Northland Pines

A Northland Pines student was taken into custody after the discovery of a facsimile gun in a bathroom at the school.

The Vilas County Sheriff’s Department reports Friday morning, the school’s Resource Deputy received information that a gun was hidden in a bathroom at the middle and high school. The facsimile pistol was found to be a look alike to a handgun. This type of gun is constructed of plastic and metal pieces. It is commonly referred to as an airsoft gun and does not meet the definition of a firearm.

There was a soft lockdown at the school.

A special meeting of the Northland Pines school board of education into an employment investigation is expected to continue this week after no decision was reached last week after a three hour session.

According to board president David Weber of St. Germain, the purpose of the meeting was “to discuss an employment investigation and we have not reached any conclusion . . . it's still open.”

There were 10 reports of bullying by students last year in the Northland Pines school district according to a report to the school board by pupil services director Emily Rhode.

Rhode said none of the 10 incidents were repeats by the same student and all incidents happened in less structured locations. According to Rhode, “bullying” is the deliberate or intentional words or actions that cause fear, intimidation, or harm and may be serious enough to negatively impact a students educational, emotional, or physical well being.

Two new faces will be on the Northland Pines school board after the next election when current board chairwoman Holly McCormack and John Sarama chose not to run.

At the board meeting last Monday both indicated it was well worth their time to be on the Northland Pines school board. District Administrator Mike Richie said it “was a sad day to lose two outstanding board members each with nine years of service to the district.”

“Teachers are trained to teach!”

That statement from Northland Pines school district administrator Mike Richie is  his view on suggestions teachers should be able to carry firearms as a result of the recent shooting in Florida that killed 14 students and three staff members. 

A report on bullying and random drug testing to the Northland Pines school board found a total of 12 bullying incidents and nine random drug tests with all drug tests negative.

Bullying increased slightly from the previous school year with a small decrease involving students with disabilities. During the prior school year there were nine incidents of bullying with six involving kids with disabilities. This past year there were 12 incidents with five involving students with disabilities. Three students with special needs were victims and two with special needs were offenders.

Northland Pines school district has received notification they have been officially qualified to enroll international students for grades 10, 11, and 12 in partnership with the Wisconsin International Student Program and Nicolet College, according the district administrator Mike Richie.

This will allow students from all over the world being invited to attend Northland Pines high school and Nicolet College, earning dual credits transferable to the UW system in their junior and senior years, Richie said.

The Wisconsin Dept. of Public Instruction (DPI) officially notified the Northland Pines School District their petition to start school prior to September 1 next fall has been denied.

The school wanted to start Monday, August 28. DPI director of content and learning team, Rebecca Vail, explains "approval is linited under the statute to 'extraordinary reasons' defined in the administrative code."

Pointing to local control, the Northland Pines school board Monday night approved sending a resolution to the Wisconsin Dept. of Public Instruction (DPI) "officially requesting approval to commence the school term prior to Sept. 1 . . . in determining the school calendar."

District administrator Mike Richie told the board he was not ready to recommend going against the state law that mandates local school districts to start classes on Sept. 1 or later. "I'm not willing to put the district in jeopardy that we would be breaking the law," Richie said.

Northland Pines School District in Eagle River will likely welcome international students on campus beginning next fall.

The Wisconsin International Student Program (WISP) is a partnership between Northland Pines School District, Nicolet College and the University of Wisconsin System.

After months of discussion the Eagle River city council Thursday formally annexed the Northland Pines school district property along Pleasure Island Road into the city adding about 80 acres from the town of Lincoln.

The Northland Pines school board appears ready to develop a request for a waiver from the state Dept. of Public Instruction (DPI) to start school earlier than September 1 next year after surveying parents and businesses for input.

District administrator Mike Richie told the school board Monday night the state law mandating waiting until September 1 to start is old and outdated and that local school boards should be able to determine when school should start.

An effort to have Northland Pines school district start classes prior to Sept 1 as contained in current state law is expected to be discussed by the full school board with the possibility of a petition to the Dept. of Public Instruction (DPI) requesting an earlier start.