Braaten, who requested a leave of absence for the 1996-97 school year on July 25, will work for a computer software company for one year. Braaten gave the board an ultimatum: grant her leave request or accept her resignation.
The board wanted to reach a compromise with Braaten. "If a teacher we're not wild about asked for leave, we'd let them go," board member Patrick Flanders said. Braaten came into the meeting with an excellent teaching reputation. "I don't want to lose her," Flanders said.
However, Braaten also had a couple of big strikes against her that hurt her argument for the leave. One, she has taught only one year at Paynesville, which means she was not a tenured teacher.
The second problem Braaten ran into involved her contract, which required Braaten to submit her leave request by July 15. Braaten requested leave in a letter dated July 25. The board did not discuss the request until their next meeting, on August 13.
Braaten apologized for the tardiness of her leave request. The position she is taking is a rare opportunity, and she felt that she needed to take it.
"I'm sorry I had to break the contract," Braaten said. "Some time in your life you have to think about yourself. I've got to think about me and what's out there."
The board unanimously denied her leave request. Braaten's resignation was accepted by a 4-2 vote.
The board approved the a one-year contract with Cameron Mahlum. Mahlum, a middle school social studies teacher, will take Braaten's place. Next year, the board will open the position up again. Every applicant will apply as an equal. Mahlum and Braaten will both have the option to reapply, but neither will be considered better qualified than another applicant because of their experience in the Paynesville school system.
The board the discussed the audit after the treasurer's report was approved. It is "on the verge of being completed," Superintendent Howard Caldwell said. According to Caldwell, District 741 is better off than many area schools, who only begin their audits in January.
The board approved several adjustments in personnel hours. The six and a half hour per day Instructional Assistant position in the high school special education department was reduced because a student moved out of the district. This position was adjusted and moved to the elementary school.
A similar position in the elementary school's special education department was also reduced because a student moved out of the district.
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