The Montague Area Public Schools Board of Education held its regular meeting Monday, Feb. 9, 2026, at Montague High School. After opening with the Pledge of Allegiance, the board approved the meeting agenda and then approved the consent agenda.
Consent agenda highlights
As part of the consent agenda, the board approved:
- Minutes from the Jan. 12, 2026, regular meeting
- District expenditures totaling $458,527.51, including $344,030.15 from the General Fund and additional spending across Food Service, Technology & Safety, Scholarship, Activity, Capital Projects, and Sinking Fund accounts
- Resignations for Ashleigh Lind (NBC LRE aide), Bethsaida Salas (MACC LRE aide), and Lexi Slater (MACC Title One paraprofessional)
Public comment: board candidates introduce themselves
During public comment, community members addressed the board. Two individuals introduced themselves as candidates for the current vacant school board seat, briefly sharing their backgrounds and connection to the district.
Doug Schmidt, a Montague graduate, told the board he and his wife are both alumni and have three children currently enrolled in the district. He said he works in law enforcement for the Muskegon County Sheriff’s Office and expressed his interest in serving the schools and community.
A second candidate also introduced themselves to “put a face with the name,” noting they had already submitted additional information for the board’s review.
Reports: student recognition and academic data updates
Administrators shared updates as part of the “principal meaningful minute” portion of the agenda.
At Montague High School, the principal highlighted:
- Wildcats of the Month recognition, nominated by staff with explanations for each selection
- College-level enrollment trends, noting an increase from 18 students two years ago to 22 students this year participating in early college or dual enrollment
- AP enrollment, which has declined compared to prior years; the school is discussing better ways to identify readiness and ensure a strong fit for AP coursework
- Career and Technical Center (CTC) participation, with 62 students attending CTC programs and additional students participating in work-study experiences
- First semester grades, reporting a relatively small share of failing grades overall, with targeted supports in place for students who need intervention
The principal also described support structures including counseling check-ins, a math success seminar, and success coaching/organization support, with students being pulled regularly during elective periods for help with assignments and tutoring.
At the elementary level, administrators reviewed student growth data from NWEA testing in reading and math. They discussed how results are used alongside other measures to identify students for interventions and Title services, with the goal of moving students from lower performance bands into higher achievement categories over time. Staff noted this is the first year kindergarten through fifth grade have taken the assessment, and that student familiarity with the testing format and technology (Chromebooks/iPads) can influence performance—especially in the youngest grades.
At the middle school, administrators described several years of NWEA usage and noted a pattern they’ve seen repeatedly: a “winter dip” in scores that often rebounds by spring. They explained how the data supports placement into short-term reading and math intervention courses, and emphasized the ongoing challenge of motivating students to give full effort on a lengthy assessment that does not produce a traditional grade.
Superintendent’s comments: new hires, recognition, budgets, facilities
Superintendent updates included three new hires:
- Marci Ambriz, NBC LRE aide
- Matthew Clark, RRO bus monitor and lunch/recess aide
- Ryanne Jones, library aide at the middle school/high school
The superintendent also recognized board member Brent Raeth, who received an Award of Merit from the Michigan Association of School Boards (MASB) for leadership training, conference participation, years of service, and other leadership activities.
The board also received an update related to Raeth’s departure: he has moved outside district boundaries, which makes him ineligible to continue serving. The superintendent read a resignation letter thanking the district and community, and acknowledged Raeth’s service, including his time as board president. Read more about his departure here.
Additional updates included:
- Legislative/budget outlook: legislators are focused on budgets at the federal and state levels. The superintendent reviewed education-related funding areas and noted that, while increases were included in some categories, they generally do not keep pace with inflation.
- Building and facilities committee updates: the superintendent reported a sinking fund balance of about $600,000 as of Feb. 1 and reviewed completed and ongoing work such as the middle school gym roof and upgrades to fire suppression systems. Future considerations discussed included district parking lots and a possible elementary elevator need.
- Bond/project status: the superintendent reviewed cost figures associated with the high school gym project and discussed the next phases of facilities planning, including continued work on an ag barn project and future needs at the auditorium and Memorial Field.
New business: board appoints Doug Schmidt to fill vacancy
The board’s largest action item was filling the vacant seat. The superintendent thanked applicants and noted four candidates were considered: Karen Atchison, Matthew Bendelow, Amber Lanning, and Doug Schmidt.
After board discussion—including comments that each applicant brought strengths and a clear commitment to the district—the board voted to appoint Doug Schmidt to fill the vacant seat through December 2028. The motion carried. Schmidt will be sworn in at the next meeting, scheduled for March 9.
Overnight athletic trips approved for wrestling
The board approved two overnight travel requests related to wrestling:
- An overnight trip for the girls varsity wrestling team to attend MHSAA girls wrestling regionals on Feb. 20-21, 2026, in the Cadillac area
- An overnight trip for the boys and girls varsity wrestling teams to attend the MHSAA state wrestling finals March 5–8, 2026, at Ford Field in Detroit
Administrators noted some logistics—including the number of qualifiers and final hotel arrangements—depend on athletic outcomes and event details.
Adjournment
After completing its agenda, the board adjourned.
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