District looks to fill vacant seat left by Anders

Lake Holcombe School Board

There is a seat open on the Lake Holcombe School Board, after members accepted the resignation of Jeff Anders at their Dec. 21 regular meeting. The open seat notification will be published in the paper, asking the public if anyone wants to fill the open position.

Those interested must submit an application and if there are multiple candidates, they will be interviewed by the board at the next regular meeting, to determine which candidate is the best fit.

In the meantime, taking over Anders’ spot, the board appointed member Debbi Readinger as the new board clerk, as the other members all hold offices already.

Also approved, was an extension for the school of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) law, which provides paid leave for employees who are under quarantine or who have tested positive for COVID-19. The current law is set to expire Dec. 31.

“Numerous school districts are putting into place an extension to try and get us through another three months,” said superintendent Kurt Lindau, “because we know we are going to continue to have COVID-related quarantines and people who are out sick.”

The intention of such a plan is to relieve stress on people and encourage them to stay home if they are having symptoms of the virus, without fear that they will lose income. Lindau said the school’s extension will be null and void if Congress passes an extension of the current bill that is under debate.

Lindau says the district wants to retain quality teachers and noted that other schools are having a difficult time staffing buildings, because of staff choices.

“The employees of the Lake Holcombe School District were very honest and compliant,” said Lindau. “We fared very well, people wanted to be here.”

As part of the continuous COVID-19 update, Lindau reported that Chippewa County Public Health says school staff will be in the second grouping of individuals to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, with the earliest timeline of March.

“They would likely come to school and hold an immunization clinic,” said Lindau.

He also reported what Lake Holcombe plans to do about the 2021 football season, as Cornell has withdrawn from the final year of the football co-op, after Lake Holcombe opted not to renew the contract beyond next year. Lindau says the district will transition to eight-man a year early and attempt to join an “independent” league that is in the works around the area.

The Knights’ current equipment will be split between the two schools and Lake Holcombe will order more as necessary for the eight-man team.

“Obviously, time is of the essence,” said Lindau.

Lake Holcombe, as part of the Cornell-Gilman Wolfpack Wrestling team, has also joined a COVID co-op with Turtle Lake-Clayton. The teams meet at a designated dual competition and compete as a team, as numbers from both co-ops are too low to support dual action.

“There’s no financial impact, there’s no transportation,” said Lindau. “It’s really just putting kids together from different schools on paper, so they can have a dual.”

Lindau also reported that athletic director Todd Senoraske is working on a plan to enhance Lake Holcombe’s weight room and will work on a funding strategy for that to take place.

Although it’s not ready yet, Lindau says the district will transition to a new social media/website platform, through a product from Apptegy, which includes a mobile app and other features.

“I think this will enhance our marketing and social media presence,” he said.

As part of board business, resignations were also accepted from Shelley Lee, who says she enjoyed her time as a middle school volleyball coach.

It is time for me to move forward, as my youngest children will be in high school in the fall, wrote Lee.

Another resignation came in the form of theater director Beth Meddaugh.

I have truly enjoyed working with the students and community members as a part of this program, wrote Meddaugh, and look forward to its continued success.

Members also accepted the resignation of Barb VanDoorn as the school’s communication director, NHS adviser and SBMH grant coordinator Their work wasn’t done, as the board agreed on the hire of Megan Lechleitner, as the assistant girls varsity basketball coach; Nicole Kuc and Nikki Viegut, as co-middle school girls basketball coaches; and Lisa Spletter, as the new communications director.

In addition, members accepted $37.15, from Eastbay Lodge to the music department; $13,370.31, from the Town of Lake Holcombe, and $2,806.92, from the Town of Birch Creek, for COVID-related expenditures; $50, from Sabrina and Nick Burlingame, and $50, from Johnny and Jennifer Moore, for the after-school program; and $50, from the Holcombe United Methodist Church for student needs.