Skip Schulz/For the Gazette Ontonagon School Superintendent-Principal, Jim Bobula (left) goes over the board meeting agenda with Board President, Dean Juntunen (right).

Ontonagon joined with other school districts in the Gogebic-Ontonagon Intermediate School District (GOISD) in forming a consortium to apply for Marshall Plan grant funding.

Ontonagon Area School District (OASD) Superintendent/Principal Jim Bobula informed the school board Tuesday about how local school districts are looking to incorporate technical education labs, called Fab Labs, within their schools.

“Local districts are looking to incorporate Fab Labs, and/or Makerspace room within the schools to enhance career and technical education,” he said.

Bobula went on to say that the consortium toured a Fab Lab in Three Lakes, Wisconsin, on Thursday, Oct. 11.

“The consortium also met with local industrial business partners and Gogebic Community College on Friday, Oct. 12, to discuss their needs and how we can work together to better serve as community partners,” said Bobula.

Wednesday a representative from Gogebic Community College (GCC) will be at the school to help parents fill out college financial aid forms and how to apply for scholarships starting at 6 p.m.

“The forms are sometimes difficult to fill out, and the GCC Rep will be on hand to help,” Bobula said.

The school restroom project has been completed, and Bobula commended the teaching staff for working with the students while the construction was taking place.

On another school improvement project, the school’s woodchip heating system has been re-tubed‚ with additional blow downs installed. Board members agreed with Bobula in stating that the system has a noticeable improvement and has more efficient cleaning.

The district only received one bid for snow removal, which came from Norm Pestka Construction. The bid was for the amount of $15,300 for the school year. This is an increase from last year, however the amount of the increase was not given.

The OASD Board heard that Donna Wilbur will be running a parent program through Copper Country Mental Health. The program is called “Guiding Good Choices.” The program strives to teach effective child management skills, parent-child interaction and how to reduce adolescent problem behaviors. The program will be on Tuesdays from 6-8 p.m. The first session will be on Nov. 23.

Adrianna Knack with Communities That Care has started working with elementary teachers and providing lessons on social, emotional, intellectual and physical health. The program is called “Positive Action.”

Students in grades 3, 4, and 5 will be taking a field trip to the Porcupine Mountains State Park on Oct. 19.

“This is a part of our UP Health project,” said Bobula.

The board accepted the resignation of Luke Stafford as boys junior varsity basketball coach. With the approved resignation of Brittany Turin as junior high basketball coach, Stafford wanted to assume that position. The district will now be looking for a boys JV basketball coach.

Scary Movie Night will be on Friday, Oct. 19, from 8-10 p.m. for grades 8-12.