October 24, 2014 at 4:00 PM - Superintendent's Weekly Update to the Board of Education

Description: 
We will need to schedule a special board meeting to canvass the election.  The required board action cannot be delayed until the November regular board meeting.

Please let me know as soon as possible which date works best for you.  I visited with Michelle and both dates work for us.  Monday, November 10 or Wednesday, November 12???

Description: 
Dear Board Members

Jon and I contacted Sandy from MSBA on Wednesday, October 22nd and asked her about a document for a superintendent evaluation, a board self evaluation, and helping to facilitate a new board retreat.

1. Jon is forwarding Sandy the Marzano Superintendent evaluation form which would match up with the teacher and principal evaluations, to look over.  She said she would get back to us with her opinion on this document as compared to the new MSBA form.  Once we receive her opinion on the documents we will forward the appropriate document to all board members to look over and complete before November 18th's evaluation.

Note:  There are some changes to the superintendent evaluation forms.  Going forward superintendents evaluations appear to be more goal oriented rather than checklists of items.  It may take our board a little while to totally assimilate this new goal oriented evaluation.  Sandy recommended we take a couple steps to start the transition.  This year we may need to complete another checklist review, but then also set a new goal oriented process in place.  The new goal statements could be established after the new board members are elected and before they are seated.  Both new and existing members could help in this process when the new goals are set. 

The new goals that are set should be tied to the goals we have set for the district as well as flow from the teachers and principals.  Jon will provide more guidance on goals.

2. As for the board self-evaluation Sandy thought this process may not be necessary with new board members coming on.  She thought it may be more valuable to plan a new board retreat that MSBA could facilitate after new board members are elected.  The group would choose the topics that they feel are important to cover and in this process Sandy thought the board would probably end up finding our strengths and weaknesses and thus completing a self-evaluation.

Thus with this in mind, I am going to make the recommendation to cancel the meeting scheduled for a board self-evaluation on December 18th.

If you have further questions please do not hesitate to contact Jon or myself.

Thank you,

Michelle Carlson

Description: 
Mary and I thought the Board may want to know how our unaudited fund balances are looking. 

The unassigned fund balance as of June 30, 2014 as shown represents an 11.8% unassigned fund balance (NOT including committed fund balance or prepaids/inventories).

Fund balance goals per policy are:

FY 2014 – 9%
FY 2015 – 10%
FY 2016 – 11%
FY 2017 – 12%
FY 2018 – 13%
FY 2019 – 14%
FY 2020 – 15%
FY 2021 – 16%
FY 2022 – 17%

As of June 30, 2014, we have nearly reached the goal set for June 30, 2017.

Important:  Remember we suggested to the Board to set aside some fund balance dollars for the construction project.  Had we not recommended and the Board approved setting aside $300,000 the unassigned fund balance would be 16.5%.  Looks pretty good doesn't it!

We'll have to see the final costs of the construction project in two years to know how much of the $300,000 is needed.  We do have factored in contingency money, like any school project does, but there are some items not in the building bond budget (e.g., playground equipment for preschool and kindergarten children).

Description: 
Please see attached trends in the interest rates for building bonds.  It's nothing we can get to excited about or control right now.  The estimated month for selling our building bonds would not be until March 2015.

Description: 
I included this letter in a previous weekly update.  The only difference I believe is it's on official letterhead sent to Governor Dayton.

Description: 
Please see attached an attorney's response to NJPA member school districts following HITA requirements.  The attorney costs will be shared by us school districts.  A lot cheaper and more sensible than using our individual school attorneys.  

Ron Kresha is going to seek reimbursement for legal fees.  The NJPA school districts participating in the health insurance pool did nothing wrong and shouldn't have to take money out of their general fund balance (used to educate students) to pay for Education Minnesota nonsense.

Description: 
Please see attached the district web site community survey.  This was an unscientific survey method that didn't produce reliable data. With that said, the purpose was to give everyone an opportunity
to weigh in on their thoughts.

The actual scientific phone survey was a sampling of approximately 140 resident voters.

The results of this survey was overwhelmingly even more supportive.  However, as positive as this group of 27 are they too will not accept the tax increase of $311.

There is other interesting information in the results.

Description: 
I'm excited to share the launching of our official Royalton alumni web site.  I took it halfway a little over a year ago and Michelle Hauber finished it for us.  Thank you Michelle!  

Please share it with others so they too can sign-up and begin connecting with the Royalton Schools community.  The address is on the front page of the school district web site http://royaltonalumni.org/.

Description: 
Mary called our insurance carrier about non-school employees driving school vehicles.  As I anticipated it is okay as long as the school district gives permission to a driver.  

One recommended request is a copy of the individual's driver license on file and another sent to the insurance company for review.  Unless there any concerns from the Board, this is the practice we'll use in these situations.  

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