May 3, 2013 at 4:00 PM - Superintendent's Weekly Update to the Board of Education

Description:  Our students took first place at the YES! Energy Action Project competition.  In addition, they took first place in the Big Bang category (see attached email).  Congratulations to our YES! students and Mr. Bratsch. 

Description:  Mr. Swenson and I visited with Adam Gunderson (Royalton Police Officer) and Ron Verley (Royalton City Council Member) about a liaison officer in the schools.  A grant is available to pay the costs of an officer for 3 out of 4 years.  It is the responsibility of the School District and/or City to pay for year four.  The approximate annual cost for a beginning officer is $40,000 (salary and benefits).

I support the idea of a liaison officer if we can afford it and he or she is busy working with our students and staff.  My initial concern with a 40 hour a week liaison officer in the schools is about the amount of meaningful work for him or her to do.  We have a good problem here at Royalton Schools.

Some ideas we were able to come up for the officer to do are the following:
1.  Driver's Education in the classroom AND behind the wheel (could save the District $6,500 plus families)
2.  DARE
3.  Mock car crash
4.  CPR and first aid training for teachers and support staff
5.  Presence at ball games and other school activities
6.  Finger printing of children and bike rodeo
7.  Lead/Facilitator on crisis plan
8.  Attend truancy hearings at the Counties
9.  Patrol the building grounds before and after school

I said the School District would support a grant application so long as it was cost neutral in our budget and the individual had enough meaningful work to do.    

Description:  Sue and I visited with Gene about completing all of our routine and broken down mechanic work on the 14 buses, 4 vans, and 1 truck.  Similar size schools in the area do not hire their own mechanic, but instead use the local services of a mechanic in town. 

A superintendent from one of those schools provided me with a cost breakdown of their expenses (see attached file).  On Monday, I'll be working with Mary and Sue to fill in our own expenses the last three school years.  We know what kind of quality services we receive from Gene.  It's now about creating a business model that works for both him and us.    

Description:  Please find attached a contract I wrote for the new position of human resources-payroll-superintendent assistant.  It is modeled after the technology coordinator contract. 

Important changes in this new position are the following:  260 days contract, salaried not hourly, and "at-will employee."  The salary was set on the level of education and experience ($39,500 in 2012-13 and $40,290 in 2013-14).  The daily rate of pay comes out to $151.92 for 260 days (10 holidays and 15 vacation).  As a reference, Jen's daily rate of pay was $157.77 for 225 days (5 vacation).

The responsibility level of HR and payroll position is very high.  Our terminated employee has cost the School District several Franklins by making avoidable errors.  You can call me if you want specific examples of what we've found already.

I foresee in the near future the School District will grow to the size needing a full-time HR-Payroll and full-time superintendent assistant.  Districts with a 1,000 students typically have 4 persons in the central office.  Believe me we feel it....   

Description:  There are no weekly bills requiring your approval.