Clearbrook-Gonvick School board meeting August 17, 2026
Clearbrook-Gonvick School board meeting August 17, 2026
The Clearbrook-Gonvick School board met in regular session on Monday August 17, 2026. The regular minutes of the previous meeting of July 20 were approved.
Sarah Goudge represented the Clearbrook-Gonvick Bears Boosters at the meeting. The club has been active since 2011. They support student-athletes, athletic programs, and school activities. They give money to purchase athletic equipment, uniforms, and facility upgrades. They have fundraisers, concession stands and sponsor events like Meet the Bears, Pacesetter Camp and broadcasting programs. They receive less donations each year. Cost for R&J Broadcasting was $3,800 last year and cost for Hudl live is over $4,250. Hudl TV provides coaches with live streaming and video analysis tools that they use. Hudl TV is where fans can watch remotely using mobile apps or smart TVs. Garden Valley Channel 39 can be used for broadcasting but there aren’t people who are putting time in for that project.
Darin Steindl is one of the leaders of the Clearwater County Rural Child Care Innovation Program. There are 30 people on the committee. He was there to present to the school board the Child Care shortages in the county with only a capacity for 85 children. They are collecting data and doing a survey for communities to address the issue. On September 30 they are planning an appreciation event for Day Care Providers. There are ten active day cares in the county with over 300 slots needed for children. They plan a Town Hall meeting in October to give the people information on what they have gathered. The group will try to develop solutions to address these challenges.
Principal Tharaldson
Josh Tharaldson stated that with the new teacher there is a mentor program for them. They will be paired up 1to 1 with a staff member to serve during the school year. There are five new teachers participating. The mentor teacher repayment of $1,000 will be funded through the Title II program.
The board approved the hiring of Mallory Rudningen as the vocal Music teacher. At Step 4 - $51,797.00. She has three years experience as an elementary teacher and an interest and experience in band/choir/ piano playing. She will teach K-6 music (not 3rd grade as that is taught by Mrs. Mickelson) and would not teach High School Choir, due to low numbers. They will not be offering High school Choir this coming year, instead Mallory will provide academic enrichment during that time with elementary students. There are three members left as the rest graduated last spring.
He went over Handbook Revisions. They included: Fees are not refundable, cheating and plagiarism if they have AI content, make up work, promotion from 7th to 8th grades to holding a student back. On-line college in the high school with teacher recommendation. Cell phone use especially in the restroom as the devices will be taken.
Superintendents report
Ryan Grow stated there was still an opening for a Technology Specialist, Elementary Special Education teacher, part time cook, and head varsity and baseball coaches. There was no update from the legislature. The roof replacement started with Thief River Glass working on the front entrance with all the glass windows. Blackhawk will start later this month. They plan to be done the end of September with a large crew coming in after their other project is done. The main school entrance was closed off on Monday, August 17th. The temporary main entrance will be Door #18. That is the east end of the building near the Early Childhood rooms. All parents and visitors will enter through this door until the project is complete and safe to use the main entrance again. Once school starts, they will have a staff member at Door #18 to check in visitors, watch students for after school pick-up, etc. Students who drive to school will be asked to continue parking in the South parking lot and enter Door #18 and walk through to the high school. Door #11, on the north side of the building will continue to be used for bus drop off. Fans and spectators for after school events will be asked to enter and exit Door #11. Student-athletes should utilize Door #11 and park in the north parking lot for fall practices until the start of school. The refrigeration in the school kitchen is working well. They had to get a new hot water heater. He showed a film, from MREA on the permanent school fund that will be voted on this fall. That has to do with Permanent School Funds that was formed in 1850. Money was set aside to support public primary and secondary education. These funds are generated from state-owned public lands, natural resource revenues like timber, iron ore, and oil/gas royalties. There is 2.3 billion in the fund that would be distributed to school districts by the per pupil unit. It would go from 2.5% to 4.5% for the school districts if the ballot passes. That amount for the Clearbrook-Gonvick District would be about $40,000. Voters must vote on it to change the structure of the school fund. It does not involve any new taxes and if you do not answer the question, it will be taken as a NO vote. If it does not pass the money will be doled out at the same rate as previous which would be about half of the previous rate. There will still be money available for the next years at the new rate.
Consent Calendar
The bills presented were approved. They included $154,391 Naylor Heating & Refrigeration which completes the project; $9,904.36 Marco; $7,553.00 Clearwater-Polk Electric; KKCQ-FM $4,750.00; Digital Jake $3,500.72; Riddell $3240.90; Bessler Electric $2,737.00; Knutson, Flynn & Deans $1,728.75; Thelen Heating & Roofing Incl. $1,300.00; Garden Valley $1,053.74. Report on the Bond proceed investment less draw for the IAQ project with Ehlers. Amount was $2,878,417.55 with less draw during the month for the construction account was $2,700,000.00 leaving $178,417.55. The bond proceed investment account for the Roof Project with Ehlers is $3,280,000 with nothing taken out.
New business
The board hired Leah Watne as Activities Director for the school year half time position for 190 days at $22,500. They accepted the resignation of Amanda Nelson as Paraeducator and Mandy Knable as paraeducator and Linda Box as Paraeducator after her 12 ½ years with the district.
They approved the updated Activities Director Job Description and duties to ½ time.
They approved the revisions to the student handbook with minor word changes.
They approved the MSBA Model Policy with the Emergency procedures and staff development with school board committee and certified staff.
They approved the Activities Handbook which Leah Watne and the coaching staff have been working hard on. That included high school rules, district policies and procedures and living and working with Bear Pride. Parents would have to approve and accept the new policy.
The restructuring of activity and Gate Fees was finalized with $80.00 for families, $60.00 for students for the year and free to those 65 and older. Admissions for one event would be $7.00 for adults, $3.00 for students or $1.00 if they were wearing Bear Ware. Fees for sports participation will be $50 for Junior Varsity, $60 for Varsity and $225.00 for family members.
The new state requirement for Cardiac Emergency Response Plan or CERP for the district for school staff and students. They will need people who are CPR and AED certified but will take time.
The bus routes from Tasha at Superior Transportation stayed the same at seven routes and three special runs. Route 3 has the most miles and Route 1 will stop at the curb by the courthouse in Bagley for their pickup. The way it was last year had too many stop arm violations.
The next regular meeting will be September 21 at 7:00 p.m. They are planning a planning session is August 25 or 25.
The school board closed the meeting after that under the Minnesota Statutes section 13D.05, subdivision 3 (a) which allows a public body to close a meeting to evaluate the performance of an individual who is subject to its authority, provided they identity the person first, and the evaluation must be opened if the employee requests it.