School board waives athlete participation, sports spectator fees

Athletes again will be able to participate in Hayward Hurricanes sports free of charge, and fans will be able to watch Hurricane games on a donation basis in 2024-25, as approved by the Hayward Community Schools Board of Education Monday June 17.

In other actions, the board voted to renew insurance coverage for Worker’s Compensation, property including equipment breakdown, crime, errors and omissions coverage, violent acts, and commercial vehicles for a premium of $236,280, which is a decrease from $239,791 in 2023-24.

The board voted to seek applicants for one or more supervisors of the new Tamarack Health Fitness Center at the high school for 29 hours per week at $16.40 per hour.

HACIL Charter School director Crystal Hexum presented their annual report. The school had an enrollment of 250, with 23 kids on the waiting list. Hexum said siblings of students have priority to enroll.

Josh Spiegel reported that Northern Waters Environmental School (NWES) students will plant pollinators around the signs this summer and establish a walking trail in the pine plantation.

NWES currently enrolls 44 students, of whom 23 are in middle school and 21 in high school. There are up to nine kids on the waiting list.

Supt. Craig Olson reported that there are four anchor sponsors to date for new scoreboards at the football field and the high school baseball field, and a video board in the high school gym.

In other actions Monday, the board:

Accepted letters of resignations from Marja Lietzan as assistant middle school cross-country coach; Cassidy Rozek as occupational therapist; Landon Swenson as primary school paraprofessional; Jake Sande as middle school football coach and girls basketball coach; Emily Stark as assistant track coach; and Anne Kriskovich as athletics/activities director and assistant principal. Kriskovich has been hired as principal at the Solon Springs Schools.

Voted to hire Stephanie St. Germaine as Ojibwe Language and Culture teacher; Shelley Bartz as assistant drama advisor; Randall Richardson as custodian; and Shawn Richardson as boys JV basketball coach.