Manhattan School District 114 welcomed Erica Aultz as its newest board member on April 28, completing her formal confirmation with an oath of office, along with returning trustees Brian Anderson, Barb Steffen, and Emily Wessel.
Aultz, a parent within the district, has been a staple at board meetings. She frequently addressed the board, offering both criticism and praise on various topics, before her run for office.
At the end of the meeting, Aultz was given the opportunity to speak, whereupon she thanked her voters and supporters, as well as her family.
“It’s going to be a little bit of a sacrifice, but it’s important. I thank you and look forward to working with all of you,” Aultz said.
Steffen and Wessels were both re-elected. Anderson was appointed in July 2024 to fill one of two vacancies left by Ryan Gulli, who became the Manhattan Police Chief, and Cheryl Donovan, who became the district’s director of Curriculum and Instruction. Anderson ran in the election to maintain his seat and secured enough votes to do so.
Aultz came prepared with a copy of the oath of office in hand. Returning board members stumbled a bit before Burke paused, acknowledging, “It’s a long process,” as the crowd chuckled. A copy of the lengthy oath of office was provided to the other board members being sworn in, and the oath of office was completed.
Once the oath of office was complete, Burke congratulated the board, and stated, “We’re starting a new chapter.”
Outgoing board members Donald Knoll and Terry Doyle, who had served the board for many years, were absent. Scott Mancke was acknowledged for his years of service with a plaque prior to the oath of office of the new board members.
“I’d like to thank everybody. Thirty-eight years is kind of a long time, but that’s very short when you look back on it,” Mancke said.
“When I first walked down the halls of Anna McDonald, I think there were 18 teachers. Now we’re up to, I believe, 200-plus, so we’ve come a long way. We’re very proud of our district, very extremely proud of our staff, our teachers – I don’t feel we can give them enough recognition. They do a terrific job. We all appreciate it,” Mancke said.
Though the district welcomed Aultz as a new board member and welcomed back Anderson, Steffen, and Wessels, two two-year seats remain vacant.
Supt. Ron Pacheco is accepting letters of interest, including qualifications, for later review by the board. Those interested should email Pacheco at: rpacheco@manhattan114.org by May 9.
Not much will change regarding board leadership; Burke will remain as president, and Emily Wessels will remain as vice president.
Burke and Wessels were installed in their respective positions after then-president Mancke stepped down from leadership, though he remained on the board. No explanation was offered to the public regarding the change in leadership, but it followed the abrupt resignations of Supt. Russel Ragon and HR Director Chris Ruddy.
Ragon and Ruddy later were determined to have been involved in a sexual tryst that resulted in two sexual harassment civil rights lawsuits against the school district. The district recently settled the lawsuit filed by Chris Ruddy for an undisclosed amount; the second, filed by former employee Susana Lukaszek, is still in court.
Though initial settlement discussions on Lukaszek’s case occurred in March, the court docket shows the district filed a motion to dismiss Lukaszek’s case for failing to state a claim on April 11. A ruling on the motion to dismiss is expected before the end of June.
A few business items were handled before Aultz and the incumbents were seated on the board. The Manhattan School Board approved an updated anti-bullying policy and a bid for asbestos remediation of the gym floor at Anna McDonald School.
Anna McDonald School, which now serves second- and third-grade students, was originally built after the Manhattan Grade School was demolished in the 1960s. According to reports from the Manhattan Township Historical Society, it was named in 1965 after its principal and teacher, Anna McDonald.
At the last board meeting, Burke reported a portion of the gym’s floor had become damaged. Upon inspection, asbestos was found, requiring remediation. EHC Industries received the winning bid for asbestos removal, which was $70,000.
Kingston Tile Company was awarded the floor replacement bid for $118,580. Adding the school logo and court lines would cost an additional $7,500, and the demo would cost $4,600. Board President John Burke advised that insurance would cover at least some of the cost, though the exact amount was not reported at the board meeting.
The new board, including newcomer Aultz, voted to approve its calendar of meetings, which will largely remain on the second Wednesday of every month at 6:30 p.m., with two exceptions in July and September.
Stephanie Irvine is a freelance reporter.