Interviews conducted by Keith Dixon on May 5, 6
It has been several months since a resolution calling for the periodic evaluation of Butterfield-Odin Public School (B-OPS) Superintendent/Principal Lisa Shellum was introduced by some members of the B-OPS School Board, and that evaluation on Shellum’s 1/2 time as principal has continued to be be the focus of both school board and Open Forum discussions at board meetings.
In Minnesota, a superintendent evaluation and a principal evaluation is required each year by state law, but a principal evaluation on Shellum had not been done for a number of years (board members complete the yearly superintendent evaluation). While Superintendent Shellum evaluates K-12 Principal Barry Schmidt, she cannot evaluate herself as principal in her role as superintendent.
The issue was initially raised at the March 16 regular meeting, with a board vote of 6-1 to approve the evaluation. The lone “no” vote was from Kristy Haseman based on the wording of “superintendent/principal” in the resolution. A second motion, this to hire Keith Dixon to conduct the principal evaluation of Shellum failed on a 2-5 vote. Dixon was recommended for the job by the school’s attorney, Kevin Rupp. Voting in favor were Board Chair Joel Penner and Leon Wenner, while Tammy Wolle, Kristy Haseman, Diane Peterson, Renae Meyer and Andy Pierson were the five nay votes.
At a special board meeting on Wednesday, April 8, however, members passed, by a one-vote margin at 4-3, to hire Dixon to complete the principal evaluation for a capped amount of $3,800. Aye votes were from Pierson, Penner, Wenner and Wolle, and voting against the motion were Meyer, Peterson and Haseman.
During the two days Dixon was at the school – Tuesday, May 5 and Wednesday, May 6, he interviewed the board chair, the superintendent/principal, parents and students of both local and 0pen-enrolled and used results from staff surveys.
Minutes of the April 20 meeting
A 40-minute open forum time dominated the time and agenda for the Monday, April 20 school board meeting, even though it was the final item on the list.
The meeting was held in the school’s large gym to accommodate the large attendance.
During the open forum, concerned parents, teachers and students addressed school board members, the majority defending Superintendent Shellum. Three speakers additionally asked board members Chair Joel Penner, Vice-Chair Leon Wenner, Treasurer Andy Pierson and Clerk Tammy Wolle to resign. As well, prepared letters and statements were read into the minutes. A large portion of the comments made and questions asked of board members were by resident Lisa Wolle, who read a letter into the record a letter that she had sent to board members. The concerned staff member letter was presented by Social Worker Brenda Kelly. Board Member Kristy Haseman additionally read a letter she had written in support of Superintendent Shellum.
In other business
* Heard a request from Superintendent Shellum that the evaluation of the superintendent 1/2 of her position by the school board be conducted in open session, rather than a closed meeting, as is her prerogative.
* Made intentions known with a letter of the St. Jame Public School District rejecting at this time a County School proposal.
* Defeated a motion on a 3-4 vote to allow Board Member Kristy Haseman to speak with Kevin Rupp, school attorney. Voting in favor of the motion were Kristy Haseman, Renae Meyer and Diane Peterson, while voting against the motion were Leon Wenner, Andy Pierson, Joel Penner and Tammy Wolle.
* Learned of the retirement of School Nurse Jane Birkholz. Birkholz had worked in both the B-OPS School District and the Mountain Lake Public School District. Work will be done with Mountain Lake Public School Superintendent Bill Strom to determine if sharing will work between the districts.
* Tabled the board’s vote to approve the tentative 2015-2016 school calendar.
* Approved the appointment of Superintendent Shellum and staff member Wendi Anderson as LEA representatives.
* Accepted the resignations of English/ESL (English as a Second Language) teacher Nathan Fast and High School Science teacher Julie Tatro, along with that of paraprofessional/bus driver Steve Christensen.
* Heard a presentation on class tests, requirements and benchmarks from Fifth-Grade Teacher Lucille Ammann and Sixth-Grade Teacher Ashley Weber.
* Learned that the 2015 Senior Class Trip would be to Alexander Ramsey Park in Redwood Falls for a picnic and games.
* Learned from Director of Bands David Stordalen that the 2015 Senior High Band and Senior High Choir trip will be to Duluth and the Chanhassen Dinner Theatre and will include a performance in Minneapolis along with another school. Visited will be museums, a lighthouse and the Lake Superior shorefront.
* Stressed that any person attending a school board meeting is encouraged to speak during Open Forum time with his or her questions and concerns regarding the district. Board members will take all into consideration and if action is needed, the topic will be placed on the next month’s regular meeting agenda. If comments involve any staff member or administration, made the request that the Chain of Command established by the district is followed in order to remedy the situation.
Minutes of the May 19 meeting
The regular monthly May meeting was moved to Tuesday, May 19 from its traditional Monday night due to the Community Day and concert held at B-OPS that day.
Again the meeting site was moved to the large gym to accommodate the number of those attending.
And again much of the discussion between board members and during the Open Forum was on the decision to hire Keith Dixon to evaluate Superintendent Shellum on the principal part of her position with the school district. According to Board Chair Joel Penner, the board majority elected to bring in an outside person to complete the evaluation so that there would be no discrimination; no conflict of interest – due to the charged atmosphere surrounding the decision to have an evaluation.
In order to address the differences between the school board and Superintendent Shellum, board members approved to enter into mediation in order to have resolution.
The goal of the mediation is to “identify the issues that have led to the division that currently exists in the district,” per an e-mail received by Board Chair Penner from Bill Kautt of the Minnesota School Board Association (MSBA). There is no charge for the mediation process by the MSBA.
The mediation meeting would involve one board member and Superintendent Shellum.
Once the issues are identified via the mediation meeting, work will be done to understand each other’s position in an attempt to reach common ground.
No date was set, but Board Member Diane Peterson made the request that the mediation be held as soon as possible, and by consensus, the other board members agreed.
During the Open Forum period, Howard Madson served as moderator.
Although only Brenda Meyer, the school’s social worker, along with district resident Lisa Wolle, were the only ones who registered to speak, Madson opened up the floor to others as well, including kindergarten teacher Wendy Besel and special education teacher Joyce Bolte, among others.
Meyer shared that she was encouraged by the conversations between board members that evening, and the move to head to mediation with Superintendent Shellum, but wondered where the answers were to questions posed to the board at the April regular monthly meeting.
She noted that there has been a great deal of assumptions made and hearsay shared over the past two months. Meyer then shared the need to find out the truth, the facts. She also shared , “It’s obvious that four board members don’t trust (Superintendent Shellum) and three do. I don’t think I’m alone in wanting to know what are the issues with (Superintendent Shellum’s) work.”
Meyer additionally wondered about the financial stance of the school district – and if the evaluations of Superintendent Shellum would be available to the public.
Wolle, as well, requested that the board respond to the questions posed at the April board meeting.
As the differences between school board and superintendent have moved to the mediation stage, Board Chair Joel Penner responded that he had been advised by Larry Rupp, school attorney, to make no public comments. The remaining school board members were silent as well.
District resident Allen Paplow brought forward the feelings of confusion he had over the issue. “Nobody knows a thing. There is hearsay at both ends – the school board and the superintendent. Since the evaluation was brought forward, everything broke loose. And I blame both sides.”
Madson himself took to the microphone to ask a couple of questions: “What is the problem? Is it a big problem?” He went on to encourage all those involved to “get this thing resolved; talk to each other. Let’s really make this work, people.”
In other business
* Learned from K-12 Principal Barry Schmidt that high school students have not been able to complete their course schedules for next year as they are having to wait for St. James Public High School to finalize their courses. Principal Schmidt also shared that B-OPS is having a difficult time filling open teaching positions. These posts include in mathematics, English and science in the high school and two elementary teaching slots.
* Learned that B-OPS would no longer have the services for Diana Busby Wenner, who had served the school district for four years as part-time business manager two days per week.
* Approved the list of graduating seniors.
* Submitted an intent to negotiate with the B-OEA (Butterfield-Odin Education Association).
* Approved medical leave for the 2015-2016 school year for Christie Olinger, a special education, EBD and LD instructor.
* Approved the tentative 2015-2016 school calendar, with the first day of school next fall slated for Tuesday, September 8.
* Approved the hiring of Twell Environmental Inc. for asbestos abatement in incidental spots, the lowest of five bids, for the amount of $10,994. Twell has done previous work for the school.
* Approved participation in the Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL).
* Approved the hiring of substitute bus drivers Audi Nickel and Rosalie Dick for $17.74 per hour until the end of this school year.
* Approved the school district’s Health and Safety Budget for fiscal years 2015, 2016 and 2017 as was presented by Tim Harbo. Last year, the $19,000 budget was pushed to $21,500 with an unanticipated charge for kitchen frames. The 2016 budget to $31,000 that includes $2,000 for a fire marshal inspection, something that is done every three years and the $10,000+ charge for asbestos removal. The 2017 budget was set at $30,500.
* Approved the school district’s Health and Safety Policy.
