March 29, 2013 at 4:00 PM - Superintendent's Weekly Update to the Board of Education

Description:  I hear the Board is considering to offer REM a 0&2 salary increase with the 2% beginning from the date of settlement.  I enclosed Kevin Rupp's responses to my questions regarding such possibility. 

How many dollars have we already invested in your fees? How many more dollars do you anticipate it costing
the School District? Given what you know about our situation/data and arbitration hearings, does the
Board have a good chance of holding the line at 0&0?

Description:  Please find attached a finalized job description for the position of Payroll/Human Resource Coordinator/Superintendent Assistant.  In addition, I have enclosed the advertisement that'll appear in AppliTrack.

A few important changes in this position are increase in salary, increase in days worked (12 month contract), and at-will employee (can be terminated at anytime for no reason).  

Jen was making a little over $35,000 in pay when she was terminated.  She was on a 225 days contract not 260 days and did not have a college degree like we're hoping to find in a new employee.  The advertised salary range will be $35,000 to $45,000 (depending on education and experience).

As the School District continues to grow so too does the workload and responsibility of this position.  This not a superintendent assistant position it is really an HR/Payroll job.  The amount of time this position has to assist me keeps decreasing each year.   

Description:  Parents have been asking about the last day of school.  They want to know if their children will have to make up one or both snow days.  They would be done on Friday, May 31 if it's only one and Monday, June 3 if it's both. 

If memory serves me correctly, I think last year we only had teachers come back on the Monday.  I don't know if the Board wants to do the same again this year.  I don't have an opinion either way, but the teachers do have more than enough work they could do with an extra staff development day. 

On May 3 we're having a district-wide staff development day on student assessments.  The Monday could be used to do additional training, etc.

Description:  Mid-State is investigating in the possibility of moving their Success program to Upsala or another Mid-State school district.  Our two school buildings in Royalton are out of sufficient space to continue the program here.  The School District makes about $5,000 in rent each year for hosting Success.  $5,000 is nothing to dismiss if a school has the space, but when it comes down our own academic programming (e.g., expanding our pre-school program or not) the $5,000 isn't nearly enough money.

The students and families in the Success program are of course a consideration/concern of mine.  Most, if not all, of the Royalton students are actually open-enrolled students from Little Falls.  Instead of being bused from Little Falls to Royalton they could be bused to Upsala.

The Success program and students have been a great addition to our schools.  The reason we could host the program in the past is because we had the space.  Now, we don't have the available space and another Mid-State school district makes better sense.

The switch to another school district could happen as early as this June.  Please share any thoughts/questions/concerns you have about this recommendation.  

Description:  Mr. Swenson and the MS/HS teachers are requesting another student orientation day in the fall.  They'd like to have all students in grades 6-8.  Students in grades 9-12 would not participate.  As I write this I have an idea/recommendation how we could possibly make this work without reducing the high school students' days to 169.

We could carry one of this year's two snow days over to next year.  In August, the MS/HS teachers could have a Middle School Orientation Day, as requested.  And the elementary teachers could be trained on STAR reading and math (new online assessments we're looking to purchase to progress monitor students academic development).  What do you think???

Description:  Royalton School District is among the 75% of other Minnesota school districts receiving the "2013 MDE School Finance Award."  This is an important recognition because it requires the business manager to have all of his/her state reports completed correctly and on-time.  Good for Mary! 

Description:  Mr. Swenson shared with me an agriculture grant he recently applied for this spring (see attachment).  We'll let you know if the High School is awarded the grant or not. 

Description:  I called help support at BoardBook to discuss our problems at Tuesday's board meeting.  The technician said there were no scheduled upgrades to BoardBook, but will invesitgate into the problems and get back to me on Monday.  I will share their response for our problems.

Description:  I received a copy of Jen Peter's 4-page letter to board members.  I will forward it on to Kevin Rupp to keep him in the loop.  There is no need for response.  In fact, this is one of those times when less is more.

I'm not going to react to her letter other than saying a few words.  
1.  The entire letter is disappointingly twisted and untruthful.  Remember, this is one of the primary reasons she was terminated.
2.  Jen had been manipulating and lying to Mary and I for the past several months...this is no different.
3.  Mary and I were visiting yesterday and we cannot think of a time when Jen ever admitted fault or took responsibility for something (both major and merely minor mistakes)...this response letter is no different...staying true to one's colors.

You are invited to come visit with me, Mary, or any of the office staff employees who have been around during the day-to-day operations.  Ask any questions you like and you should not be surprised by the responses of my actions/professionalism and Jen's actions/professionalism.  If I really knew how dishonest and manipulative she was, I would have recommended dismissal a lot sooner.

Jen said, "On several occasions Jon had me leave work early to bring his kids home or to meet him with his kids.  I was paid for this time by the District."  In the little over three years working with Jen, I asked her to provide a ride for my children 4 or 5 times at most...not "several occasions."  She asked me on at least two of those occasions if she could then leave early (15 minutes early).  I said "yes" and justified it in my mind because I was staying later for meetings (e.g., negotiations).

Jen said, "Jon has made many several sexual comments, etc., which made for a very open door policy in the district office."  Jen will not be able to provide one example when this ever happened...she would have already if she had one.  The entire office staff at the MS/HS building would tell you they never heard any sexual comments from me, but several from her.  I don't take this accusation lightly and should possibly pursue recourse against her.  I had Jen pegged in the first few weeks working with her.  This is why over the years I made excuses not to do personal things with her and/or her family outside of work.

On and on....

Description:  Please find attached the weekly bills for your approval.