The Hancock School board accepted, with thanks, three head coach resignations at their meeting on April 21. They will now be looking for a new head football coach, head volleyball coach, and head girls basketball coach.
Head volleyball coach Alyssa Ukestad will not only be vacating the coach position but also as the Elementary Phy Ed teacher and assistant track coach. In her letter of resignation, she stated that she will be leaving Hancock to return home.
“This decision has been extremely difficult, as my time here has been both meaningful and rewarding,” Ukestad stated in her letter. “I am incredibly grateful for the support, opportunities, and relationships I have built during my time with the district. Working with the students, staff, and athletes has been a truly positive experience that I will always value.”
Preston Rohloff, head football coach, will remain as a teacher but step down as head coach.
“I have decided to step down because I was overwhelmed with too many things at once this year,” Rohloff stated in his letter of resignation. “I apologize for taking on this task without thinking about the big picture first. This program deserves someone who will be able to give their full attention to the boys without experiencing the level of exhaustion I went through. I am excited for the future of Hancock Football. The new head coach will be lucky to coach this great group of boys.”
Head girls basketball coach Chad Nuest will be resigning in order to prioritize family and follow his sons as they pursue their athletic careers.
“It has been a privilege to lead this program and work with such dedicated student athletes,” Nuest stated. “I am incredibly proud of what we have accomplished together, and I have truly valued the opportunity to serve in this wonderful community.”
In another sports-related decision, the board approved hiring Sara Peterson as the new Dean of Students/Activities Director. Peterson grew up near Underwood and currently lives in Dalton. She has been teaching third grade in Alexandria and is excited to start a new position in Hancock.
Two other hires were approved. Shannon Dougherty accepted the elementary teaching position. She is from Morris and the daughter of Amy Dougherty, who also teaches in Hancock. Amy Schmidgall, who resigned last month as the English/Spanish teacher, agreed to return for one more year. Principal Tim Pahl told the board members that he has begun the interviews for the open Physical Education/Health position.
Pahl also reported that we are midway through the last quarter of the school year. All 40 of the Hancock seniors have met eligibility requirements and will graduate on May 15. He has a long list of dates for events taking place during these last few weeks, so it will be a busy time of year. He added that it is also a good time to see the achievements of the students as they are showcased in concerts, banquets, and academic awards.
Superintendent Paul Carlson presented a technology budget for board approval. The school district will be replacing 40 computers in the computer lab. These will be the tower-type computers, not laptops. He added that the data centers have impacted prices, with many things going up in price. The district was able to secure some new devices at a lower rate before some of these new prices went into effect.
The board members asked about building up Cyber Security after last year’s cyber attack at the school. He stated that the district was able to secure a grant to help pay for a new server and other cybersecurity programs.
“I wouldn’t want to be a part of that again,” Carlson stated. “The threat actors are not letting up as other schools are still getting hit.”
Carlson also talked about summer work at the school, which will primarily consist of laying new tile in the main hallway by the gym. Before the new tile can be put down, the old tile will need to be removed through asbestos abatement. He is hoping that this can be done early in June.
Around the second or third week of July, the new tile will go in. The hallway will be closed during these times. There will be access on the Fourth of July.
The board approved two new vehicles to add to the transportation fleet. A Transit Van and Mini Bus will be purchased this summer. The bid accepted for the new van was for $69,356.58, and the bid for the mini bus was for $106,194.35. Carlson recommended these types of vehicles, as you don’t need a bus driving license to drive them, so it is easier to get drivers. Next year, the board may be looking at the purchase of a new bus.
A countywide school safety exercise will be held on June 15 in Chokio. Since this is the date for the June board meeting, the meeting may be changed to June 22.
