February 8, 2013 at 4:00 PM - Superintendent's Weekly Update to the Board of Education

Description:  44 Students are registered from Kindergarten Information Night.  The open-enrollment numbers are the following:  1 Pierz, 5 Little Falls, and 6 Rice.  Normally, we add another 15-20 students.  Right now, it looks like a three section Kindergarten.  Remember we thought we were being conservative on budgeting for 70 students.

Description:  We'll begin using BoardBook to develop agendas and minutes for all board committee meetings.  The minutes can then be approved at our regularly scheduled monthly meetings.  We haven't done a good job of this in the past, but we're going to get it done right moving forward.  Attached are the agenda and minutes for the Meet and Confer meeting this week.

Description:  We are recommending the purchase of a new maintenance pickup for Bill.  The pickup he was using last year broke down for good this time.  And the van with high miles also (260,676) is now out of commission too.  The reason we're recommending a new vehicle over a good used one is because school districts receive a state bid on new ones only.  The dealership cannot legally charge above $500 over cost.  This becomes an $8,000 savings you and I cannot receive as individuals.  It's as cheap to buy new in our instance and know we have a pickup for the next 20 years.  The details of the F-250 are attached to this document.  Unless I receive questions/concerns from any board members, the pickup will be ordered on February 14.

Description:  Board members may be interested in the data I have been collecting for arbitration with REM.  The attached documents are just the tip of the iceberg requested by Kevin Rupp.

Description:  I came across a timely article while reading the January newsletter produced by the National Association of School Superintendents (NASS).  The important message is the following:

"As the Chief School Administrator, one must keep in mind that you must maintain a positive relationship with your staff. Sitting at the table during negotiations can present a negative image of the superintendent. Although your input is important to the Board of Education, it is better not to be directly involved in negotiations meetings. It is more productive to be sitting in your office during negotiations meetings, instead of at the bargaining table. The perception of the superintendent at the bargaining table, in my experience, is negative and harmful to staff relations."