Hope-Page School Board approves Kingston contract, accepts $85,000 bid for district house and sets athletic fees

The Hope-Page Public School District 85 board met April 9 at Hope-Page Elementary and approved a series of routine and personnel actions, including the 2025–26 contract for Heidi Kingston and the sale of a district-owned house in Hope.

Heidi Kingston, identified in the minutes as Elementary Principal and assistant superintendent, was approved for a 2025–26 contract after a motion by Luke Juliuson and a second from Janee Brendemuhl; the board recorded a unanimous vote in favor (Parkman, Hiam, Juliuson, Brendemuhl and Larck). The minutes do not include the contract’s financial terms.

During new business the board opened bids on a school-owned house in Hope. Board president Jeri Anne Larck read three bids into the record: $85,000 from Keith Ihry, $68,700 from Joshua Ihry and $52,778 from Trenton Erickson. On a motion by Juliuson, seconded by Cindy Hiam, the board accepted the $85,000 bid from Keith Ihry; the motion carried with the five listed board voters in favor. The minutes list the bid amounts and winning bidder but do not record whether any closing timeline or contingencies were set.

The board also voted to offer a letter of support for a Renaissance Zone; Eric Parkman declared a conflict of interest and was not recorded among the four members who voted in favor. The board approved polling locations for the upcoming school board election (Hope-Page Elementary and Hope-Page High School, 11 a.m.–7 p.m.) and noted one candidate, Rita Kainz, had filed for the two open positions.

The board set Maple River cooperative gate admission and season-pass prices for 2025–26 — adult $8 and student $5 (doubleheader adult $10), a football pass for $30 and an all-basketball pass for $100 — on a motion that passed unanimously. The board approved Maple River cooperative agreements for two volleyball participants, Madyson Speer (varsity) and Isabelle Sundby (JV), and approved coaching and summer-programming-related items reviewed by the Maple River coop committee.

On policy matters, the board amended policies DKA (Reduction in Force), KACA (Patron Complaints), KACB (Complaints about Personnel) and KADA (Weapons Prohibition on School Property — Public) on first reading, waiving a second reading under policy BDA. It separately adopted, on first reading with a waived second reading, policies DGGA (Professional Development Plan), FGBD (Student Handbooks), ICCB (Disposal of School Equipment and Supplies) and DFFA (Teacher Evaluation). Both actions were moved by Janee Brendemuhl and seconded by Eric Parkman and were recorded as carried unanimously by the five named voting members.

The board moved into executive session under North Dakota Century Code 44-04-18.27 at 7:08 p.m. to review applicants for the 7–12 principal position; executive session ended at 7:49 p.m. After returning to open session, the board approved a motion directing the administrative team to pursue hiring the high school principal using guidelines provided by the board. Ian Grande updated the board separately on the open agriculture teacher position and the continuation of the FFA program.

The meeting also included routine financial reporting: the board reviewed the April 2025 balance sheet and budget summary and a detailed bill listing for the General Fund and Activity/Food Service accounts was read into the record. The minutes record the check numbers and payees. A motion to approve the bill listing was made by Cindy Hiam and seconded by Luke Juliuson; the minutes show the motion but do not record an explicit vote tally or outcome for that motion.

The board set a tentative special negotiations meeting for April 25 at 7:30 a.m. in Page and scheduled a finance/staff engagement committee meeting for May 2 at 8:30 a.m. in the high school with a follow-up at the elementary. Janee Brendemuhl and Mike Kingston were assigned to do a walkthrough of the Page school-owned house. The meeting adjourned at 8:22 p.m.

Votes at a glance • Superintendent/Elementary principal contract for Heidi Kingston — passed (yes: Parkman, Hiam, Juliuson, Brendemuhl, Larck). • Sale of district house in Hope (accept bid from Keith Ihry, $85,000) — passed (yes: Parkman, Hiam, Juliuson, Brendemuhl, Larck). • Renaissance Zone letter of support — passed (yes: Hiam, Juliuson, Brendemuhl, Larck; Parkman declared conflict). • Election polling sites (Hope-Page Elementary and High School, 11 a.m.–7 p.m.) — passed (yes: Parkman, Hiam, Juliuson, Brendemuhl, Larck). • Maple River gate/admission rates and passes — passed (yes: Parkman, Hiam, Juliuson, Brendemuhl, Larck). • MR Coop agreements for Madyson Speer and Isabelle Sundby — passed (yes: Parkman, Hiam, Juliuson, Brendemuhl, Larck). • Policy amendments (DKA, KACA, KACB, KADA) and adoptions (DGGA, FGBD, ICCB, DFFA) — passed (yes: Parkman, Hiam, Juliuson, Brendemuhl, Larck).

What the minutes don’t specify • The minutes list detailed payees and check numbers for the bills motion but do not record a vote tally or explicit outcome for the motion to approve the bill listing. The contract terms for Heidi Kingston and closing terms or contingencies for the house sale are not specified in the minutes.