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Hope-Page School Board rejects HPEA petition, narrows negotiating unit
Summary
At a Feb. 27 special meeting, the Hope-Page Public School District 85 Board voted unanimously to deny the Hope-Page Education Association's revised recognition petition and approved a narrower negotiating unit limited to classroom teachers licensed or approved by ESPB.
The Hope-Page Public School District 85 School Board voted unanimously Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025, at a special meeting in Hope to reject the Hope-Page Education Association's revised petition for recognition of an appropriate negotiating unit and to approve a narrower unit limited to classroom teachers licensed or approved by ESPB.
Committee member Luke Juliuson moved the main motion, and Committee member Janee Brendemuhl seconded. The motion—framed under NDCC 15.1-16-10—directed that the district reject the HPEA's revised petition but adopt a negotiating unit defined as “all employees of the school district licensed to teach by ESPB or approved to teach by ESPB and employed primarily as a classroom teacher.” The board recorded a unanimous vote in favor: Rita Kainz, Janee Brendemuhl, Eric Parkman, Cindy Hiam, John Ihry, Luke Juliuson and Jeri Anne Larck.
Committee member Luke Juliuson explained the board's rationale, saying, “The board is using the NDCC language to reduce risk exposure for our district, while recognizing there are non-classroom teachers that may be hard-to-fill positions where we may need more flexibility in the future. Under the law, the school district has the authority to pay non-classroom teachers off the negotiated agreement, and we want to keep that authority. We value all of our staff and we're trying to manage overall district risks and needs now, and in the future. Some of our neighboring districts are using this statutory language too, and we don't want to risk not being able to compete with them.”
The board first met in executive session at 1:08 PM for attorney consultation and negotiation strategy, citing NDCC 44-04-19.1(2),(5),(9) and NDCC 44-04-19.2; members moved into executive session by motion of Committee member Luke Juliuson with Committee member Cindy Hiam seconding and returned to open session at 1:45 PM. Following the negotiations-unit decision, Committee member Cindy Hiam moved and Committee member Eric Parkman seconded to adjourn the special meeting; the board adjourned at 1:48 PM. The board noted that minutes are draft until approved at the next regular meeting.
The decision narrows the district's formally recognized bargaining unit to classroom teachers licensed or approved by ESPB and keeps, per the board's statement, district discretion to pay certain non-classroom positions outside any negotiated agreement. The action may affect which positions are included in future collective-bargaining recognition and bargaining talks between the district and the HPEA.
