Act on personnel items
In addition to accepting the resignation of incoming Butterfield-Odin Public School (B-OPS) Superintendent Jerry Reker at its Tuesday, June 21 meeting, the B-OPS School Board acted on a number of additional agenda items – as well as an item added to the agenda – according to Nicholas Cicale of the St. James Plaindealer.
(For story on Reker’s resignation, click on: http://www.cross-countiesconnect.com/2016/06/jerry-reker-resigns-as-half-time-superintendent-before-official-duties-begin/)
Board members approved changing the investigative agency completing an investigation of former B-OPS Principal Lisa Shellum. The original firm, NeuVest, submitted a resignation when they determined, after beginning the investigation, that there was too much work involved in completing the process in the original timetable.
Replacing NeuVest will be Jim Martin of Booth Law Group LLC. Martin will be paid $200 per day of work, in comparison to the charge of $225 a day presented by NeuVest.
This motion passed by a 4-3 vote. Voting in favor were B-OPS Board Chair Joel Penner, B-OPS Vice-Chair Leon Wenner, B-OPS Board Treasurer Andy Pierson and B-OPS Clerk Tammy Wolle. Those voting against the motion were B-OPS Board Directors Kristy Haseman, Renae Meyer and Diane Peterson.
Teachers’ probationary contracts approved
The board also approved probationary teachers’ contracts:
+ Angela Becker, Early Childhood Teacher, $36,553.
+ Emily Kern, .6 Title I Teacher, $22,228.
+ Emily Stevenson, Second Grade Teacher, $35,889.
+ Jennifer Harris, Third Grade Teacher, $36,553.
+ Kathy Crissler, .75 ESL Teacher on variance, $39,187.
+ Kayla Schmiesing, Fourth Grade Teacher, $35,889.
+ Mark Kurseth, Special Education Teacher, $43,919.
+ Matt Beckendorf, Sixth Grade Teacher, $40,780.
+ Yolanda Geistfeld, Physical Education and Health, $18,277.
In other business
+ Accepted the resignation of Ben Petzel, Science Teacher on variance.
+ Approved the hiring of Lauren Collier as part-time Keyboard and Social Studies Instructor. She will replace Jeff Whitney.
+ Approved the budget for the 2017 fiscal year. The budget calculates an increase in the fund balance of $12,767. Changes to the budget included changes to administration salaries (the district doesn’t anticipate needed either an interim superintendent or curriculum coordinator), along with other adjustments due to personnel changes.
+ Approved B-OPS Acting Superintendent Sandi Novak and B-OPS Principal Barry Schmidt as the “identified officials” with the authority to access the Minnesota Department of Education’s (MDE) secure website for B-OPS. This will allow Novak to submit and authorize school district reports and meeting minutes on the MDE website.
+ Approved a resolution establishing the school board election process. The school board filing timeline will be from Tuesday, August 2 to Tuesday, August 16. Four board positions will be on this year’s ballot. They are Kristy Haseman, Diane Peterson, Tammy Wolle and Renae Meyer.
+ Next school board meeting will be Monday, July 18, at 6:30 p.m. in the Media Center of B-OPS.
