HIBBING—Greenhaven Principal Bob Bestul was upbeat this past Wednesday while updating the Hibbing School Board on discussions he and Washington Elementary Principal B.J. Berg have had with their respective staffs for next school year.
The two principals are preparing for the district-wide building reconfiguration—a measure introduced by district as a cost saving measure and approved by the school board.
Starting this fall the Washington Elementary will be a preschool through first grade building; Greenhaven Elementary a second and third grade building; Lincoln a fourth through seventh grade building; and at Hibbing High School an eighth grade wing is being created, according to the plan.
Bestul said teachers working in the Washington and Greenhaven next school year were given an opportunity to tour their buildings, and discuss some of the things that need to be considered.
“It was very fun, very enlightening, and there were a lot of great questions,” Bestul told the school board.
Third grade teachers accustomed to the Lincoln, constructed as a middle school building, were a little surprised that the Greenhaven classrooms are smaller as they are the size of an elementary classroom, he said.
“We have a unique opportunity to create a new school,” Bestul said. He asked teachers to envision what morning, lunch, recess, and after school will look like when school starts in the fall and to plan things out.”
The move means that Greenhaven will be adjusting to 75 to 80 additional students.
Bestul said for teacher to consider in their current buildings “the great things that we’ve done that work,” and not to be afraid to do something different if there are things that haven’t worked out. He cautioned there will likely be some bumps in the road ahead that will need to be worked out.
He said the 25 teachers he spoke to appeared to be happy to pitch in and help out, and to get things moving committees are being formed.
One of the first things Bestul and Berg are doing is having the teachers come up with class lists, because the teachers know the kids. He said the principals had historically created the class lists.
The Hibbing School District is considering shortening the school year to allow time for packing and moving classrooms.
Hibbing Superintendent Rick Aldrich said the change would depend on available snow days. Aldrich said he is planning on bringing a potential calendar and end of the year recommendations sometime next month. .
In his presentation Bestul thanked the community on behalf of himself and Berg for the overwhelming support for snack donations at his building and at the Washington.
“Our kids are little and they need that every day, and some of them don’t have that,” he said.
The board took up the following other matters at its March 20 meeting.
• Awarded a bid to Nelson Roofing, Inc. in the amount of $265,786 for the Lincoln Elementary reroof project. A motion was made by Director Sarah Gabardi and seconded by Chair John Berklich to approve the bid, and the motion carried unanimously. Director Mike Egan and Director Jeff Polcher were absent.
• Approve the hiring of Elizabeth Brownlee as an assistant girls’ track co-coach, retroactive to March 11.
• Approve the hiring of Eric Eskeli as an assistant girls’ track co-coach, retroactive to March 11.
• Approve the hiring of Darrell Ziekse as an Jr. high golf coach, retroactive to March 18.
• Approve the hiring of Derek Gabardi as an assistant golf coach, retroactive to March 18.
• Approve the request for a 3-year leave of absence by Michael Christie effective with the 2024-2025 school year.
• Heard an update from Carrie McDonald Director of Teaching and Learning on the Bluejacket Career Academies. McDonald told the board that enrollment is up for the 2024-2025 school year in all five of the career academies: Performing Arts & Communication taught by Megan Zubich; Education & Childcare taught by Jamie Trenberth; Engineering taught by Carl Sandness; Healthcare taught by Jeremy Fleming; and Buildings & Trades taught by Alex Seppala, AJ Abate and Shaun Howard.
McDonald also talked about developing a new preschool through grade 12 college and career readiness plan. She suggested forming a joint committee with the Chisholm School District on business and industry to avoid community business partners having to meet with each district separate.
• Discussed options for more effective communications without overloading parents and students.
• Heard information from City of Hibbing Parks and Recreation Director Nick Arola on the city’s Parks and Trails master plan.
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