29, and approved the resignation of business manager Dawn Hultgren at an effective date to be determined.

-The board also passed resolutions to place Tony Bender on an unrequested leave of absence, Lauren Chapman on a 0.30 unrequested leave of absence, and Mariah Minkkinen on a 0.45 unrequested leave of absence, approved capital expenditures of $10,000 for a Type III bus for special education and $14,000 to replace furniture in one classroom, and approved changing livestreaming of committee meetings to recording the meetings.

The Barnum school board meets next at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 14.