Ben Garbacz/Daily Mining Gazette Copper Country Intermediate School District Superintendent James Rautiola gave speaks to the Houghton-Portage Township school board Monday. His presentation went over the programs and services CCISD provides and plans to modernize its facilities.

HOUGHTON — The significance of a millage request on the August ballot was discussed at Monday’s meeting of the Houghton-Portage Township School District Board of Education. The board heard a presentation from Copper Country Intermediate School District superintendent, James Rautiola.

The CCISD is asking request an average of 1 mill for an infrastructure update. The presentation went over the educational services the district provides for the schools and reviewed its own history, special education program and events, development plans, career and technical education (CTE) program and ways to modernize its strategic priorities which includes its facilities.

After the presentation, H-PTS Superintendent Anders Hill reported that he reached out to a superintendent at an Illinois school he had met at the national superintendent certification. He said the Illinois school was working on implementing STEM (science, technology, engineering and Math) education at the elementary school level. “So we’re working on getting input and support as we start to look at how we can evolve STEM education and push that forward in our elementary school,” Hill said.

He then reported HPTS will begin to release information on the non-homestead operating millage. Hill said it will have no impact on taxes for primary residents but is required by all school funding since Proposal A in 1994. “This requires periodic renewals to receive full funding by law. HPTS must collect non local, non-homestead, operating millage as part of its budget to make up the foundation allowance. It makes up about 10 to 15 percent of our budget to operate so teachers, bussing, food service, extracurriculars [and] anything we do from an education standpoint, is operating”

Hill also gave updates on work being implemented at the elementary school. He said the advisory committee met last week with the school’s architects and engineers to begin discussions on design work for the school’s flex space, secure entry, STEM lab and mechanical and fire alarm upgrades. Designs will be refined to maximize usability in the spaces available, with the current goal to have designs finalized by mid June. Costs and approvals are aimed to be achieved by September then start bidding the fall work in spring or summer of 2026.

The board approved CCISD’s 2025-26 proposed budget, then it voted to hold a public hearing on H-PTS’ 2025-26 budget at 5:15 p.m. June 16 at 5:15 p.m. The school’s budget must be completed by June 30. After this the board approved its electoral representative for the CCISD biennial election on June 2, which was Trustee Philip “Buck” Foltz. The alternate electoral representative was board Vice President Brent Burns.

The 2025 school calendar was accepted with a change to the school’s professional development day from the Wednesday before Thanksgiving to the Monday after Easter. Hill explained this was done to allow staff to have the day off before Thanksgiving and have a more ideal learning day when staff are not preoccupied with Thanksgiving plans.

Finally the board approved the Lamers Bus Lines Transportation contract, which included about 10 a percent increase. Hill said this increase was the same as all other Lamers districts.

“We do get some offset, because the similar increase for the cost at Lamers will be added in the rent they take for our bus garage. So it doesn’t cover it, but it certainly helps to get a little bit more on our end for that. We had concerns in the past, but they have certainly improved and worked really hard to address any needs that we have,” Hill said.