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Personnel matters dominate Hillsboro School Board meeting
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For the second consecutive month, the Hillsboro School Board’s monthly meeting was dominated by personnel matters.

During the open session of the March 14 meeting, the Board approved unanimously, with many thanks, the retirements of  second grade teacher Lynn Cunningham and kindergarten teacher Rhonda Rott, both effective at the end of the current school term.

The Board then voted to go into closed session to discuss the remaining personnel matters on the agenda.

It approved and issued a two-year contract to current middle school English/language arts teacher Chris Koopman to serve as the new co-principal of students for both the middle and high schools.  His contract begins July 1 and expires June 30, 2018.

The Board approved the position at its December meeting, in the wake of middle/high school principal Greg Zimmerman’s retirement at the end of the school year.

The Board voted, 5-2, during the closed portion of a  Feb. 23 special session to hire Koopman following a second round of interviews with both him and Hillsboro High social studies teacher Bob Bothe.

It also approved two teacher hirings, including Dr. Nick Wall as a high school science teacher and Deb Barreau as an elementary school special education  instructor.

In addition, Ron Budnik was hired as an assistant baseball coach, and third grade teacher J.P. DaPrato’s request to transfer to a vacated position at the middle school was approved.  

Other business

During his report to the Board, Superintendent Curt Bisarek announced that boys’ basketball head coach Curt Hildreth has been selected to coach the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches’ Association Division 5 All-Star Game, set for 12:30 p.m. June 18 at Justagame Fieldhouse in Wisconsin Dells.

Bisarek, Koopman and girls’ head basketball coach Scott Egan will serve as Hildreth’s assistants.

In addition, Hillsboro senior standouts Joe Helgerson and Max Stockwell have been selected to play in the game.

To participate, both players and coaches will need to raise $500 for the Midwest Athletes Against Childhood Cancer (MACC) Fund, a nonprofit which raises funds to support research for pediatric cancer and blood disorders like sickle cell disease. The MACC Fund, which has contributed over $55 million to childhood cancer research, is celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2016.

The Board also approved a five-year contract with Pitney Bowes to provide the district with its postage meter.

Before handling the discussion/action items, the Board and members of the audience listened to a presentation from high school science/mathematics teacher Deb Freitag and students in her first-year Advanced Chemistry course.

The Board’s next regular meeting is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. April 11.