Board authorizes investigation into complaints against Lisa Shellum
The Butterfield-Odin Public School (B-OPS) School Board came to terms with its new half-time superintendent, approving a contract with Jerry Reker at a Tuesday, May 31 special meeting.
Butterfield-Odin Public School (B-OPS) Board Vice-Chair Leon Wenner and B-OPS Board Director Diane Peterson negotiated the contract with Reker.
The contract calls for a July 1, 2016 start date and an annual salary of $60,000 for 2016-2017 (for 120 days, or two-and-one-half days a week) and $62,000 for 2017-2018, plus benefits for use of his private vehicle and a personal stipend.
Approval was unanimous, with Wenner, Peterson, Board Chair Joel Penner, Board Clerk Tammy Wolle, Board Treasurer Andy Pierson and Board Director Kristy Haseman voting in favor. Board Director Renae Meyer was not in attendance at the meeting.
A total of seven individuals applied for the position, including former superintendent Lisa Shellum, as well as B-OPS K-12 Principal Barry Schmidt. Four of the applicants were from out-of-state. Reker and Schmidt were the two candidates presented to the board by Ed Waltman, a search consultant with South Central Service Cooperative (SCSC). Schmidt later withdrew his name from consideration after learning that he would not be offered a full-time position if selected.
Reker was interviewed on Tuesday, May 5. His hour-long candidate interview was open to the public, and the public was also given the opportunity to provide feedback to the board by completing an attribute point sheet on the candidate.
Prior to the interview, SCSC withdrew their services to the district. Waltman, along with Harold Remme, had been working free of charge with the district completing a candidate search. Waltman described the separation as an amicable departure.
Reker, a Fulda native, is a retired high school principal from Kasson/Mantorville Public Schools. He retired from that post in 2015 after serving the district for 17 years. Reker has a total of 40 years of experience as an educator.
After earning his undergraduate degree from Southwest Minnesota State University-Marshall, Reker’s first teaching position was at Logan-Magnolia High School in Logan, Iowa beginning in 1975. He taught in that school district for seven years. He then earned his principal certification from Mankato State University (Minnesota State University-Mankato) and began his first principal position in 1982 at Grand Meadow High School. Reker even served as superintendent in that district for year, also coaching football and wrestling. Reker also is a long-time wrestling official. From Grand Meadow, he served as principal for five years at Wabasha-Kellogg High School. He came to Kasson-Mantorville in 1998, retiring last year. Reker is married and has three children.
Reker has presented trading three work days from July to June to provide him the opportunity to work together with current B-OPS Superintendent Novak and K-12 Principal Barry Schmidt on the budget and professional development, as well as District Secretary Kathy Svalland and School Secretary Sandy Melheim on prepping for next school year. Superintendent Novak will check with School Attorney Kevin Rupp on pay for the days in June as the school’s contract with Reker does not begin until July 1.
Board closes meeting to discuss complaints against half-time B-OPS Principal Lisa Shellum
Board Chair Penner then closed the meeting pursuant to Minnesota Statute 13D.05, Subdivision 2(b). The meeting was closed to discuss approval of investigation and placement of Shellum on administrative leave. He offered Shellum the option to keep this part of the meeting opened, but she stated that, on the advice of her attorneys, it remained closed.
When the closed meeting was closed and the open meeting reopened, Pierson presented a motion, seconded by Wenner, to approve an investigation of Shellum and placement of her on immediate paid administrative leave from her principal duties due to complaints of alleged misconduct.
The motion was approved on a 4-2 vote; voting in favor were Pierson, Wenner, Penner and Wolle and against were Haseman and Peterson.
Penner presented a written statement that read, “Because of the restrictions contained in Minnesota’s data privacy laws, I am very limited in what I can say about Ms. Shellum’s situation. I can tell you that complaints have been made against Lisa Shellum and the School Board has authorized an investigation into those complaints. I cannot tell you what the complaints are. the investigation will be conducted by an impartial firm called NeuVest out of St. Paul, Minnesota. After the investigation is complete, the Board will review the information and determine our next steps, if any. I cannot tell you anything more about this situation due to data privacy laws.”
After the board decision, Shellum released this statement: “To the community, I am sorry that once again the dollars that should be used for the good of the district are going to be used to try to justify allegations that to me were not only profound but interesting at best. I truly wanted to keep the meeting open because the community deserves to know what these people are spending the taxpayer money on, but do respect the advice of my several attorney’s that suggested that it be closed. Justice is slow. In the meantime, I want everyone to know that I spoke with Mr. Reker, the new Superintendent, after his interview earlier this month. I thanked him for the answers to his questions and told him that he would be pleased, as he answered things the exact same way that we were doing business in our district. I shared with him that this school needed him. This is important for all to know as the transitions are made going forward. I wish him luck.”
