January 26, 2026 at 6:00 PM - Regular Meeting of the School Board

Discussion:  The Board of Education of Hermantown Independent School District No. 700 met in regular session on January 26, 2026. Chair, David Hokanson, called the meeting to order at 6:00 P.M.

Discussion:  Members Present: Eric Griffith, David Hokanson, Jodi McShane, Ashley McFarland, Matthew Munger, Tim Peterson, Wayne Whitwam, Superintendent, Lance Takkunen, Director of Business Services

Visitors: Sarah Turcotte, Jason Wilcox, Bill Wietman, Brent Chouanard-Nguyen, Lori Sinnott, Lindsey Beier, Kristal Berg, Lorene Botten, Grace Billman, Gretchen Appelwick, Michael Michelizzi, Jesse Singer, John Muenich, Connie Adamec

Discussion: 

Discussion:  Muenich. Congratulated Jack McCaffrey on being the first MSHSL Section 7A AAA Award winner since 2022. Recognized Rynn Freeman for her appointment as a junior board member of the Hermantown Chamber of Commerce.  
Whietman. Recognized the Middle School Robotics teams. Thanked middle school coaches as their seasons are coming to an end. Middle School is super busy with the change championship, Star Base and advisor volleyball. 
Appelwick. Recognized the elementary staff for making it through January and for pivoting to the e-learning day. We received good feedback from parents regarding the e-learning day. 
Berg. Class options for 2026-27 are finalized and will hit mailboxes in February.  
Whitwam. Recognized SRO Appreciation Day and School Counselor Appreciation Week. 
Eric. Was a judge at the Robotics Tournament that he thought was very well put together. Congratulated the two teams that qualified for State. 

Discussion:  No Visitor Business.

Discussion:  No Correspondence. 

Discussion:  Open Enrollment first deadline passed on Jan. 15. We will be looking at numbers for staff members' children and sibling preference. 

Discussion:  Tim and Wayne attended the conference. Schools around the State are dealing with a lot of issues that were addressed and talked about during the event. Encouraged other Board members to attend future conferences.  

Discussion:  As soon as the checklist is done, then Wayne and John Mulder with the City of Hermantown will need to sign the agreement to sign the arena over to the School District. 

Discussion:  McShane attended the Hermantown Legacy Fund meeting. The City of Hermantown bought Mary Murphy's house and will be turning it into a city park. Mary Murphy's family is planning to gift the Legacy Fund $25,000 in 2027 and $25,000 in 2028. 
Griffith attended the PTO meeting. No big changes. The group continues to fundraiser for elementary teacher needs and the elementary playground improvements. They would love to have more volunteers.   
Whitwam. ESP group met and agreed to their contract. Will be on the next agenda for approval. 

Discussion:  Hokanson gave a summary of Whitwam's mid-year evaluation, which included four goals: 
Goal 1: Provide leadership to obtain and maximize use of the school district’s resources
Overall, the board feels we are in a healthy financial position which we desire to maintain, and appreciates the monthly updates provided on our district budget.
The board will continue to work with Wayne on accuracy and timeliness of financial reporting to make timely and advised decisions as we contemplate ways to continue to enhance educational opportunities within the district.
Goal 2: Promote trusting relationships with stakeholders with clear, accessible information aligned with district priorities.
The board appreciates Wayne’s efforts to get into the community (townhall meetings, sporting events, newsletters, etc.) to strengthen relationships. Continued focus on strengthening relationships with the stakeholders in our buildings is also desired.
The board desires continued effort to tie progress back to our strategic plan (such as CTE, PLC, etc.). Recommendation by the board to provide a quarterly update at future board meetings.
Goal 3: Provide leadership in facilities; new construction, renovations, long-term maintenance and future projects.
Arena project was overall navigated successfully with the number of stakeholders.
Elementary expansion possibilities were carried through and the 10 year LTFM plan was updated.
The board desires continual and creative thought and discussion on how we best leverage educational facility needs and our long-term facilities maintenance plan.
Goal 4: Ensure departments operate efficiently and effectively.
The board appreciates the visibility of any concerns and supports accountability in ensuring every department is operating effectively. The board recognizes that change can take time but encourages that issues are addressed proactively and will continue to support actions from a governance position.