GRANADA– The Granada-Huntley-East Chain School Board approved four new contracts for teachers and staff at Thursday night’s meeting.

The board approved a contract to Kristine Schuldt as Elementary Music Teacher for the 2021-2022 school year. The board also approved a Secondary Choir Teacher for the 2021-2022 school year.

“I feel really excited about the opportunity there,” GHEC Superintendent Doug Storbeck said. “One thing that I know our community members are looking for is a robust music program, where we have a lot of participation from our students.”

The board also approved a contract to Gary Holmseth as Tech Integration/Coach for the 2021-2022 school year. Storbeck described Holmseth’s focus will be to integrate technology into the classrooms and to enhance options for teachers to help with student improvement. Holmseth will also analyze the capabilities of various technologies so that the technology is up to date in the classroom.

The board also approved a two-year contract to Keri Murphy as the Director of Curriculum & Instruction that will be through the 2021-2023 school years. Storbeck said Murphy’s focus will be to analyze and give feedback to teachers on their teaching practices in their classrooms so that they’re providing the best education to the students. Also to make sure that they’re posting objectives for the students that have what they want to accomplish each day, making sure that they’re using best teaching practices that are evidence-based, and proven to work. Murphy will research and bring that to the classroom and have professional conversations with them so that they can grow as teachers.

“I feel like that’s just something that’s going to help me from an administrative perspective,” Storbeck said. “I can get bogged down on things that aren’t very impactful in the classroom. So to have a person that’s able to really just focus on curriculum and instruction and enhance the learning opportunities for our students is going to be a game-changer.”

In other business, the board:

-Approved the 2021-22 resolution for membership in the Minnesota State High School League.

-Approved the COVID-19 Preparedness Plan for this summer.

-Approved Student Assurance Services, as the district’s Voluntary Student Accident Insurance provider for the 2021-2022 school year.

The next GHEC school board meeting will be on July 1 at 5:30 p.m.