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H-PT welcomes new teachers; hears COVID, enrollment update

Garrett Neese/Daily Mining Gazette Fifth-grade teacher Dan Pertile addresses the Houghton-Portage Township School District board at Monday’s meeting.

HOUGHTON — Houghton-Portage Township School District has reported three student COVID-19 positives and four probable cases since school began. The cases do not appear to have originated at the school, Superintendent Doreen Kramer said Monday.

“At this time, there’s no school spread from these cases,” she said.

All seven are in the middle/high school building.

Kramer reminded parents to keep their children home if they are sick or if they have a pending COVID-19 test.

The district has 1,441 students, up from 1,438. The distribution has changed, with enrollment tilting more towards the high school. The elementary school is at 632 this year, down from 666. Meanwhile, the high school has increased from 462 to 491. Middle school numbers were relatively static, rising from 310 to 318.

The Houghton-Portage Township School District’s newest teachers introduced themselves to the district board at Monday’s meeting.

Fifth-grade teacher Dan Pertile comes to the district from Hancock, where he taught for 27 years.

“It’s a chance for me to grow not only as a person, but professionally in a lot of different realms,” he said.

Fifth-grade teacher Mike Hainault taught middle school math and science for 21 years at Stanton Township.

“It’s been a really great transition, and everybody’s been awesome,” he said.

Industrial and drivers education teacher John Filpus had been in Baraga for 19 years, where he taught driver’s ed and shop classes including computer-aided design, small engines, wood shop and metal shop.

“I’ve always looked up to all the good things that happen here at Houghton, and I’m glad to be here,” he said.

A Minnesota native, fifth-grade teacher Andrea Morse taught there for eight years before teaching for one year at Hancock. Morse has taught at grades throughout the elementary level.

“What really drew me to Houghton is just the community that’s established here, the strong foundation,” she said.

Houghton Middle School teacher Carl Arko taught in Calumet for 17 years — 10 years at the elementary school, and seven years teaching middle school math. He’s now teaching social studies, which he said he’s always wanted to do.

“I was a Calumet grad, everything Calumet, but now that my kids go here, I’ve seen a lot of good things,” he said.

Chemistry teacher Jenny-Meade Butler comes to Houghton from Dollar Bay, where she taught science and math. She started her career in L’Anse in the late ’90s and early 2000s before taking time off to raise her children.

“What initially drew me to Houghton was the promise of getting to teach just chemistry, which is what my degree is in, and what I’m really passionate about,” she said. “Then I came here and everyone was so welcoming, and really helpful. And I’ve been so impressed by the students. They’ve been just engaged and up for anything that I ask them to do.”

High school English teacher Kimberly Stadt previously taught at Marquette for 15 years. She is teaching 12th-grade English, AP English and composition.

“I camped on Isle Royale for a week making peace with, ‘I could be happy with English 9,’ because I’d heard such great things about the school system and community here, and so far I’m finding it all to be true,” she said.

High school and middle school social studies teacher Ben Mayer grew up in Ontonagon and taught there for 17 years. He started as a music teacher; after getting his history certification, he expanded 10 years ago into teaching world history and current events.

“As my daughter got a bit older, it was time for a change, and I’m happy just to get an opportunity up here,” he said. “And I’m really excited to just be a history teacher, which is really nice.”

In other action, the board:

– Approved the Title I compact with parents. The federal Title 1 program provides aid for low-income students. Parents also have input into the compact.

– Named Brent Burns and Rob Fay delegates to the Michigan Association of School Boards fall conference.

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