Pohlen named activities director
For the first time in the history of the Minneota School District, they have a woman activities director. Well, these days they call it Activities Director/Grounds Manager. Tuesday night the Minneota School Board hired Cari Pohlen, owner of Fit 24, fitness center in Minneota.
“It’s the first time we’ve had a woman,” said School Board Chairman Dawn Van Keulen. They’ve been interviewing for the position since Jason Myhre resigned the job recently. Pohlen, who has been the school district’s Fit for Life instructor, resigned from that position effective June 1.
She will officially begin her duties at the end of this school year and will be paid a salary of $45,000 with an additional $20 per month cell phone stipend and $1,750 stipend for extra days working in 2019 and 2020. Her 2020-2021 salad will be $46,000. There were several other personnel changes made at Tuesday’s meeting.
They included Wade Gillund resigning as technology coordinator and Tyler Persons of Marshall replacing him as the technology specialist, at least for the summer. Persons is graduating from Marshall High School this year and is, “A whiz kid” when it comes to technology said Van Keulen. J.D. Pesch tendered his resignation as an assistant wrestling coach and Christy Opdahl resigned as English teacher. She has also doubled as the school yearbook manager.
Opdahl also had been taking classes so she could teach college English classes at Minneota High School.
“I’d like to thank Christy who has grown so much as a teacher. We’ll miss her for sure,” said High School Principal Jeremy Frie.
He indicated Opdahl, who has been a teacher in Minneota for four years, is moving to Brookings, SD, where her husband is employed. The district has hired Korin Kock as an English teacher for next school year.
IN OTHER action the board:
•Approved hiring Keven Larson as a summer custodian and custodians Avery DeVlaeminck, Kaden Culver and Trey Gronke as summer custodial helpers.
•Approved Katie Boettger as a junior varsity softball coach for the 2019 season.
•Approved Samantha Pies for tenure.
•Approved hiring Angela Lauer as high school counselor for next year. She will also be the National Honor Society advisor.
•Noted enrollment remains steady at about 532. “A nice way to end the year,” said Supt. Dan Deitte.
Construction update from Supt. Deitte
Considering the construction of the new locker rooms, Supt. Deitte said, “They’’re working hard downstairs. There was one problem. The plumbing had to be re-routed because it was put in the wrong direction.”
But he added, “They will catch up on any delay caused by the plumbing. Everything else seems to be coming along nicely,” said Deitte.