Chisholm approves school business office contracts

CHISHOLM—The Chisholm School Board took steps this past Monday to finalize rebuilding the district’s business office.

At a meeting last month the board approved hiring Noah Kaczor as the district’s business manager, and on Monday the board approved a two-year contract with Kaczor. Effective dates of the contract are from June 3, 2024 to June 30, 2025.

The board on Monday hired Morgan Anderson to the position of payroll/human resource specialist, and a contract between the district and Anderson effective May 13, 2024 through June 30, 2025.

Chisholm School Superintendent Mark Morrison told the board that the two-year duration aligns the expiration of the business office contracts with that of Education Minnesota and American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) contracts.

For the greater part of the past three years the Hibbing School District has provided Chisholm with business office services through a collaborative agreement. The Hibbing School District earlier this year voted to terminate the agreement, effective June 30, which is the end of this fiscal year.

This marks the second time in a little less than a year that Hibbing notified Chisholm it would be ending the contract. Chisholm briefly hired its own business manager in March 2023, following notification from Hibbing, and by July had voted to eliminated the business manager position after a renewed interest in collaboration between the two districts.

Hibbing School Superintendent Rick Aldrich, following this latest decision to terminate the agreement, said in the past three years the Hibbing Business Office has undergone changes, and the current staff is being stretched too thin while providing services to both districts.

Morrison said Hibbing is helping Chisholm with the transition and will be meeting with the newly hired business office personnel.

The board took up the following other items at its May 13 meeting.

• Hired Chelsea Winans as elementary instructor at the Vaughan-Steffensrud Elementary School, effective August 26.

• Hired Rose Schnortz as licensed school nurse and CNA/Medical Career Instructor, effective August 26.

• Granted a request by Nicholas Milani to being the Educational Administration and Leadership Program at St. Mary’s State University in Fall 2024.

• Accepted the resignation of Jessica Trunnel, from her position as Level III volleyball coach, retroactive to May 3.

• Approve National Bank of Commerce as a school district depository.

• Approved the purchase of two tubas for the Band Department in the amount of $10,350. A grant from the Chisholm Community Foundation is covering half of that amount.

“The CCF is absolutely wonderful helping us out,” Morrison said. He noted one of the tubas dates back to the 1960s, and the other is also in rough shape.

• Accepted donations for the Chisholm Class of 2025 from Jim’s Sports Club and Minnesota Industries.

• Discussed enrollment numbers. Enrollment slightly increased, according to a one-day snapshot.

• Was reminded the next board meeting is at 5 p.m. Tuesday, May 28, due to the Memorial Day holiday. A groundbreaking for the new preschool through grade six building is set for 3:30 p.m. that same day, adjacent to the high school.