Several new faculty members for Tahquamenon Area Schools were approved for hiring at the Tahquamenon Area Schools (TAS) Board of Education meeting.
The board voted to hire Newberry High School alumnus Claire Neeb as grades 9 and 10 English/Pre-AP teacher. “We are very happy to have her aboard—it is nice to see our kids go to college and come back and want to work here,” said Price.
Stephanie Brunell was hired as an Early Childhood Special Education teacher. “She will also be our K-2 elementary resource in the afternoon. She is coming from the preschool program, so she is very aware of our students,” Price said.
The board also approved the hiring of Amy Edwards as the JV Volleyball coach.
“We are very excited about having Amy join the team,” Price said. “She is excited to come and work with Kayla [Varsity Coach].”
Trustee Veronica Edwards noted that Amy’s grandpa Jim Johnson and her mother Mary Edwards also coached volleyball at Newberry.
“There is some family history that she wanted to continue,” Edwards said.
During public comment, Greg Rathje wanted a response from the board on the issue with the banner at the 2025 graduation ceremony that stated, “Newberry Area School.”
“When did the school board vote to change the name of the high school to Newberry Area School?” Rathje asked. “What was the process the board used to pick that name, and why did you pick ‘Newberry Area School’ instead of another name?”
He also said that he hopes the board will have discussions at the next meeting about the transition between retiring Superintendent Stacy Price, and incoming Superintendent Shawn Tebo.
“I am assuming you folks as a board gave Stacy and Shawn some type of a master document discussing how you wanted the handover to be done,” Rathje said. “I am assuming Stacy is doing some type of final report, documenting all her thoughts and items coming up both short term and long term, and then asking Shawn how she is doing with hitting the ground running.”
During her final administrative/bond report, outgoing Superintendent Stacy Price said that front driveway bond work will commence on July 7 and will continue through the end of August.
“I will be updating Shawn on that, and I am working with the library to have access to their main entrance point and working with the contractors to have a safe entry to all using the library during the time.”
Trustee Eric Feldhusen thanked Price for her years of service to the district.
Finally, the board convened in closed session for the purpose of collective bargaining negotiation strategies.
