The HPTS Board's role is to oversee and set
school policy, hire and work in partnership with
the superintendent and oversee the District
budget. Regular Board meetings are held once a
month on the third Monday at 6:00 p.m. Every
Board of Education meeting includes an
opportunity for public comment.
Meeting Minutes
Meeting Schedules and Minutes
Board Bylaws & Policies
Neola policies
Other Policies
Federal Cash & Financial Management Policy
Merit Pay Policy
Nondiscrimination On the Basis of Sex In
Education Programs or Activities
Board Members & Contacts
Amanda Massaway,
President
amassaway@houghton.k12.mi.us
Amanda Massaway has served on the
Houghton-Portage Township School Board since
2017. She currently is the Board President
and serves on the School Improvement Committees.
For the last several years, she has worked in various
corporate accounting roles for a global retailer
and is currently a member of the Houghton Rotary
club. Amanda grew up in Northeast Wisconsin and
went to college at Indiana University. She and
her husband Mike have 4 young children and they
enjoy many of the outdoor and youth activities
found in the UP. Mrs. Massaway's term expires in
December of 2026.
Rob Fay,
Vice President
rfay@houghton.k12.mi.us
Rob Fay was appointed to the Houghton-Portage
Township School Board in 2019 and is currently
the Board Vice President. He serves on the
Operations and Finance/Negotiations Committees. He
graduated from Michigan Tech in 2002 with a
degree in Mechanical Engineering after growing
up in the Copper Country. Rob and his wife Lisa
live in Portage Township with their three
children who currently attend the Houghton
schools. He is a Project Manager for a local
engineering firm. He enjoys family, sports, and
camping. He has been a longtime sports official
for the Michigan High School Athletic
Association. He has also served on the HPTS
Foundation Board and the Portage Lake Little
League Board. Mr. Fay's Board term expires in
December of 2028.
Nels Christopherson,
Treasurer
nchristopherson@houghton.k12.mi.us
Nels Christopherson has lived in Houghton for
over 35 years, first as a student at MTU and now
as a retired instructor. He was first elected to
the Board in 1991 and is currently the
Board Treasurer. He chairs the Finance/Negotiations committee. He is also a member of the CCISD
Board of Education. He is an enthusiastic
supporter of the Gremlins and Houghton, and the
Copper Country in general. He enjoys traveling,
trout fishing, cross country skiing, and
especially taking saunas! Dr. Christopherson's
Board term expires in December of 2024.
Brent Burns,
Secretary
bburns@houghton.k12.mi.us
Brent Burns was appointed to the
Houghton-Portage Township School Board in 2020.
Originally from East Lansing, MI, he first came
to the Keweenaw to play Michigan Tech Football
and earn a bachelor's degree in Mechanical
Engineering (2003). Brent also has a Masters in
Engineering Management from the University of
Wisconsin-Madison and PhD in Environmental and
Energy Policy from Michigan Tech. He worked as
an engineer in both the Appleton, WI and
Detroit, MI areas before returning to Houghton
in 2007 to work for Michigan Tech as Assistant
Director of Alumni Relations, moving to Director
of Industry Relations, and is currently the
Director of Corporate Research & Federal
Relations. He has previously held positions in
the Keweenaw Chamber of Commerce and coached a
variety of area youth sports including junior
varsity and varsity football at Houghton High
School. Brent and his wife, Catherine, live in
the City of Houghton with their two children who
currently attend the Houghton schools. Mr.
Burn's Board term expires in December of 2026.
Philip "Buck" Foltz,
Trustee
pfoltz@houghton.k12.mi.us
Philip Foltz has served on the Houghton-Portage
Township School Board since 1996. He currently chairs the
Operations Committee, and serves on the
Personnel/Policy Committees. Besides positions he
has held at BHK and the City of Houghton, he
volunteers with many community organizations
including: member of Houghton Volunteer Fire
Department since 1992, member of the Houghton
All-Sports Boosters, serves on the Dee Stadium
Locker Room Fundraising Committee, and
participated in building an outdoor ice skating
facility in West Houghton. Foltz and his wife
Karen have three children, Mindy who is married,
and Tristan and Annika who are both graduates of
Houghton High School. Mr. Foltz's Board term
expires in December of 2026.
Brad Baltensperger,
Trustee
bbaltensperger@houghton.k12.mi.us
Brad Baltensperger has served on the
Houghton-Portage Township School Board since
1988. He currently chairs the Personnel/Policy
Committee and serves on the Finance/Negotiations
Committees. Baltensperger was president of the
Michigan Association of School Boards,
1999-2000. He also helped establish the
Copper Country Association of School Boards. Baltensperger received his education at the
University of Nebraska and Clark University. He
is a research professor of geography and
education at Michigan Technological University.
He enjoys cross country skiing, gardening,
choral singing and his term ends in December of
2024.
Scott
Leonard, Trustee
sleonard@houghton.k12.mi.us
Scott Leonard was appointed to the
Houghton-Portage Township School Board in 2019.
He chairs the School Improvement Committee and serves on
the Operations Committees.
He graduated from Houghton High School and
Northern Michigan University. Scott and his wife
live in Portage Township with their two children
who currently attend the Houghton schools. He is
a Deputy with the Houghton County Sheriff's
Office. He is the union president for the
sheriff's department chapter of Police Officers
Association of Michigan. Mr. Leonard's Board
term expires in December of 2028.
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