Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
By KELSEY HANSEN
Wakefield — The Wakefield-Marenisco School District will stay independent after the district’s school board voted against joining with the Bessemer Area School District Monday.
“One thing I’d like to discuss before the board votes is that when this all started — up until this point — this board has never taken a stand of a no or a yes,” board President Brad Dalbec said.
“This will be the first time that the board officially comes out with a stand and I think it’s time.”
The vote came after the board was presented with a letter from Bessemer asking for Wakefield-Marenisco’s consideration of a move to consolidate with Bessemer.
Prior to the vote, Wakefield-Marenisco Superintendent Cathy Shamion listed several considerations for the W-M school pertaining to consolidation.
These considerations included enrollment — which has been stable or up in the past 7 years — and building considerations, with a funding renewal passed by voters just last year.
Another major consideration was academics. Under the district’s current policy, it can’t offer a specific class it either shares a class with Bessemer, search for an online course or send students to Gogebic Community College for dual enrollment.
The board discussed the topic and made a unanimous decision.
“Wakefield doesn’t want consolidation, I’m going to make an assumption here,” Shamion said before the vote.
“Because Wakefield doesn’t need consolidation.”
The board agreed and the motion to not consolidate with Bessemer at this time was carried.
In other board action:
— The board praised the school’s Christmas band and choir concert last week. A special thanks went out to the National Honor Society for helping with the elementary teachers during the concert.
— The NHS also took in 89 sets of pajamas during their pajama drive.
— The board also congratulated junior Shane Cole who was named the ‘outstanding career and technical ed’ student for quarter one for his work in building trains.
— The board approved the hiring of Chad Miskovich for the elementary girls basketball coordinator.
— The board declined an offer from the Gogebic-Ontonagon Independent School District or for contracted services. While signing a contract with the ISD would mean the district would be paid $40,000 into their general fund to have Shamion and Business Manager Tina Trevarthen as supervisors, Trevarthen would be a contract employee rather than working for the ISD.
This would mean W-M would lose Trevarthen as an employee and would instead be paying the GOISD for her or another ISD employee’s services.
Citing all of Trevarthen’s hard work for the district, the board decided to forgo the money and retain her as an asset.
The next school board meeting has been moved, due to scheduling issues, to Mon. Jan. 25 at 5 p.m.
