Wolf Point School Delays Hiring Of Activities Director
The Wolf Point School District still doesn’t have a new activities director after a special meeting on Thursday, June 24.
After a good amount of discussion and visitors’ comments, the recommendation to hire Frank Benson for the position failed by a 3-3 margin. Voting for the motion were trustees Linda L. Hansen, Lanette Clark and Lawrence Hamilton Jr. Discussion on the matter started when trustee Mark Zilkoski asked superintendent of schools Loverty Erickson whether anybody else applied for the position. It was Erickson’s recommendation to hire Benson. She did say there was another applicant.
“Is there enough there to take someone who is a longtime resident of the school and not give him a chance?” Zilkoski said.
He then made a motion to hire teacher Eric Peterson for the position. Trustee Corey Reum seconded the motion.
Laurence Martin, attorney to assist the school board, then explained a motion couldn’t be made to hire Peterson because there’s not a recommendation to hire him for the position.
Erickson said that Benson was interviewed by a two-person committee and told that he would be recommended to be activities director. The application from Peterson came after that time so he wasn’t interviewed. If Benson wasn’t approved by trustees at that meeting, the position will be re-opened for applications.
“If that’s the case, we should have done it at the last meeting,” Reum said.
Benson was hired as Wolf Point’s new head girls basketball coach in the spring. Comments from audience members included who will be responsible for home events if he’s out-of-town coaching and how will the chain of command be aligned for girls’ basketball when questions or discipline arise.
Teacher Karli McGowan suggested that there should be a closing date listed on job postings. Positions shouldn’t just closed once someone has applied and been interviewed.
Wendy Connelley, speech and drama teacher, explained that she doesn’t only coach but also drives for away meets. She expressed concern about what happens if she needs assistance and the activities director is busy coaching at a girls’ basketball game. She added that Peterson was very helpful and supportive to her when he was previously the activities director.
Hamilton mentioned that former activities director Cody Larson was an assistant volleyball coach and officiated other sports. He asked if Larson being away for those activities created any problems.
Patricia Toavs, head of concessions, said that having the activities director gone forced her to have other responsibilities on some game days. School officials did discuss having an interim activities director, probably an administrator or coach, to be responsible for open gyms until an activities director is hired.
