Trustees Extend Contract Of School Superintendent
The Wolf Point School Board agreed to extend the contract of Superintendent of Schools Dr. David Perkins during a meeting on Monday, July 6.
Trustees voted for a new contract to add a third year. The contract will run to June of 2029.
Board chair Roxanne Gourneau said that the school district has made great progress under Perkins’ leadership.
Trustees approved a 5 percent cost of living increase to the superintendent’s salary of $152,600.
A large segment of the meeting concerned the boys’ basketball position. Cole Hanks was on the agenda to be rehired as the head coach.
Trustee Michael Turcotte expressed his opposition to the recommendation of re-hiring Hanks as coach. After the position was open, a committee interviewed three candidates for the spot. Frank Benson was the committee’s first choice. During last month’s meeting, Turcotte made a motion to hire Benson that wasn’t seconded by any other school board member. Hanks was the committee’s second choice.
“I think we’re defeating the purpose of opening this one up,” Turcotte said. “We opened it up for a reason. Our coach had ample time to establish himself.”
Gourneau said she feels that in the future, the head coach needs to visit with trustees. “We hear from the community,” she added.
Superintendent Perkins commented that concerns have been raised for different positions. “There have been discussions,” he said.
Turcotte said he doesn’t want to limit the student athletes’ potential. “I believe our school district is loaded with talent.” He added that the decision isn’t personal for him since he voted to approve Hanks as the IT director last month.
After trustee Keith Higgins made a motion to rehire Hanks earlier in the meeting, Turcotte made a substitute motion against hiring Hanks. Turcotte’s motion was seconded by trustee Holly Denny.
The substitute vote was 2-2 with Higgins and trustee Pryce Paulson voting against Turcotte’s motion. Gourneau, the board’s chair, then needed to make a deciding vote. After several minutes, Gourneau voted for the motion not to rehire Hanks as basketball coach. Trustee Michael Holen wasn’t at the meeting.
Also during the meeting, trustees were told about the need for repairing boiler’s piping at the high school and junior high school. A special meeting was scheduled.
Along with purchasing one house for teacher housing, school officials are also looking at another house and a duplex.
Appointed to the policy committee were trustees Higgins and Turcotte.
Hired were Alexis DeWitt as EAE Southside librarian, Rex Green as west route bus driver, Shane Reed for town route bus driver, Roper Flaten for IT student worker and Jonathan Anketell for part-time summer nutrition program. Eric Peterson received his second offer for Southside physical education teacher.
Extra-curricular hires were Hamyanie Campbell and Philline Gorder as assistant high school volleyball coaches, Brianna Red Cloud as junior high volleyball coach, Karli McGowan as junior class advisor and student council advisor, Leslie Larson as food pantry coordinator and National Honor Society advisor, Grant Legare for early identification system, Joelle Page as 504 coordinator, Patricia Toavs as special education director, Sen Pin Andrew Vun as school psychologist and Erin Loendorf as pep club advisor.
