[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6499675,"mediaKeyId","5683947-82ee7fc96085df7c58d08daaaa9f338e","parentId",5683947,"title","Votes at a glance: Cloquet Public School District board actions, Aug. 25, 2025","audioSeconds",47,"startMs",3793000,"endMs",3840000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5683947-82ee7fc96085df7c58d08daaaa9f338e&start=3793&end=3840","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5683947-82ee7fc96085df7c58d08daaaa9f338e/thumbnail_3793000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6499675/Minnesota/Votes-at-a-glance-Cloquet-Public-School-District-board-actions-Aug-25-2025","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6499675-b6ff71ebec3aa2eb54579f56f0a23780/orig.mp4?Expires=1771169262&Signature=jfiXdkMPlEJ1S1ik2X9NuCbl9dfCbnDmKjlsri3sCgZ6MQ1yjyUM2zGo1qPCpMC7smJjSd-hgXBJTwsYGZlZ53RC-vl1Y1TYQ09sWnJ0VF8KTUIxRFzUepUGibY00ed6ECkZJHQCUmooJbeI3dDBh~0LtqhmPhliJJ0VSUcVZ3DSOZlw1~7gRJf3zYUZbPzrpiTdf0vtPitAAn3FHIJg9JdLV3k8U-J~KI~T8UEloPiL0uz3JtSzw81Bh7TuzagmoesLQju8O0CUxhwtRuTbj30O8VwzGii590iMBDN6XfLR6dFW8XCgWqjnulr4lJCSyOo2mTprtzdDDm96J6w1ow__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Cloquet Public Schools","date","2025-08-26T11:41:30Z","article","At its Aug. 25 meeting, the Cloquet Public School District board took the following formal actions:

• Approved a one‑year .8 FTE leave of absence for career and technical education instructor Michelle Wicker. (Motion moved by Leanne; seconded by David Italia. Outcome: approved.)

• Voted on a resolution to announce availability of an elementary guidance counselor position and allow either a licensed guidance counselor or licensed school social worker to fill the role; the motion resulted in a 3‑3 tie and failed. Because it failed, the district will continue to process applicants under the existing guidance counselor posting. (Outcome: failed, vote tally 3 yes, 3 no.)

• Approved a one‑year leave of absence for paraprofessional Julianne Nefhtali at Northern Lights Academy. (Outcome: approved.)

Other routine items approved by consent included the meeting agenda, minutes and claims presented at the meeting.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","School Board Meeting - August 25, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Summary of formal motions and outcomes taken by the Cloquet Public School District board at its Aug. 25 meeting, including leaves of absence and a failed resolution about a counselor vacancy.","taxTitle","CLOQUET PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT, School Boards, Minnesota","taxId",38772,"location","Minnesota","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6499681,"Cloquet to pilot Wednesday-asynchronous schedule for juniors and seniors to retain PSEO students",200,2783000,2983000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5683947-82ee7fc96085df7c58d08daaaa9f338e&start=2783&end=2983","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5683947-82ee7fc96085df7c58d08daaaa9f338e/thumbnail_2783000.jpg","/articles/6499681/Minnesota/Cloquet-to-pilot-Wednesday-asynchronous-schedule-for-juniors-and-seniors-to-retain-PSEO-students","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6499681-97e04b27e926b8a40890d59f0c47b25c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771169262&Signature=oSaIfN~qmjdhLPQJGkP4A4XJmsNnZp5ixT72DX1poXBnU3HALOhdEeUiYGjvTFY1DDN7dDPDlc8qqmrak-X9qWIwd2cAf5l6a1T5Y9XyZ3Zx~hGU720NRtaBC4FVOn5KkteVY7oGmVtxPrMZnWDsClYFJ3imUaDBkcyyrDzmLhfcweMgIVZgIu10bYNmfUa02AvrtK1jLDgBaTCWL6tg6fmQ~Nd11rwWYIzFATetr6iLpvmFPcD7lbf4288AOcLh10Bkqvoehwrg0-QgG~o2vVm9l9t1mJeNpu35aZiMci5yOyM45pMHIKKg5yqOe5j9HcD-9rWjYwJRobBTNgYbxA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Cloquet Public School District announced a pilot program to reduce off‑campus PSEO (Postsecondary Enrollment Options) attrition by offering an asynchronous Wednesday for eligible juniors and seniors who are taking college courses.

Steve (district administrator) told the board that PSEO participation has risen sharply: 24 students took at least one PSEO class in 2021–22 and 81 did so last year. The district reported that as of the meeting 68 students planned to take at least one PSEO course this year; administrators expect that number could increase during the school year. Administrators corrected an early estimate and said the district’s current midpoint estimate of lost revenue to PSEO is in the ballpark of $100,000 rather than the earlier, incorrect million‑dollar figure cited in discussion.

Under the pilot, set to begin Sept. 10 for one semester, teachers of eligible courses would be given the option to participate; participating teachers would provide asynchronous activities on Wednesdays and remain available to students via email or virtual meetings. Students who rely on district transportation or prefer to be on campus on Wednesdays could remain in school and use available space and supervision. The program applies only to juniors and seniors enrolled in qualifying college‑level courses; ninth and tenth graders who are in some on‑campus college classes would not be eligible to participate in the asynchronous Wednesday option.

Administrators said the pilot is intended to keep students on campus more of the time, preserve course enrollments and associated funding, and reduce the number of students leaving for full‑time community college enrollment. The district will collect feedback from students and teachers, track PSEO participation and retention, and report preliminary data at the semester break.

Steve and the superintendent said the pilot mirrors practices other area districts are using and is intended to be reversible if data show it is ineffective. The pilot affects a subset of high‑school college courses that may include art, English, statistics, German, Spanish, government and economics, depending on teacher participation.

","Facing rising PSEO participation, the district will pilot one semester of asynchronous Wednesdays for eligible college-course students to keep them on campus and reduce lost funding and instructional disruption.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6499684,"Board approves one-year .8 FTE leave for Cloquet CTE instructor Michelle Wicker",1813,1990000,3803000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5683947-82ee7fc96085df7c58d08daaaa9f338e&start=1990&end=3803","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5683947-82ee7fc96085df7c58d08daaaa9f338e/thumbnail_1990000.jpg","/articles/6499684/Minnesota/Board-approves-one-year-8-FTE-leave-for-Cloquet-CTE-instructor-Michelle-Wicker","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6499684-b79fcc46d3838a35a1b16e9e816ce176/orig.mp4?Expires=1771169262&Signature=SICw9MEwFtAzjsfwC~biN85M49sR8tXqtVvL7ed-1yv1jv4vVcXZDmmMJ-yt~gRp0mW7Fz7~EJuqhNh2L9i92uWXXNJO5x-Mwd4VD3RRsQBcYxbwCSrsQDbw56ANFPsrOiP3B-oJ5OA8YpzQyUgMGo3RHb2g01Z3qxSPdKoqndShs9~n9F5fAuJE6ITT7DCNN3uXr-Xz7fSjN-h56~xDpZLFiiBt48d61U1z94Nz9VQh~vtpChuNsOHYjrxiQu-kMr7~dS1FKz1polm9GkB8Ujbvm6e8pOjCiM3NsxOo-fd1J9esLNdCyYwr8TZ7rk9-WyHL-HJoHmVO9omTj1KX5g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Cloquet Public School District board voted on Aug. 25 to approve a one-year .8 FTE leave of absence for career and technical education instructor Michelle Wicker.

Superintendent Dr. Michael Carey and school administrators told the board they prefer to keep Wicker at .8 if possible because of the specialized skills and equipment used in the CTE program. Steve (district administrator) said a .8 arrangement would allow the program to continue without losing class offerings and that replacing Wicker with a full‑time newcomer would present a steep learning curve for equipment‑heavy courses.

Wicker told the board she had notified principals in July that the leave was a possibility while she pursued family needs and that she preferred a leave to resigning. “My whole heart is in this school,” Wicker said, describing years of work building the program and saying she did not want to leave students or the district.

Administrators estimated that between 68 and 75 students were scheduled to participate in Wicker’s classes in the first semester and said the district could combine some sections and use the media center on days Wicker must supervise job sites to avoid cancelling offerings. The administration said an immediate hire for a full‑time replacement was unlikely to provide the same continuity and that training a new instructor would take considerable time.

Leanne moved the motion to approve the .8 FTE leave; David Italia seconded. By voice vote the motion carried.

Superintendent Carey and the high‑school administrator said the district will monitor program delivery and aim to restore full time status when feasible. The board and administrators emphasized the leave is for one year and that Wicker has indicated a desire to return to full time at the earliest opportunity.

","The school board granted a 0.8 (80 percent) leave of absence for one year to CTE instructor Michelle Wicker after discussion about program continuity and staffing challenges; the district said retaining Wicker part time is preferable to hiring a new instructor.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6499688,"Cloquet board deadlocks on proposal to allow social workers to fill elementary counselor role",3105,747000,3852000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5683947-82ee7fc96085df7c58d08daaaa9f338e&start=747&end=3852","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5683947-82ee7fc96085df7c58d08daaaa9f338e/thumbnail_747000.jpg","/articles/6499688/Minnesota/Cloquet-board-deadlocks-on-proposal-to-allow-social-workers-to-fill-elementary-counselor-role","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6499688-9500692056cc8a5dc5d4acfd6de1552e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771169262&Signature=dj5lOzhItocajStgmwK3GCaRfQUwU4vlCVUmM8-GDBzM6UN3aT-EZHVFwf75dEAHNZ56DhslL-p4OhVx2LO6mgdtRcgx8y35-woS3aFxqRJAb-BmoBJ4zNpk1wINM8MVXGE5YHbt~UypmDL2u09YqeAz3NdRu5XYfbq~DBIQiMH5uamKgAxXbMI56HsWv7VwLw2kjm4skbceIOI2vsBwT7XXDjfa58PAUs59brB86vMNsjhQlgLGtx8UqKZaLwIWc5BLsUtDi8QRC58osMHx48OzQzGT25kmPZ2j14pM4iWQbznYaz0Y1haSaMAVtWhVfAueZtbmuzEc7MqxjPnW6A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Cloquet Public School District board voted 3-3 on Aug. 25, rejecting a resolution that would have declared an elementary guidance counselor position available for recall and directed administration to offer the opening to employees on unrequested leave of absence (ULA), while explicitly allowing a licensed school social worker to fill the role.

Superintendent Dr. Michael Carey told the board the late resignation by an elementary counselor prompted the discussion about whether a social worker could perform the elementary-level work. Carey said elementary counselor duties and licensed school social worker duties “are very, very comparable” and that principals in the district were comfortable with the possibility of filling the vacancy with a social worker. He noted differences remain at the high school level, where “you really wanna keep those high school positions, specifically guidance counselors,” because of graduation, career and college advising functions.

Board members debated the practical and licensing questions the change raised. Some members voiced concern about whether a licensed social worker may be allowed under state rules to provide tier‑1 classroom instruction — social‑emotional learning (SEL) lessons given to full classes — or whether an out‑of‑field placement (a temporary variance) would be required. Carey said the district believed a licensed school social worker could implement SEL and behavior interventions, and that the district would pursue an out‑of‑field placement if necessary.

The resolution under consideration was procedural: it would have formally announced that the counselor/social‑worker position was available for recall and directed administration to contact staff on ULA about the vacancy. The board debated whether posting the job as open to social workers would undermine recall rights or create instability for those currently on leave. Carey explained recall rights under the district’s contract: employees who decline an offer lose recall rights unless they provide written proof from their current employer that they could not be released in time.

After discussion, the board took a roll-call style vote that produced a 3-3 split, which the chair announced as a failed motion. Because the resolution failed, the superintendent said the district would leave the vacancy posted as a guidance counselor position and continue processing applicants against that posting.

Board members who spoke included several who asked for clarity about the licensing differences and the potential need for an out‑of‑field approval from the Minnesota Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board (PELSB). The superintendent said he and the principal had consulted licensing materials and were comfortable pursuing the social‑worker option if the board later supported it.

The decision leaves the district pursuing the vacancy under its existing guidance counselor posting while the administration monitors applicants and the status of employees on ULA.

","A 3-3 vote rejected a resolution that would have declared an elementary guidance counselor position available for recall and clarified that the district would accept either a licensed guidance counselor or a licensed school social worker for the post following an unexpected resignation.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Votes at a glance: Cloquet Public School District board actions, Aug. 25, 2025

Cloquet to pilot Wednesday-asynchronous schedule for juniors and seniors to retain PSEO students

Board approves one-year .8 FTE leave for Cloquet CTE instructor Michelle Wicker

Cloquet board deadlocks on proposal to allow social workers to fill elementary counselor role