Kenowa Hills Board elects Erin LaBotz president; Superintendent Hopkins to retire June 30

Erin LaBotz was elected president of the Kenowa Hills Public Schools Board of Education on Jan. 12, 2026, and Corey Turner was elected vice president, as the board completed its annual organizational business and approved a range of routine resolutions and appointments.

Superintendent Gerald Hopkins called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. at the Kenowa Hills Administration Building and announced his intent to retire effective June 30, 2026. Hopkins also reviewed bond progress and invited the public to a STEM Academy showcase slated for Jan. 22, 2026, in the Middle School LGI (6:00 p.m.) with the showcase at 6:30 p.m.

The board conducted roll-call elections for officers. In the president's race, four members voted for Erin LaBotz and three voted for Melissa Courtade, electing LaBotz. For vice president, four members voted for Corey Turner and three for Melissa Courtade; Turner was elected. Melissa Courtade was elected secretary by a 7-0 vote, and Tracey Hart was elected treasurer by a 7-0 vote.

Board members approved the 2026 meeting schedule and a series of routine governance items, each by unanimous vote. Those approvals included an investment authority resolution, designation of depositories for district funds, a resolution authorizing electronic transactions of funds, and authorization of signature authorities. The board also authorized the superintendent or designee to post board notices, accept support-staff resignations and retirements, hire support staff, and serve as the hearing officer for long-term suspensions and expulsions as outlined in the meeting reports. The motions for these delegations carried 7-0.

The board appointed district service providers and professional firms, approving Clark Hill and Thrun Law as legal counsel; Maner Costerisan as the auditing firm; SET SEG as the property/casualty insurance agent; GMB as the district architectural firm; and Owen-Ames-Kimball as construction management. All appointments carried by unanimous votes.

The board assigned building liaisons for each district facility: Early Childhood Center ' Corey Turner; Alpine Elementary ' Jeff Gustinis; Central Elementary ' Danielle Roberts; Zinser Elementary ' Mark Robinson; Middle School ' Tracey Hart; High School ' Erin LaBotz; and Pathways High School ' Melissa Courtade.

The consent agenda passed 7-0 and included the Dec. 15, 2025 regular meeting minutes, bills payable for December totaling $3,629,208.04 across listed funds (General Fund expenditures $2,311,045.94; School Lunch Fund $18,623.23; 2010 Qualified School Construction Bond Fund $750.00; 2022 Building and Site Series $120,775.67; 2024 Athletic Bond Series $3,687,671.94; Student Activity $31,677.39), and certified staff personnel actions. The personnel report noted two new hires: Macy Austin (0.6 FTE art teacher, Alpine, effective Jan. 26, 2026) and Melissa Evans (0.6 FTE STEM teacher, Alpine, effective Jan. 19, 2026), and a salary adjustment for Superintendent Gerald Hopkins ($3,383, representing a 2% cost-of-living increase to be paid over remaining pays in the 2025-26 contract).

The board also approved changes to secondary course offerings, removing several middle school courses (including 8th Grade Tech, Computers 1' 3, Web Design, Teen Leadership, Journalism) and adjusting high school math course offerings by removing some algebra sequence courses and adding Honors Algebra 2, AP Statistics and AP Precalculus.

The board noted a Jan. 14, 2026 superintendent pre-search informational meeting at 6:00 p.m. at the administration building. President LaBotz adjourned the meeting at 7:20 p.m.

Votes at a glance: President (LaBotz elected) ' LaBotz 4, Courtade 3; Vice President (Turner elected) ' Turner 4, Courtade 3; Secretary (Courtade) ' 7-0; Treasurer (Hart) ' 7-0; Consent agenda and organizational resolutions ' unanimous 7-0.