Chaplik sworn in as interim superintendent

Dan Chaplik was sworn in as interim superintendent during the June 16 school board meeting. While Chaplik will officially start the position July 1, the ceremony marked the end of superintendent Christopher Granger’s five-year tenure with the district.

In his final school board meeting, Granger gave an emotional speech thanking the staff, board, community, and made a point to thank Tina Padilla, assistant to the superintendent. Through tears, he asked for the community to welcome the incoming superintendent with kindness and compassion.

The boardroom was crowded with district staff awaiting the board’s decision on continuing forward with the plan to move first and second grade students from the primary school building into the elementary school building.

The move would save the district an estimated $600,000 annually, but parents and teaching staff have argued that the primary school should not sit empty while the elementary school becomes more crowded.

The board voted 4-0-1 to approve a memorandum of understanding with the teacher’s union regarding the merge, with board member Erika Creydt abstaining, citing a lack of information.

The memo outlines the plan for the move, which gives staff two days to move out of the primary school classrooms and into the elementary school, a $750 stipend for moving costs, and set a date range of August 4 to August 8 for a meeting between the district and union for “problem-solving.”

The district also awarded its Classified Employee of the Year award during the meeting, which is given annually to honor the district’s dedicated transportation, maintenance and food service staff. Bus driver Gracie Bella was honored with the award, and commended for her hard work.