Articles written by Ted Lammi
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Teachers negotiate a two-year pay raise
Carlton teachers will receive a pay increase of 4.25 percent for the 2023-24 school year and an additional 2 percent for the 2024-25 school year, according to a new contract approved by the Carlton school board at its meeting Monday, Nov. 20. Other...
Cloquet grads make waves in gaming world
Stormhaven Studios, maker of the "Embers Adrift" online video game, is operated by three members of the Cloquet High School Class of 2005: John Gust, Seth Anderson and Wade Larson. "North of the... Full story
Board members to visit 3 buildings
At their respective meetings Monday, the Carlton and Wrenshall school boards converged on a date to tour each district’s facilities. The boards will walk through three school properties beginning... Full story
Carlton accepts Wrenshall invite to tour buildings
At the committee of the whole meeting on Tuesday, Carlton school board members again took up the issue of consolidation with Wrenshall. Consensus formed around having superintendent Donita Stepan contact Wrenshall and arrange for both boards to tour...
Costs for new fitness center creep up
Esko Schools superintendent Aaron Fischer told school board members Monday the construction of the new fitness center was progressing, but with unexpected costs. Previous work when the school was...
New Indian education coordinator appointed
The Carlton school board officially and unanimously appointed Graciana Studier as Indian Education coordinator Monday, replacing Kevin Kot, who was dismissed in June. Superintendent Donita Stepan was excited about Studier’s performance so far....
Board agrees to take on lacrosse programs
Esko school board members voted Monday to add both boys and girls lacrosse to its slate of available sports starting in spring of 2024, following the same vote by the partnering Cloquet school board in August. The girls lacrosse team will be a... Full story
Board sticks to one-site demand with Wrenshall
After considerable debate and public input, the Carlton School Board resolved to begin talks with Wrenshall about consolidation, with the condition a new district would have only one location — at the South Terrace Elementary School site in...
Carlton School Board lukewarm to Wrenshall appeal
The Carlton school board discussed a new letter from the Wrenshall school board regarding a merger between the districts during Monday’s committee of the whole meeting. Consolidation ideas have been on again, off again for decades, with this being...
Carlton School Board member needed ASAP
The Carlton School District needs to find a replacement for Tim Hagenah, who resigned in June, to serve until formal elections can be held in November. Anyone chosen would hold the seat until the winner of November’s special election takes over.... Full story
Carlton hires former Wrenshall business manager
The Carlton school district hired Angela Lind to fill the open business manager position, after the previous business manager, Norm Nelis, took a job at the Hermantown school district. Lind formerly worked just up the road at Wrenshall, but was laid...
Esko breaks ground on new fitness center
Work should begin on the Esko fitness center next week. The project is behind schedule by more than a fortnight, school board members heard Monday night. The permitting process was the first snag to overcome, according to John Erickson and Ian...
Carlton district fires Indian education coordinator
In a unanimous vote Tuesday, the Carlton school board ratified a letter from superintendent John Engstrom the ended with the firing of American Indian Education coordinator Kevin Kot, who had been with the district for close to three years....
Levy could be renewed; Hagenah resigns
Carlton superintendent John Engstrom asked the Carlton school board to renew the current operating levy for another seven years. The per-student levy has helped Carlton with general operating expenses and was voter-approved twice. The Minnesota...
Carlton commits to innovative curriculum
Carlton school board members voted unanimously Monday on a path forward that appears to be unique in Carlton County. At its regular board meeting, superintendent-elect Donita Stepan summarized the new finalized strategic plan. She envisions making...
Pokornowski accepts activities director job
Carlton and Wrenshall have completed the plan to combine all competitive activities with the merger of robotics and speech for next year, Carlton superintendent John Engstrom announced Monday, following the debut of combined spring sports this year....
School incident draws tribal attention
Nearly 40 people turned out for the Carlton school board meeting Monday, many of them upset by allegations of a threat of violence against a Native American student. In a news release Monday, Carlton...
Carlton maps out future deficit management
Carlton School District officials are working hard to reduce next year’s projected budget deficit, as the small school faces the consequences of years of declining enrollment leading to lower state revenues. Superintendent John Engstrom outlined...
Carlton board approves superintendent contract
The Carlton school board formally hired Donita Stepan for the position of superintendent with the approval of her contract Monday, March 20. Stepan will start on July 1 of this year, earning a salary...
Carlton board mulls innovative ideas to draw students
The Carlton school board heard bold ideas for getting the district to stand apart from neighboring school systems in an effort to reverse declines in student enrollment Monday. The committee of the...
Carlton board tackles increased deficit and declining enrollment
Carlton school board members are facing the double whammy of both student numbers and state dollars dropping even more quickly than anticipated. At Tuesday’s Carlton school board meeting, district business manager Norm Nelis warned of a revised...
Superintendent: Hire someone for my job
Carlton superintendent John Engstrom surprised school board members Monday when he recommended they not renew his contract in June. Instead he recommended they make South Terrace principal Donita...
