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Bemidji board approves amended staffing‑reduction package, spares Solway cut and keeps debate funded for one year
Summary
The Bemidji school board approved a package of licensed‑staff reductions to meet a $1.5 million target but amended the package to remove a proposed Solway Elementary teacher cut and to take Catherine Brandt off the nonrenewal list; donations will fund the debate team for one year.
The Bemidji Public School District board on Monday approved an amended package of licensed‑staff reductions aimed at reducing the district's structural deficit, but removed the proposed 1.0 FTE Solway Elementary reduction and spared one probationary teacher from nonrenewal.
Supporters of teachers and extracurriculars filled the public comment period, pressing the board to preserve debate, librarians and English teachers. "Our kids are speaking very loudly. They demand to be heard," said Jade Dockendorf, an English teacher at Bemidji High School, who told the board that reducing English staff would undermine freshmen credit‑attainment goals and increase class sizes to 35.
Why it matters: Administration told the board the district has run a structural deficit since 2019 and set a $1.5 million reduction target to help balance upcoming budgets.…
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