KINGSFORD — Iron Mountain-Kingsford Community Schools wants to be more connected with its districts.

Julie Wonders, director, will be attending the school board meetings quarterly to check in and stay connected.

Wonders told the Breitung Township Schools Board earlier this week she planned to attend meetings each quarter to have a better presence in the school.

“I’m looking for a little bit of direction or advice in how to better communicate what Community Schools is doing and the programs that we do provide to your district, so that people know we are providing those opportunities. We do a lot of programing at Breitung Township Schools and I don’t think people realize community schools is doing it,” Wonders said.

IMKCS operates many local programs, including youth recreation and enrichment, pre-school, alternative education, adult education and enrichment, adult literacy, child care and the Great Eight Winter Games.

“We do your elementary track days, we added that second track day to your middle school level, we are doing flag football, we just added fifth- and sixth-grade flag football. We do all the spelling bees, junior high quiz — all those things are community schools programs, but I don’t think that a lot of your families realize that,” said Wonders, adding “Maybe that is on our end; I mean, the notes have our letterhead on them, but I think a lot of times when the results are posted or you’re putting your good stuff out there, it doesn’t necessarily say it’s a Community Schools-sponsored program.”

Wonders suggested having more visibility on the Breitung schools website, a more prevalent Community Schools logo on items and informing faculty about the value of their programs. “We do lots of programs for you. It would just be nice if maybe you had some advice in ways that we can be sure that your families understand what programs we do sponsor. Not to toot our own horn, but I think sometimes people are wondering, ‘What does Community Schools do for Breitung?'” she said.

School board secretary Joanne To suggested linking the Community School’s Facebook page on the school website.

Superintendent Craig Allen agrees that more could be done. “It makes sense to get it out there that you are a big player in this. Quite honestly, Community Schools has been really behind the scenes transparent. I think we can get involved with these things and get a better handle on what you do and how we can be more a part of what

you do. More so than we have been,” he said.

In other business, the board:

— Heard a 21st century learning robotics update by Amanda Gibbons. “It’s going real well, she is interacting with people in a lot of different ways. I’m sure the administrators can attest that it is a positive thing that is going on here. We are looking forward to continuing that relationship and seeing where we go with robotics and some of the other things she bringing to the table this year,” Allen said.

— Accepted resignations from assistant track coach Bryan Johnson, boys track coach Doug Roberts and boys tennis coach John VanDuesen.

— Hired Carrie Edwards as the 3.5-hour kitchen helper; Sharon Lawton, Sara Lessard, Jennifer Spreen and Diane Peters as overtime detention supervisors; Scott Kleiman as a morning tutor; Leah Rankin as the Spanish 1 extra period assignment; Nancy DeKoster as the drama advisor; and Bill Bertolli as rockets for school advisor.

Also hired at the Aug. 21 special board meeting were Rebecca Diercks as a child care provider, Marsha Gordon as kitchen helper and Dianne Strand as an early kindergarten teacher.

— Approved the year-to-year lease agreement for Community Schools at the East Elementary school building.

— Approve the consortium agreement for adult community education.

— Established a new student activities fund for the French Club.

— Moved Oct. 8 board meeting to Oct. 22.

— The first Homecoming 5k will be 5:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 24, beginning and ending on the Flivver Field track, where concessions will be available. A $15 fee is required to participate, made payable to Friends of the Flivvers. For more information, go to the Kingsford High School website.

Theresa Proudfit can be reached at 906-774-2772, ext. 45, or tproudfit@ironmountaindailynews.com.