Hibbing board approves Greenhaven payments, MOAs on insurance premiums, personnel changes and multiple policies

The Hibbing Public School District board on July 16 approved a series of financial and personnel actions, including two construction payments for Greenhaven Elementary, memoranda of agreement to address employer health-insurance premium contributions, a letter of agreement for the district audit, and multiple personnel actions under the consent agenda.

The board approved Payment #1 to Max Gray Construction, Inc. for $263,200.87 and Payment #2 to Max Gray Construction, Inc. for $297,310.27 for work on Greenhaven Elementary renovations. Payment #1 was moved by Director McLaughlin and supported by Director Gabardi; Payment #2 was moved by Director Galatz and supported by Director Gabardi. Both motions carried unanimously.

The board approved a Letter of Agreement with Sterle and Co. for the fiscal year 2025 audit (moved by Director Jeff Polcher, supported by Director Galatz); the motion carried unanimously.

The consent agenda, approved by motion of Director Jeff Polcher and supported by Director Galatz, included multiple hires and resignations: hiring Patrick Lenzen as Custodian I (Lincoln) effective July 1, 2025; hiring Nicholas Horvath as District Technology Technician effective July 1, 2025; accepting resignations from David Simons (assistant varsity girls’ soccer coach, effective July 1, 2025), Allison Madrinich (pupil support assistant, Washington Elementary, effective July 7, 2025) and Aaron Reini (9th grade boys’ basketball coach, effective July 8, 2025); and hiring Kayla Hintz (Youth in Action Advisor, effective August 1, 2025), Felicia Falcone (assistant girls’ tennis coach, effective August 11, 2025) and Elisha Otonichar (1.0 FTE School Readiness Teacher, Washington Early Learning Center, effective August 25, 2025). The board also approved postings and transfers for June 2025, including Job #63 District Technology Technician.

On labor and benefits, the board approved memoranda of agreement with four bargaining units — Hibbing United Educators, the Hibbing Administrators Unit, the Hibbing Confidential Unit, and the Hibbing Non-Aligned Unit — to address the district’s employer health insurance premium contributions for the 2025–2026 school year in light of a premium increase effective Sept. 1, 2025. Each MOA was moved and supported as recorded in the minutes and adopted unanimously.

The board voted to discontinue a 1.0 FTE Transportation Clerk/Mechanic position in the AFSCME bargaining unit, effective July 1, 2025 (motion moved by Director Jeff Polcher, supported by Director McLaughlin). The motion carried unanimously.

Policy changes: the board adopted a package of policies (moved by Director McLaughlin, supported by Director Galatz) including Policy 408 (Harassment and Violence), 413 (Mandated Reporting of Child Neglect, Physical, or Sexual Abuse), 417 (Drug-Free Workplace/Drug-Free School), 501 (School Weapons), 505 (Student Discipline), 506.5 (School Resource Officers), 514 (Protection and Privacy of Pupil Records), 515 (Student Medication and Telehealth), 515.5 (Overdose Medication), 518 (Title IX Sex Nondiscrimination Policy Grievance Procedure and Process), 519 (Interviews of Students by Outside Agencies), 530 (School Meals Policy), 602 (Organization of School Calendar and School Day), 618 (Literacy and the Read Act), 706 (Transportation of Public School Students), 716 (Public Data and Data Subject Requests), 717 (Uniform Grant Guidance Policy Regarding Federal Revenue Sources), 804 (Crisis Management Policy for High School and Lincoln) and 805 (Crisis Management Policy for Greenhaven, Washington, and Early Learning Center). After the policy adoptions, Superintendent Aldrich presented first readings of Policies 503, 607, 607.5 and 802.

The board set its next regular meeting for July 23, 2025 and adjourned at 4:10 p.m.

All listed motions in these items carried unanimously unless otherwise noted in the minutes.