The Detroit Lakes School Board voted not to renew the contracts of 14 teachers at its Monday night meeting.
The following teachers will not be returning to Detroit Lakes Public Schools this fall as a result of the board's action:
- Callie Brorby, Roosevelt Elementary kindergarten teacher;
- Roberta Chatham, Roosevelt music teacher;
- Peyton Foertsch, Rossman Elementary special education teacher;
- Aaron Gastecki, Detroit Lakes High School industrial technology teacher;
- Sadie Herman, Roosevelt first grade teacher;
- Laura Hunt, Detroit Lakes Middle School special education teacher;
- Melissa Ostlie, DLMS special education teacher;
- Morgan Patrow, DLHS English teacher;
- Austin Richter, DLHS math teacher;
- Ellie Rutten, Rossman third grade teacher;
- Valerie Schultz, Roosevelt fifth grade teacher;
- Dannielle Solberg, Roosevelt special education teacher;
- Karrie Taylor, special education coordinator, Roosevelt and Detroit Lakes Public Schools;
- Madyson Webber, Roosevelt fourth grade teacher.
Superintendent Mark Jenson cited smaller class sizes and budgetary concerns as the main reasons for the decision.
Also at Monday night's meeting, the board approved $83,240 in construction change orders for Roosevelt Elementary and Detroit Lakes High School.
The Roosevelt change orders, totaling $32,416, were for extending the wall-mounted basketball hoops on the east side of the gymnasium; stairwell finishes; carpeting in the main corridor of the lower level; the addition of Bluetooth remote receivers in both gymnasiums; and various mechanical revisions.
The change orders at the high school, totaling $50,824, were for revisions to the 9th grade Academy science classrooms; millwork revisions to the administration area; and some revisions to the gates to be installed on the mezzanine level as well as to an 8-inch stud wall in the gymnasium.
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Superintendent Jenson reported that district enrollment was "basically holding steady," but the administrative team was budgeting for the return next fall of about 75% of the students the district lost due to COVID-19.
