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H-PT elects officers

Garrett Neese/Daily Mining Gazette Amanda Massaway, the new president of Houghton-Portage Township Schools, thanks Nels Christopherson, president for the past two years, during Monday’s board meeting.

HOUGHTON — Newer members of the Houghton-Portage Township Schools board are moving up the ranks.

At Monday’s meeting, the board selected a new slate of officers for the coming year: President Amanda Massaway, Vice President Rob Fay, Secretary Brent Burns and Treasurer Nels Christopherson.

“I think it’s important that board members be involved and learn the various jobs,” said Buck Foltz, who suggested the nominees. “I do believe it is important that everybody eventually has the opportunity to serve as board president.”

Though elected annually, the board informally rotates the positions on a two-year cycle.

Christopherson, the outgoing president, said years ago the board made a conscious decision to switch from its past practice of keeping the same person in office.

“We’re the board, but the administrators, the faculty, the staff and the students are actually what’s the important thing here,” he said. “So operating the way we do, something’s working out pretty good, because we get good reports, month after month, and it’s so rewarding to get that.”

Massaway thanked Christopherson for his job as president the past two years.

“You set a good example for us, and we’ll do our best to uphold the high standards,” she said.

The board also hired Erica Theisen as high school resource room teacher. Theisen has taught for seven years. One year came in Dollar Bay, where she was K-12 resource team for a special education teacher. In Hancock, she spent several years as special education teacher, worked with online students, and worked this year as a middle-school English teacher.

The board will continue to meet at 6 p.m. the third Monday of the month.

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