Ironwood board reorganizes

By RICHARD JENKINS

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Ironwood — The Ironwood Area Schools’ board of education held its organizational meeting Monday, selecting a new person to chair meetings.

Amanda Sprague replaces Steve Thomas as board chair, with Clancey Byrne replacing Sprague as president pro-tem. Marilyn Nezworski will continue to serve as treasurer and Caroyln Mieloszyk remains the board secretary.

Along with electing officers, the board:

—Adopted its schedule of meeting dates for the year.

—Designated Gogebic Range Bank as the depository for district funds.

—Approved various bylaws regarding the procedures the board operates under throughout the year.

—Reauthorized Nezworski and Mieloszyk to sign checks for the district.

—Voted to continue to remain a member of the Michigan Association of School Boards and related organizations, as well as continue with the district’s contracted legal and auditing firms.

Following the organizational meeting, the board held its regular January meeting.

Among the items at the meeting, the board approved agreements with the Gogebic-Ontonagon Intermediate School District regarding participation in the Great Start Readiness Program and the career and technical education program for the school year.

The GSRP agreement was identical to last year’s agreement, Superintendent Travis Powell told the Daily Globe after the meeting, while the career tech agreement has updated numbers to accurate reflect the costs expected for this year.

The career tech agreement will see the GOISD pay Ironwood $12,660 to provide welding, certified nursing assistant, agriculture and business management support classes to students from other districts in the GOISD.

A report was also given regarding the board’s annual evaluation of Powell’s performance as superintendent, rating him as “highly effective.”

Along with these actions, the board:

—Accepted the district’s monthly personnel report, including hiring choir teacher Darin Schmidt as the new makerspace coordinator in addition to his teaching duties.

—Heard a report from the student senate regarding plans for winter homecoming

—Was honored by Powell as January is School Board Recognition Month in Michigan.