Caledonia Public School Board members met on Monday, June 15 at Caledonia Elementary School for a meeting that lasted fewer than 20 minutes.
Board Chair Mike Peterson called the meeting to order, led the Pledge of Allegiance and conducted roll call. Superintendent Craig Ihrke was on vacation and student member Phoebe Lampert is off for the summer. All others were present.
During the short meeting, Peterson announced two required election notices, which were both approved. He said there will be five seats open this fall for the November 3 election. Four are part of the normal board cycle and one will be a special election to fill the spot of Spencer Yohe whose term doesn’t expire until the first Monday in January 2028. Candidacy for the office of school board member will open on July 14, 2026, for two weeks. The sworn statements of candidacy must be filed in the office of the school district clerk and the filing fee of $2 must be paid prior to 5 p.m. on July 28. Affidavits of candidacy for the special election are to be filed during the same two-week time period as for the general election seats.
All votes during the meeting were unanimously passed 7-0, including the adoption of the agenda as presented and the “grateful” acceptance of two monetary donations, one from LaX Industries LLC towards the purchase of an iron worker and the other from Loveless-Eikens American Legion Post 101 for the high school trapshooting club. There were no updates for the Board Showcase or public comments.
The Consent Agenda items were all approved and consisted of: the May 18 board minutes; the Treasurer’s Report and authorization of accounts payable; adoption of Library Materials Policy #606.5, the 2026-2027 At-Will CAPS Care employee contracts including a 2% increase in hourly wages; the 2026-2028 Community Education Director Contract; granting tenure to Hayley Olerud and Daniel Winkler; the 2026-2027 District Employee Handbook, the Coaches Handbook, the Elementary School Student/Parent Handbook, and the Middle/High School Student/Parent Handbook; a 20-week maternity leave for Nicole Meyer this fall; accepting resignations from Renee Goetzinger as Junior Class Advisor with thanks for one year of service, Catherine Studenski and Alex Studenski as special education paraprofessionals with thanks for 12 years and four years of service, respectively; and ratifying the hiring of Sydnie Martinache as a full-time elementary special education teacher beginning the 2026-2027 school year.
The first few Action Items were annual routine votes based on recommendations provided to the board. The board approved bids for 2026-2027 from Pan O Gold Baking Company for the bread bid, Ziebell’s for the milk bid, and Kwik Trip for the gasoline/fuel oil bid.
Business Manager/Finance Director Barb Meyer then briefly discussed the 2026-2027 budget. “We budget very conservatively,” she said. It’s based on estimates, some positions may remain vacant, and the budget will be revised in February or March per the normal process. The motion was adopted as presented.
During Administrative Reports, Middle/High School Principal Nathan Boler said he was working on end-of-year reports and the master schedule for the next school year. He said one long-term substitute teacher had been secured and he will have two more by the fall.
Elementary Principal John Wahlstrom was doing the same routine as Boler for end of year and then looking ahead to the next year’s master schedule. He shared that a special education teacher has been hired who has a lot of experience and licensure. He also said there were several teachers receiving 20 hours of pay over the summer to revise curriculum with the new math standards; paying staff over the summer is something new that he and Boler could not remember happening in recent years.
Community Education Director Gretchen Juan is staffing the daycare and will have one employee out on maternity leave this fall.
Meyer noted the Finance Committee meeting, and that she is reviewing all vending items as some are taxable.
Under New Business Items, 13 school policies were approved per the ongoing three-year review cycle. There were no Old Business Items or Board Member Reports.
The meeting adjourned at 5:48 p.m.
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