The Northland Pines Board of Education held its regular monthly meeting last week and approved more than $40,000 for the purchase of new goalposts on the primary football field, and a pair of new varsity soccer nets and field anchors.

The purchase approval falls on the heels of a financial commitment in January of $415,000 to have the outdoor track surface rebuilt. All three of these projects are expected to be completed prior to the 2026-2027 school year.

Timing for the goalpost replacement is directly connected to the track resurfacing project due to the need for heavy equipment to cross the track to access the football field, and will likely take place during early summer months.
The board approved the use of Upper Midwest Athletic Construction to install the football goalposts, and Chippewa Valley Sporting Goods for the purchase of the soccer equipment.

District Administrator Scott Foster said the new equipment will bring long term assets that serve more than just high school students.

“It gets used by more than just the varsity teams,” he said. “It will also get used by the junior varsity teams and youth programs. And if we can get (the expected) 20 years out of it, then it will be a good investment for the district.”

In other business, the board reviewed possible changes to policy related to the use of personal communication devices. In recent years, the district has developed policies to limit the use of cell phones, tablets, earbuds, and other devices; but allowing some high school students to utilize personal laptops for in-class learning purposes only.

This is now becoming a policy issue for the district because there is proposed legislation in the Wisconsin legislature that calls for limitations that are even stricter.

Harlan Leusink, director of technology for the district, shared that the number of students bringing personal laptops has increased from 37 in the 2023-2024 school year, to 85 students in the current school year, which has caused some teacher concerns, especially with easy access to AI content, online gaming, and the ability to send and receive text messages.

“We filter every device that is issued by the school district,” Leusink said. “However, if someone brings a personal device, I have no control as the technology director, as to what they install on that device before they come here.”

Although it was a lengthy discussion, no formal action was taken by the board as it waits to see if the proposed bill is passed. Policy changes are expected in the coming months, however, irrespective of the passing of the latest bill.

On a separate topic, board members also heard a presentation by Corey Palmer of M3 Insurance about different funding arrangements for the district’s healthcare program.

While the school district offers fully insured benefits, the discussion in the meeting centered on self-funded options to better control healthcare expenses. This was an informational presentation only, with the next possible opportunity for a health benefit plan change coming in January 2027.

New assistant principal

During a closed session of the meeting, the board approved the appointment of A.J. Zayia as the new assistant principal at Northland Pines Elementary School, effective July 1, 2026. Zayia is the current activities director at Northland Pines Middle and High School and has been a teacher and athletic coach in his decade long service with the district.

He replaces Brooke Johnson, who is moving on to be the principal at St. Germain Elementary School.

Incoming district Administrator Tony Duffek said in a statement after the meeting that Zayia is a solid match for this position.

“He has great communication skills, engages students at a high level, and has demonstrated proven leadership skills as an administrator.” As for Zayia, he says he is appreciative of the school district for the opportunity and is committed to being successful in the new role.

“Students and staff are a source of pride for our school community,” he said. “I am looking forward to finding ways to grow and improve the opportunities we provide. There will be a learning curve, but I am eager to learn about the assistant principal role alongside my colleague principal Gretchen Smart-Hall. I especially look forward to getting to know the students, staff and families of Eagle River Elementary School and to working together as a team for student and staff success.”

The next regular school board meeting is scheduled on Monday, April 27, at 6 p.m. in the Large Group Instruction Room of Northland Pines High School.