Stratford rehires principal as college, career consultant

By Casey Krautkramer

The Stratford Board of Education last Wednesday approved the hiring of Janeen LaBorde as a parttime college and career readiness consultant for this school year. LaBorde retired as principal of Stratford Middle/High school at the end of last school year.

Superintendent Nathan Lehman said the school district saved over $80,000 this year by not hiring someone to replace the counselor who left in August to take a job in another school district. He said there are a lot of requirements of this job, such as assisting with scholarships, scheduling, class selections and organizing senior scholarship awards night and graduation.

He said LaBorde will train Sarah Baltus, middle/high school counselor, on these other duties that were left when the board decided not to fill the other counselor position. Jeff Bell, new middle/high school principal, said he’d also be able to take on some of the tasks in the future to help Baltus out.

Other business

■ The board approved the hiring of Katie Wojcik as a high school assistant girls basketball coach.

■ Lehman told the school board that it has received more students open enrolling in than out for two years in a row. The district’s data shows that 92 students open enrolled in, compared to 91 out in the 2023-24 school year, therefore the school district received $36,000 in revenue.

He said the school district has 109 students enrolled in and 96 enrolled out for the current 2024-25 school year, which amounts to $51,600 in revenue. The district receives $8,618 for each regular education student that enrolls in from another school district and $13,470 for each special education student who enrolls in from another district.

■ The school board approved a request from history teacher Amanda Knecht and music teacher John Rickinger to take their students on a combined trip to Washington D.C. and New York City in June of 2026.

■ Board members approved the Early College Credit and Start College Now programs, which allow students to enroll in college courses that are not offered by the school district. Lehman said the district always tries to provide its students with a large amount of dual credit classes so they don’t need to go outside the district to obtain them.

■ The board approved the first reading of policy that authorizes a class rank system based on cumulative grade point average for students in grades 9-12. The top ranked student receives the Academic Excellence Scholarship.

■ Board members approved a revised school board policy to ensure that whenever possible the school district fills all coaching positions from among the certified teachers who are qualified to handle the level of coaching for which they are applying. Athletic director Craig Martens created the plan for future athletic directors to follow on how they should hire new coaches.

■ The board renewed the district’s five-year contract with Rural Virtual Academy in Medford.