Longtime superintendent to retire on June 30

By Chad Koenen

Publisher

There were more than a few heartfelt messages, pats on the back and a few tears at the New York Mills School Board meeting last week. The somber tone came after longtime NY Mills administrator and superintendent Blaine Novak submitted his letter of retirement to the school board.

Novak, who has been with the NY Mills School District for over 30 years, will officially retire from the school district on June 30. He has served as the activities director, high school principal and superintendent. 

In his retirement letter to the school board, Novak said he was grateful for his 35 years in the NY Mills community and was willing to assist the district through the transition.

“I am extremely grateful for 35 years of serving the New York Mills community and its finest resources, our students. I.S.D. #553 has provided me with a plethora of opportunities as an educational professional, and I feel honored to be part of such an outstanding organization. I cannot express enough appreciation for my career, our community, and those with whom I have had the opportunity to work. New York Mills Public School is second to none,” he said.

In their monthly reports to the school board, both elementary principal Judith Brockway and high school principal Michelle Young spoke highly of the leadership and support Novak provided them at NY Mills School.

Following the regularly scheduled meeting, the school board immediately went into a work session to plan how it would fill the soon-to-be vacant superintendent position. 

Novak said the school board could either hire a search agency like it had in the past to assist with the search, or advertise and search on its own. The cost for hiring a search agency is based on the size of the school district and the base cost would be approximately $7,900. 

“I think it makes the most sense,” said school board chair Wendy Hetland. “I know it costs us money, but it is money well spent.”

Since it was a work session no official action could be taken in hiring a search agency, but those in attendance generally agreed that hiring a search agency to assist in the hiring of a new superintendent was the best approach to take moving forward. 

While Novak’s official last day is not until June 30, he encouraged the school board to be proactive and move quickly to advertise the position in order to find a quality candidate to lead the school district moving forward.

“I think you have a very, very appealing job right here. I don’t think you are going to have a problem finding quality candidates,” he said.

In other news

• Heard that new school buses could take up to four years to receive in the near future due to regulations with electric and diesel vehicles. Previously, it took about a year to receive a new school bus and Novak said the school district will need to look for alternative transportation vehicles and options in the future should it take four years to receive a new bus. 

• Heard the NY Mills School District, like many Otter Tail County schools, received an anonymous phone threat recently. Novak said the school district takes all threats seriously, but the one it received turned out to be a hoax. 

• Acknowledged the following donations: $1,500 from the NY Mills Lions Club for the 4th-6th grade boys basketball programs, $1,500 from Club Perham Sportsman for the trap team and $750 from the East Otter Tail Soil and Water for FFA. The school district also received a grant from First Congregational United Church of Christ, Lamson Family Trust for $2,000 for kindergarten and first grades.

• Approved the resignation of Nicole Davis as cleaner and Hailey Windels as head girls track and field coach.