Caledonia Public School District’s school board members met Monday, October 20. Boardmember Mike Peterson called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m. then led with the Pledge of Allegiance. All board members were present. District employees present included Superintendent Craig Ihrke, Middle/High School Principal Nathan Boler, and Community Education Director Gretchen Juan. Elementary Principal John Wahlstrom was absent.
The board graciously accepted the following monetary donations: Caledonia Girls Court Club for jerseys, Caledonia Basketball Boosters Club for uniforms, and Wrestling Booster Club for singlets. Boardmember Leigh King abstained.
The Consent Agenda received full approval with no questions or concerns. The resignations of Molly Stemo as a special education paraprofessional and Rachel Staggemeyer as assistant boys and girls track coach were accepted. Michaela Kasten, Jennifer Northey, and Katie Jewell were hired as special education paraprofessionals. In addition to the new hires, Holle Heaser joined the team as a CAPS Care Float Aide and Eric Leitzen as a One Act Play advisor.
In a 6-0 vote, with King abstained, the boys basketball coaching contracts for the 2025-2026 school year consisted of the following coaches: Brad King as head, Bob Burmester as assistant, Noah Kearney as C team grade, Colton Lampert as eighth grade, and Jimmy Westland as seventh grade co-coach.
The girls basketball coaching contracts received full approval with the following coaches: Scott Sorenson as head, Brent Schroeder as assistant, Beth Morey as C team, Mitchell Banse as eighth grade, and Theresa Ellenz as seventh grade.
The gymnastics coaching contracts for Savana Kettner as head coach and Kaylee Cavanaugh as assistant coach received approval for the 2025-2026 school year.
Boardmember Spencer Yohe addressed a concern about student supervision. “You should always have supervision in the room,” stated Yohe. Yohe added that without supervision, there is a risk of liability or a lawsuit. Yohe moved, seconded by Derek Adamson, to reject the wrestling coaching contracts for the 2025-2026 school year until further discussion.
Peterson added that if there gets to be the habit of not approving a coach because a few parents do not approve this sets a bad precedent. Boardmember Augedahl chimed in, stating coaches do not get paid enough. She acknowledged that coaches help out in other areas.
The earlier motion to reject the wrestling coaching contracts did not pass in a 2-5 vote.
In a 5-2 vote, the board approved the wrestling coaching contracts for the following: Shay Mahoney as head, Justin Conway as assistant, Bob Scanlan as junior high co-coach, Mason Staggemeyer as junior high co-coach, and Nick Schmidt Hoff as junior high.
Principal Boler updated everyone that the science MCA (Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment) scores for Minnesota were released and were going home with the eighth, ninth, and 11th graders. Boler shared on October 9 there had been an Ending the Silence program on suicide awareness. Boler continues to work on community service projects for students with plans to meet with Dean Twite of Brownsville, Minn.
Community Director Juan informed that on October 22 she will meet with the area Community Education Directors. She shared that driver’s education received lower numbers due to more online options now. Juan informed that there will be a Relationships Change course available for adults and children where the course covers coping strategies for divorce, grief, etc. There will be a Self Defense course in November. Juan ended her report explaining the reading MCA in spring will be a new redesigned test.
Superintendent Ihrke briefly shared his report. He acknowledged that first quarter has ended. There had been a slight increase in student enrollment over the summer. All the district’s teaching positions have been filled and almost all the paraprofessional positions are filled. The CTE Fair was a success. Boler said over 600 kids attended, with 43 different vendors to explore. The businesses were predominantly trades such as brick laying, an excavating simulator, EMT, police, cosmetology, and MnDOT (Minnesota Department of Transportation) came with snowplows. “It was a great experience,” applauded Boler.
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