By REED WALLER
Staff Writer
At last Monday’s meeting, the NRHEG Board of Education approved a New Members Orientation Plan designed by a special committee last month, to help get new school board members Dan Schmidt, Karen Flatness and Neil Schlaak up to speed on all the new administrative machinery that’s been put in place in the last year.
Both Flatness and Schlaak have served terms on the board previously, but much of what they will be dealing with in the coming years is new.
Items to introduce to the new board members are:
• Strategic Plan
• Role of Board and Superintendent
• Board and Superintendent Goals
• School Board Meeting process and agenda
• Open Meeting Law and Walking Quorums
• Board and Superintendent Communications
• Preview to Organizational Meeting including oath of office committee assignments, etc.
• Available resources including District and MSBA websites
• MSBA Phase Meetings
• School Board Leadership Conference in January
• Tour of School District facilities and grounds.
The new members will be sworn in at the Annual Organization Meeting on Tuesday, January 3 at 5:30 p.m. in the Board Room at New Richland.
World’s Best Workforce Plan
The board approved the 2016-2017 World’s Best Workforce Plan as proposed. Curriculum Director Terri Engel and principals Doug Anderson and Dave Bunn reviewed the plan for the board, which incorporates a five-year goal of bringing 3rd grade reading up to 82 percent at grade level proficiency, increasing communication between Special Ed and General Ed teachers, and narrowing the achievement gap between them.
Another goal of the program is to bring the graduation rate to 97 percent.
“Just how do you calculate the graduation rate?” asked board member Mark Tollefson. “People are transferring in and out all the time.”
“There’s a 30-odd-page manual explaining how,” Bunn replied.
The plan is being developed with the help of a contract through South Central Human Relations.
Family Service Coordinator
Family Service Coordinator Barb Handahl’s contract was approved for 194 days of service at $43,900.
Handahl gave a presentation to the board regarding the Virtues Project, an independent program encouraging people to acknowledge virtues when they encounter them. Handahl is implementing the Virtues Project in the NRHEG schools. More information about the project is available online at www.virtuesvillagellc.com.
Donations for Eagle Bluff
The NRHEG board approved donations in the amount of $2,934.25. Most of the money was for the Eagle Bluff program.
Donations included:
For Eagle Bluff: Geneva Fire Relief Assoc, $300.00; Dagry Tooling, $100.00; Roesler, $100.00; Sun Opta, $100.00; NR Lions, $66.00; Duffy Moberg, $50.00; Thomas Westphal, $20.00; Ellendale Fire Relief, $100.00; Lundberg Post #226, $200.00; Arlen/Coleen Brekke, $30.00; Sorenson's Appl & TV, $25.00; L&Dag, $100.00; Brian Wayne (Pioneer), $100.00; Geneva Meats, $50.00; Polley's Scrap Iron, $50.00; Lenort Construction, $75.00; State Bank of New Richland, $100.00; Central Farm Service, $100.00; Bent Tree Wind Farm Hartland, $100.00
Other donations were: St Peter Welca, Elem Picture Fund, $100.00; American Legion Auxiliary, Veteran's Day Program, $100.00; NRHEG Softball Boosters, Cement for Ellendale Dugouts, $803.25; Doug Anderson, Elementary Media Center, $165.00; Zane Johnson & Gary Hatle, 3 sets of golf clubs.
Make-up Days
Supt. Dale Carlson recommended that the two flood days, Sept. 22 and 23, should be made up on the two days already scheduled for make-up, Feb. 17 and April 17.
“While some have suggested that he reasons for cancelletion should matter,” said Carlson, “I view it that reglardlesss of the reason, students were not in school. This is no different from the snow days or the recent situation on November 11 when school was cancelled due to a train derailment.”
The district has had to cancel three days of school already. Carlson recommended that the board schedule school for the two existing make-up days and waive the third day.
Supt. Performance Review
The board approved a mid-year performance review document for the Superintendent, which took the form of last year’s review and recommendations using the ratings scale adopted recently.
Jan. and Feb. Meeting Dates
The regular January meeting will be held on Tuesday, January 17, 2017, and the February meeting will be held Tuesday, February 21, 2017.