Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
ONTONAGON — The difficulty in finding substitute teachers on often short notice is a problem faced by many school districts. In an attempt to solve this problem in Ontonagon, the Ontonagon Area School Board this week decided to add to the staff a long-term substitute teacher. Superintendent Jim Bobula was authorized to hire a long-term sub who would assist with ninth grade and be available for other needs as they arise. Bobula said he or she would cover any class.
Tuesday’s board meeting opened with the swearing in of a new member, Joshua Yaklyvich, of Rockland, by board president Tanya Weisinger. Yaklyvich will fill out the term of Jim Jessup who resigned from the board when he was hired by the district as a music instructor.
The board also approved the hiring of Jamie Uotila as a full-time kindergarten teacher. She has been serving in this capacity since Nov. 1. Bobula said the increase in number of kindergarten children required them to have two classrooms and teachers.
In other staffing issues, the board hired Amy Truscott for a 2.5-hour afternoon bus driver position, contingent upon passing the school bus driver road test. The board also increased the substitute bus driver rate of pay from $13 an hour to $16.84 an hour.
The board also learned the school will now have the services of a school nurse in the building on Tuesdays and Thursdays, funded by the Gogebic-Ontonagon County Intermediate School District.
In Bobula’s report to the board, he said Jessup is offering a virtual K-8 Christmas concert for families. The concert will be viewable on the Ontonagon Theatre of Performing Arts’ website next week. The web address is ontonagontheaterofperformingarts.org.
Bobula also reported the gym floor will be refinished on Dec. 22.
The last day of school before winter break is Friday. The first day back in class will be Jan. 3, 2022.
—Jan Tucker
