january-february 2010 journal magazine

MINNESOTA SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION

January-February 2010 Volume 62, No. 4

Double-dutySuperintendentsGetting it Right & Doing it Better

Sage Advice for New Board Members2010 MSBA LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE

DOING THE RIGHT THING

for Kids

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2 MSBA JOURNAL

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General LiabilityExcess Liability

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388446_JanFeb_10:_ 12/16/09 4:12 PM

CONTEN

TS JANUARY

/FEB

RUARY

2010 V

OLU

ME 62, N

UMBE

R 4 Calendar

Articles

Divisions

DOUBLE-DUTY SUPERINTENDENTS

Bruce Lombard

DOING THE RIGHT THING FOR KIDS

89th Annual Leadership Conference

GETTING IT RIGHT & DOING IT BETTER

Bruce Weinstein18SAGE ADVICE FOR NEW BOARD MEMBERS

Greg Abbott20SUPPORTING MILITARY FAMILIES

Laura Poppen24

16

8

STRAIGHT TALK

Bob Meeks, MSBA Executive Director

PRESIDENT’S COLUMN

Jackie Magnuson, MSBA President

ASK MSBA

Kirk Schneidawind, Associate Director of Governmental Relations3565

J A N U A RY 2 0 1 01 .............New Year’s Day (no meetings)4 .............Terms Begin for Newly Elected Board

Members12 ...........MSBA New Board Member Orientation

– Phase I, Minneapolis13 ...........MSBA Phase II Orientation, Minneapolis13 ...........MSBA Board of Directors’ Meeting13 ...........Early Bird Workshops14-15 ......MSBA Leadership Conference15 ...........MSBA Board of Directors’ Meeting18 ...........Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Birthday

Observed (no meetings)26 ...........Officers’ Workshop, Bemidji30 ...........Officers’ Workshop, Plymouth

F E B R UA RY 2 0 1 02 .............Precinct Caucus Day

(no meetings or activities after 6 p.m.)5 .............Officers’ Workshop, Mankato9 .............Minnesota School District Liquid Asset

Fund Plus Meeting11 ...........MSBA Insurance Trust Meeting15 ...........Presidents’ Day (no meetings)18 ...........Learn @ Lunch Webinar (New Rules

Around Unrequested Leave of Absence)18-19 ......MASBO Winter Conference 21 ...........MSBA Board of Directors’ Meeting22-26 ......MSBA School Board Recognition Week

MA R C H 2 0 1 07 .............Daylight Saving Time Begins9 .............Township Election Day

(no meetings or activities 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.)18 ...........Learn @ Lunch Webinar

(Finding Your Way Through PEERNet)18-19 ......MASA Spring Conference25 ...........MSBA Phase III, Bemidji25 ...........Joint Legislative Conference

The MSBA Journalthanks the students ofMonticello High School forsharing their art with usin this issue.

COVER ART: Jenny Latsch

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2010 3

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4 MSBA JOURNAL

Quotes of Note captures some of the more interesting statements MSBA staff have read in local, state and national publications.

Negotiations with teachers“I think two years fromnow it’s going to be alot worse for bothparties dealing withbudgets. I just don’tsee any new moneycoming from the statein the next four years.”Jerry Nesland,superintendent inMahnomen

Three nearbydistricts hiring a newsuperintendent at the same time“It is never easy to replace asuperintendent. There will be a littlecompetition betweenthe districts among thecandidates.”Brenda Woggon, SaukRapids-Rice school boardmember

Scrapping breaksbefore testingdates“We want moreinstructional daysbefore the testing. You take a week offand it kind of messeswith things.”Steve Jordahl,superintendent in St. Cloud

School nurse staffing“Generally in Minnesota, our schools are safe with thestaffing we have. Could they be doing more work withpreventative care and helping kids get their needs metmore timely? Yes. Can our system afford that? I think so,but I’m a little biased.” Cynthia Hiltz, health services coordinator for the Anoka-Hennepin School District

Effects of Gov. Pawlenty’s unallotment shift“You certainly don’t want to borrow more than you needand the danger of being short is pretty significant. Thelast thing you want to do is say ‘Gee, we’ll make payroll ina couple of weeks because we don’t have it right now.’” Chris Leinen, director of business services at Bemidji Schools

The biggest problem to improving educationMy big irritation is our inequitable school-funding model.Despite the Minnesota Constitution, which dictates a“general and uniform system of public schools,” we havecreated an uneven playing field of “haves” and “have-nots.” It’s a result of our reliance on voter-approvedproperty tax increases to fund education.

I don’t like to whine about our challenges, but we haveincreasing numbers in English as a Second Language,increasing poverty and increasing special needs. And ourfunding is flat. Educators, parents and school boards arespending way too much time and energy rattling the tincup for funding. Minnesota Superintendent of the Year Patty Phillips, North St.Paul-Maplewood-Oakdale

The results of the GRAD testI never thought that I would spend a large part of mytime worrying about the impact that state-mandatedtests would have on a large group of kids in our district.These tests have created a lot of stress and apprehensionfor those parents and students that have some level oftest anxiety or a slight learning disability. The tests havealso caused additional financial obligations for schooldistricts across the state to invest in numerous levels ofremediation to help students obtain the mandated levelsof comprehension. Paul Karelis, Worthington High School principal

OFFICERS

President: Jackie Magnuson, Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan

DISTRICT DIRECTORSDistrict 1: Mary Kleis, AustinDistrict 2: Kent Thiesse,

Lake Crystal Wellcome MemorialDistrict 3: Daniel Zimansky, Tracy AreaDistrict 4: Carol Bomben, Eden PrairieDistrict 5: Marilynn Forsberg, Spring Lake ParkDistrict 6: Rolf Parsons, White Bear LakeDistrict 7: Roz Peterson, LakevilleDistrict 8: Elona Street-Stewart, St. PaulDistrict 9: Karen Kirschner, MoraDistrict 10: Nancy Dashner, Frazee-VergasDistrict 11: Walter Hautala, Mesabi EastDistrict 12: Gary Lee, Fertile-BeltramiSTAFFBob Meeks:Executive DirectorBarbara Lynn:Executive Assistant/Director of Board OperationsJohn Sylvester:Deputy Executive DirectorTiffany Rodning:Deputy Executive DirectorGreg Abbott:Director of CommunicationsDenise Drill:Director of Financial/MSBAIT ServicesAmy Fullenkamp-Taylor:Associate Director of Management ServicesSandy Gundlach:Director of School Board ServicesBill Kautt:Associate Director of Management ServicesGrace Keliher:Director of Governmental RelationsKatie Klanderud:Director of Board DevelopmentBruce Lombard:Associate Director of CommunicationsBob Lowe:Director of Management ServicesKelly Martell:Director of TechnologyCathy Miller:Director of Legal and Policy ServicesSue Munsterman:MSBA AdvertisingKirk Schneidawind:Associate Director of Governmental RelationsMike Torkelson:Elections/Management Services Specialist

The MSBA Journal (USPS 352-220) is publishedbimonthly by the Minnesota School BoardsAssociation, 1900 West Jefferson Avenue, St.Peter, Minnesota 56082. Telephone 507-934-2450.Entered as Third Class matter at St. Peter,Minnesota, permit No. 6. Call MSBA office forsubscription rates. (Opinions expressed in theJournal are those of the writers and do notnecessarily represent MSBA policy.)

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IBob Meeks

MSBA Executive Director

“People don’tserve on schoolboards for thefame or themoney! Theyserve becausethey care fortheircommunitiesand are willingto withstanddifference ofopinion and the tedium ofdemocracy.”

It doesn’t take long when you work forMSBA to find inspiration from some ofour members. As our staff was compilinga list of awards for the LeadershipConference Awards Banquet, we ranacross a board member who had morethan 1,000 hours of MSBA training.Many people won’t be too surprised tofind out that it is Arlene Bush ofBloomington.

Her dedication to her local board alsosets a good example for board membersand students across the state: It’s alwaysimportant to keep learning; it’s alwaysimportant to get involved in theeducational issues you care about.

In her time with her board, she hasearned 1,155 credits and will be the firstrecipient of the MSBA DistinguishedSchool Board Member Award at thisyear’s luncheon.

Arlene knows that she can make adifference for students at the local level,and make a difference for students at astate level. She attends MSBA’sLeadership Conferences, SummerSeminars, has been to all the Phasetrainings, Advanced Board Academy andparticipated in Delegate Assembly andDay at the Capitol. She has put mucheffort into the MSBA Insurance Trust.She knows that the better she becomesas a board member, the better job she’lldo for her students. She is one of fiveboard members offering advice in thisissue of The Journal to new boardmembers coming into the job this year.And if I were new to being on a schoolboard, I’d listen to her every word.

It is rare to see someone accomplish somuch in their time on a school board.Arlene certainly deserves to be the firstperson awarded with our highest honor,the Distinguished School BoardMember Award.

About the same time as we were puttingthe final touches on Arlene’s award, ourstaff was reminded of a former boardmember and president of the MSBA

board (1969-1971), Glenn Engebretson.He was recently inducted into the Wallof Fame in Slayton for his 19 years ofschool board work. Nobody couldsummarize his dedication better than hisfamily, who wrote:

“Dad represents the best of the GreatestGeneration: people who endured hardtimes, served their country, lived livesraising families, working at jobs andgiving back to their communitiesthrough public service.

“Dad chose to serve the school systembecause he understood the foundationof a good, strong, benevolent andproductive society is a professionallystaffed school system with facilities oflasting quality.

“Dad LOVED his involvement ineducation and communicated hisrespect for teaching to his family.Evidence of this is that six of us are orhave been teachers.

“When I was a boy, if you had asked mewhat my dad did for a living I wouldhave said, “He’s a school boardchairman.” I remember him at his deskgoing over papers, budgets, phone callsand seeing visitors that came to discusseducation issues. I can see him gettingready for the Monday evening meetinggathering papers in his briefcase, hishearty laugh and firm handshake andhis polite manners.

“People don’t serve on school boards forthe fame or the money! They servebecause they care for their communitiesand are willing to withstand differenceof opinion and the tedium ofdemocracy.”

As we prepare for our conference, andfor School Board Member RecognitionWeek Feb. 22-26, I’m sure you have yourown examples of great school boardmembers who provide inspiration. Yourwork and dedication make me proud tobe a part of Your MSBA.

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STRAIGHTTALKWITH OUR MEMBERS, YOU DON’T HAVETO LOOK HARD TO FIND INSPIRATION

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6 MSBA JOURNAL

PRESIDENT’S COLUMNWHEN IT COMES TOTEACHING ANDLEARNING, CLASS SIZE DOES MATTER

T There is a belief by some that a goodteacher can be effective with everystudent, no matter their special learningneeds, the home environment theycome from each day or how many otherstudents are sitting in the same class.

As a parent, teacher and school boardmember, I can confidently state thatwhen it comes to the number ofstudents, class size does matter.

There are more than 32 students insome of my family and consumerscience classes this semester, more than300 students total. An increasingnumber of these students have speciallearning needs that require additionaltime and attention; the list of studentswith 504 plans and Individual EducationPlans (IEPs) grows larger each year.

This is a familiar situation in schooldistricts throughout our state, as flat statefunding forces school boards to maketough decisions to eliminate teachingpositions, which drives up class sizes.

No school board member wants to cutteaching positions. Likewise, schoolboard members do not want to use upall reserve funds and bring their districtto the brink of statutory operating debt.With no reserves left to fall back on,however, this is what is happening indistricts all across our state.

When I read about Janene Unke-Hanson’s fifth grade class in Anoka-Hennepin with 36 kids, I understoodwhere she was coming from when shesaid, “Who I feel worst for is thestudents. It’s crazy to think that they aregetting the best possible education.”

And her class isn’t the largest. I’ve heardof classes of 40 or more students insome school districts. Unless ourfunding situation changes, someeducation officials say this will be thenew norm for schools in Minnesota.

I certainly hope not.

The theme at this year’s LeadershipConference is “Doing the Right Thingfor Kids.” Giving them the best chancefor a quality education comes with acost. It also requires a backbone. Despitethe financial considerations of thedistrict, school board members need tostep up and do the right thing for kids.For students, there are no secondchances for an education; the time fortheir opportunity is now. It may meanputting your district in debt orsacrificing electives or co-curricularactivities. It may mean asking foranother levy when you just finishedasking for one two years ago.

Low class size isn’t the magic bullet foreverything. Leaders in education can’teven agree on what the optimal classsize is. The number depends on manyfactors, including the number ofstudents served with special needs andwhose primary language is not English.Like many things, you know the rightclass size when you see it. Whenelementary and middle school classesstart bumping over 30 students in aclassroom, it may be time to act.

Our keynote speaker for the conferenceis Bruce Weinstein, who brought us amessage about ethics and leadershipacross the board. As his article in the lastissue of The Journal demonstrates, yourtrue ethics are tested when times arehardest.

Board members are faced with manysituations where they are asked tobalance the needs of the students withthe realities of the budget. I just hopethat when you put your heads togetherto come up with options, you do theright thing for kids.

Board membersare faced withmany situationswhere they areasked to balancethe needs of thestudents withthe realities ofthe budget. I justhope that whenyou put yourheads togetherto come up withoptions, you dothe right thingfor kids.

Jackie MagnusonMSBA President

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T8 MSBA JOURNAL

The Caledonia and Fillmore Central school boardsheld a joint meeting recently for preliminary talksregarding a decision several smaller Minnesotaschool districts are opting for—sharing asuperintendent.

“We had a good discussion and listed some benefitsand some problems associated with sharing asuperintendent,” said Naomi Fruechte, Caledonia’sboard chair. “Both boards will discuss this further

at their own meetings coming up in the nextcouple of weeks, and will let each other know ofour decisions.”

Regardless what Caledonia and Fillmore Centraldecide, there certainly won’t be a shortage ofshared superintendents in the state.

Sandy Gundlach, MSBA’s Director of School BoardServices, said there are currently 12 superintendentsworking for more than one district.

Bruce Lombard

Anna Holtman

DOUBLE-DUTY SUPERINTENDENTS

The life

of a shared

superintendent

has its

challenges,

but most

bask in

the rewards

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“The number fluctuates slightly from year to year,”Gundlach said. “Every year more districts think about thisissue. Whether their question-asking and research leadsthem to a decision to share a superintendent is anotherquestion.”

Double dutyGalen Clow is one of those shared superintendents. In his12th year with Grygla-Gatzke and Goodridge, Clow startedboth jobs in August of the 1998-99 school year when theposition opened up between the two districts.

Though Clow admits that taking on two districtssimultaneously was “kind of a big step,” it wasn’t completelyforeign to him.

“Before that, I was a superintendent in Oklee . . . that wasan independent district but we shared activities withPlummer,” Clow said. “Almost all my administrativeexperience has been working with combinations betweendistricts. Prior to Oklee, I worked in the Erskine andMcIntosh districts, which became Win-E-Mac.”

Clow said his first thought about taking on a second districtwas simply, “I hope I can do it.”

Randy Grupe began working at Martin County West in 1989before adding Granada-Huntley-East Chain (GHEC) to themix in 1999.

Grupe said he had no hesitation in working for GHEC afterthe district originally approached him to help deal withtheir statutory operating debt.

“The assignment, when I started, was to run (GHEC’s)board meetings, do their books, finances and those suchthings . . . and it turned into negotiations and a few othersthings,” Grupe said.

Nowadays, Plainview-Elgin-Millville Superintendent GaryKuphal answers to only one district—but that wasn’t alwaysthe case.

During the 2006-07 school year, Southland—where Kuphalhad been working—and its adjacent school district, LeRoy-Ostrander, were both going through budget reductions.

Both districts had already been sharing some services, suchas athletics. A meeting between the two boards upped theante even more.

“However it got started, we kind of both said ‘You know,we’re going through budget reductions; is there anythingthat we might be able to share?’” Kuphal said. “We had acouple of joint board meetings and one of the things thatcame out was that (LeRoy-Ostrander’s) superintendent/elementary principal would not be with them during thenext year. We ultimately ended up sharing quite a bit.”

This sharing between Southland and LeRoy-Ostranderincluded some teaching positions, elementary principals—and Kuphal as superintendent.

Kuphal said he had no trepidation about taking on the dualrole. “I looked at it as a challenge and as an opportunity tolearn something from another district at the same time.”

Super scheduleGrupe’s districts—Martin County West in Welcome andGranada-Huntley-East Chain in Granada—lie 16 miles aparton Interstate 90. He said he sees the two as completelyseparate jobs.

“Martin County West is my full-time job,” Grupe said. “I doGranada-Huntley-East Chain on some evenings and oneweekend day. If I would need to be called over there for apersonnel issue, I take a half-day vacation from MartinCounty West.”

Grupe said that he made it clear to both boards that hisMartin County West job comes first. “If there was some typeof major event going for both schools, my children attendMartin County West, so I would go there,” he said.

He says he doesn’t have a hard time balancing between thetwo districts—but that doesn’t mean he’s not busy. As asuperintendent of two districts, that means double themonthly board meetings.

“The board meetings are on different nights,” Grupe said.“That’s been helpful. I would recommend that for anyonewho is trying to share districts. I wouldn’t try to do twoboard meetings (in the same night).”

Also keeping him busy: a double dose of teacher contractnegotiations.

“When we start negotiations, it’s not uncommon one night tobe negotiating from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. at one (district), andthe next night 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the other,” he said.

Kuphal’s schedule was organized differently at Southlandand LeRoy-Ostrander.

“The way we had it structured was that I would be primarilyat Southland, meaning four days a week or 80 percent ofmy time, and one day a week or 20 percent of the time Iwould be at LeRoy-Ostrander [where he was assignedWednesdays],” Kuphal said. “The reality was I probablyspent the equivalent of two days a week in LeRoy-Ostranderand four days a week in Southland because both of them,in that year, ran referendums.”

Kuphal worked under a Southland contract and LeRoy-Ostrander was billed by Southland for his services.

Despite the fact that Clow’s districts are 20 miles apart, hestructures his daily workday in order to spend time at bothlocations.

For example, on a Monday, Clow starts his day inGoodridge at 7:30 a.m. or 8 a.m. At noon, he travels toGrygla to spend the afternoon. The following morning, hestarts in Grygla and transfers back to Goodridge at noon.

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10 MSBA JOURNAL

DOUB

LE-DUTY SUPERINTENDENTS

“Every day of the week I go to both districts, unlessI’m needed for the entire day at one of the districts,”Clow said. “It’s just nice to be at both districts everyday because I like to touch base with the people inboth districts every day. They know I am available andthat’s important to my way of thinking.”

Clow added that he’s not into counting the hoursanyway.

“We are here to get the job done,” he said. “I don’treally go by hours. In addition to the school day, Iconsider it important to be at events and otheractivities.”

Clow said he has never had any complaints fromeither district about any time inequity in all his yearsof shared duty.

Nicolette Riehl, Clow’s board chair at Grygla-Gatzke,said the only notable scheduling run-in withGoodridge occurs during setting graduationceremony dates.

“We’ve been able to handle two (graduations) withswitching days and going back and forth every year,”Riehl said.

The best of both districtsWhen asked if he has a good relationship with bothof his school boards, Clow responded with a laugh, “Ihope so!”

And borrowing a sports cliché, he added: “I am onlyas good as my last school board meeting!”

“In my 11 years here, with 24 school board meetingsa year, I have only had one school board vote thatwasn’t unanimous,” Clow said. “I think things aregoing along quite nicely. I have a couple of greatboards to work with. They are very supportive andthey trust what we do. We work to keep theminformed at all times.”

Riehl, elected to the Grygla-Gatzke School Board twoyears before Clow arrived, said he is excellent to workwith.

“Galen is very focused and makes sure there’sadequate time at both schools,” Riehl said. “Eventhough he may be torn between the two schools, hejust ensures he is fully doing his job at both schooldistricts.”

Grupe said he feels the relationship with his MartinCounty West and GHEC boards, and between theboards themselves, has worked out well.

“I think if you would ever talk to some of the boardmembers from both, they would say it has really beengood for everyone involved,” he said. “They don’thave a concern of ‘He’s spending too much time overthere’ or ‘This didn’t work out.’”

Kuphal said one of his favorite aspects of thearrangement was the ability to learn from twodistricts at the same time.

“I could take the best of both districts,” he said. “Icould take the best from LeRoy-Ostrander and bringit to over to Southland, and take the best of theSouthland and bring it over to LeRoy-Ostrander. Ithink that is what happened. I think both districtsbenefitted from the result of that.”

Kuphal said other staff members that were sharedalso brought in different ways to look at things.

“The elementary principal was also shared and so hedid the same at the elementary,” he said. “He wasbringing the best of LeRoy-Ostrander over toSouthland and vice versa.”

Kuphal playfully recounted a very minor tiff thatoccurred with LeRoy-Ostrander’s certified staff whenhe once told them: “Well, at Southland, this is theway they do it.”

“And I was told very clearly, ‘we really don’t care howthey do it,’” Kuphal said, laughing. “So, I probablynever used quite that terminology again.”

Full circleWhile he got along with both school boards, Kuphalnoted that Southland and LeRoy-Ostrander did notnecessarily agree with every aspect of their sharedsuperintendent arrangement.

“Southland had me as their superintendent. LeRoy-Ostrander was looking for someone. In some ways,Southland had the upper hand. They had to kind ofagree to share me,” Kuphal said. “When it camedown to it, it was not unanimous on the SouthlandBoard, so there were some reservations.”

Kuphal said both boards agreed to commit to thisarrangement for one year. Either district could backaway from this shared agreement when the year wasover.

The boards met in February 2008 to review theprocess for the future. Kuphal said LeRoy-Ostranderdefinitely wanted to continue sharing him. However,the Southland board was noncommittal.

At that time, Kuphal said he had no plans on movingor looking for another job. “I would prefer, if I amhere, to continue being shared, and I told that toboth boards,” he said. “What happened waseverybody agreed that as long as I would be back fora second year, we would continue the sharing. If forsome reason I was not going to be coming back, thenwe would revisit whether or not we were going toshare.”

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Even though Kuphal said he was honest with the boardsthat February, he later decided to take the job at Plainview-Elgin-Millville. The job was offered to him in April 2008—two months after the boards held theirjoint session to revisit the sharedarrangement.

After Kuphal left, Southland decidedthey no longer wanted to share, andopted to advertise unilaterally for afull-time superintendent—which leftLeRoy-Ostrander on their own.

Kuphal said everything eventuallyworked out for both parties.

“The LeRoy-Ostrander highschool principal applied for theSouthland superintendent joband he got it,” he said. “LeRoy-Ostrander still needed a part-time superintendent, so theyended up hiring the retiredSouthland superintendent thatI replaced a few years earlier.They agreed to hire him on apart-time basis, two days aweek for the interim.”

And then Kuphal said thesituation recently came fullcircle. “Last spring, bothdistricts agreed to sharethe Southlandsuperintendent (SteveSallee), so now they areback where theystarted,” he said. “WhenI was shared, LeRoy-Ostrander paid 20percent of all myexpenses, salary andfringes. Now it’s a 50-50 arrangement.”

Two referendums, twodistricts, one yearClow and Grupe said they have conducted referendumcampaigns for both school districts, but never in the sameyear.

“We did a couple of back-to-back years and that probablyaged me some,” Grupe laughed. “You wouldn’t want to tryto pass two referendums in the same fall.”

Kuphal wasn’t as fortunate as his counterparts. Both of hisdistricts had referendums on the ballot, which obviouslykept him busy.

“I felt very fortunate in the fact that both of them passedthat year,” he said. “And they were both pretty big ones,adding on to and revoking existing ones. They were both inthe $1,440 range. And as it happened that year, there were

negotiations for both districts. It was interesting.”

Kuphal noted a keyadvantage inrunning tworeferendums atonce. “I think onereferendum helpedthe other. Bringingstrategies from onereferendum to theother was helpful.”

Triple playIn the game ofadministrative one-upmanship,Superintendent BruceHouck trumps them all.

Houck is not shared by“just” two districts—but bythree. He is currently doingtriple duty for Russell-Tyler-Ruthton (RTR), Lynd andHendricks.

Houck’s primary district, RTR,hired him in 2001. Three yearslater, the Lynd School Boardapproached RTR’s boardmembers, who agreed to letLynd purchase Houck’s services.In 2007, RTR also hired outHouck to the Hendricks SchoolDistrict.

Houck said he was on board withthe two agreements: “I thought itwould be exciting and it has beenvery exciting.”

“The transition (from one to threedistricts) has actually been quite easy,”

Houck added. “Because before RTR consolidated in 2006,they were three separate districts. So it was just kind of whatI was used to.”

By the time Hendricks joined up in 2007, you could arguethat Houck was unofficially serving five districts: (1) Lynd,(2) Hendricks and the freshly consolidated districts of (3)Russell, (4) Tyler and (5) Ruthton.

No matter how you count it up, Houck has plenty on hisplate. “It keeps me entertained,” he laughed.

Superintendents ServingMultiple Districts1. Mark AdamsGreenway and Nashwauk-Keewatin

2. Galen ClowGoodridge and Grygla-Gatzke3. Randy GrupeGranada-Huntley-East Chain and Martin

County West4. James GuetterOklee and Plummer5. Bruce HouckHendricks, Lynd and Russell-Tyler-Ruthton

6. Tom KnollCyrus Math, Science and Technology School

and Herman-Norcross7. Don LanganEly and International Falls

8. Brad MadsenDawson-Boyd and Lac qui Parle Valley

9. Harold PriorBrewster and Round Lake10. Ron Ruud

Greenbush-Middle River and Tri-County

11. Steve SalleeLeRoy-Ostrander and Southland

12. Loy WoelberLake Benton and Westbrook-Walnut Grove

388446_JanFeb_10:_ 12/16/09 4:14 PM

12 MSBA JOURNAL

DOUB


Houck says he manages his time well among thethree districts. “We have a good staff and I have threegood boards who make (my job) a lot easier to do.”

Houck said his weekly schedule takes him toHendricks on Monday, to RTR on Tuesday andWednesday, to Lynd on Thursday, and then back toRTR on Friday.

Houck notes that the three school boards are verygood about making adjustments for any schedulingconflicts, whether it be for board meetings oranything else. He adds that the boards are very goodabout not being concerned about whether he’ll makeit over to their districts in a given week.

“They understand that certain districts have differentcrises at different times,” he said. “They are veryflexible and that’s the big key—that everyone isflexible.”

Financially, Lynd and Hendricks each pay RTR for 20percent of Houck’s salary.

Prior to RTR’s 2006 consolidation, Houck dealt withthree referendums during the 2005 election season.That year, Russell, Tyler and Lynd all had measureson the ballot.

Houck said the multi-referenda experience was agood one. “We just made sure that everybody workedwith my schedule so that I could make sure I couldget there for the public meetings,” he said. “Itworked out quite well.”

The cooperation and working relationship amongthe three school boards has been important to thesuccess of the shared arrangement.

“We get the boards together a couple times a year sothey can discuss different items of where they want togo,” Houck said. “While every district has its owngoals and objectives and its five-year plan, there arestill a lot of pieces common among districts.”

The three districts do more than just share theirsuperintendent, too.

“I get a big kick out of listening to the governor andthe legislature talk about trying to do sharing,” Houcksaid. “We’ve far exceeded anything that they’veproposed. When they think they are coming up withsomething new, that’s old hat. The (shared services)bill would have cramped our style quite a bit.”

Along with sharing Houck, RTR and Lynd sharetransportation. All three districts share several staffmembers. Houck said that one of the best parts ofthe arrangement is being able to add more to thecurriculum for the students.

“We have cost savings (through) staff andtransportation, and we also go together on

purchasing supplies and equipment. We have dollarsfor curriculum and providing additional staff,” Houcksaid.

What’s Houck’s biggest piece of advice for districtsconsidering this option?

“You have to really set down the guidelines beforeyou start it . . . and how you are going to set up theboard meetings and the committee meetings,” hesaid. “Confidentiality is probably one of the bigpieces that’s there. How can they work together sothat it’s beneficial for both districts?”

Houck said that there is a confidentiality agreementamong the three boards that if something ishappening in another district, he will not talk aboutit to the other two. “Everybody likes to know what’sgoing on, but we have an agreement that if they wantto know, they have to contact that board,” he said.

Asked if he would ever consider returning to a one-district situation, Houck replied: “No, this is toomuch fun. It’s really enjoyable. It’s fun to watch andsee the different districts work together for thecommon goal of the kids. It’s just great.”

An ongoing trend?Gundlach envisions the shared superintendentapproach will remain an option in the years to come.

“I think that due to economics, more and moreschool boards are considering this option when theircurrent superintendent retires or moves on to aposition in a another district,” Gundlach said.

Kuphal concurs: “I believe that with decliningenrollment, with the state of the economy, withschool financing, we are going to see more sharedsuperintendents rather than less. Small districts justcan’t afford to pay for a full-time superintendent.”

One of the big questions is simply: Does it actuallysave money?

“(School districts) are looking for ways to save moneyand they think sharing a superintendent willaccomplish that goal. However, it’s not clear whetherall districts will see any cost savings with this option,”Gundlach said. “In some cases, they might find theyneed to hire additional staff to deal with the issues afull-time superintendent working for only one districtwould do, such as the financial management piece,like a school business manager or school businessofficial.”

Gundlach said the biggest “pro” for sharingsuperintendents is the public perception element.“The public believes the districts are trying to reducetheir costs and that makes them feel good,” she said.

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Responses from a sampling of around ahalf-dozen districts (out of 25) thatshare a superintendent revealed somesavings have been made. In some cases,additional staff has been hired; inother cases, minimal staffing—or nostaffing—has been required.

“There is no way we could justify a full-time superintendent and a full-timeprincipal,” Riehl said. “We have lessthan 200 kids in K-12. We have a greatprincipal and Goodridge has a greatprincipal, so they do a little bit of thehat-wearing of some of the items a full-time superintendent would do.”

Riehl adds: “Financially I think it worksout very, very well. (Clow) is stillmaintaining the status and that level ofincome (of a superintendent), andboth schools are still getting the servicethey need from a full-timesuperintendent without the cost.”

Tri-County School Board chair CoreyWikstrom said his district has saved aconsiderable amount of money bysharing a superintendent withGreenbush-Middle River without hiringany additional staff.

Kim Mitchell, the board chair at Lacqui Parle Valley, said her district hassaved money, but not as much as theyoriginally thought. “We have not hiredany new help, but with decliningenrollment, our needs are shifting, soour principals have taken on someextra duties.”

Lake Benton Board chair Tony Schwingsaid that sharing a superintendent withWestbrook-Walnut Grove wasn’tprimarily motivated by dollars andcents.

“When we decided to share a superintendent, it was not somuch for cost savings as much as attempting to have anadministrator in the building almost all the time,” Schwingsaid. “Superintendents attend a lot of meetings. We actuallyhad at least five schools or the superintendents themselvesoffer us services, which I believe was an attempt to cut costson their part.”

Gundlach said she often receives inquiries about sharedarrangements during her superintendent searchpresentations to smaller school districts.

“That’s almost always a question these days,” Gundlach said.“Board members want to know how many districts aresharing superintendents.”

Gundlach said she doesn’t make any recommendations fordistricts on this topic because it is ultimately a localdecision. “They are trying to figure out ‘how muchsuperintendent can we afford?’ That question is aninteresting one because what might look like an easysavings may end up costing the district a lot more, becausethe district doesn’t have a superintendent in the districtevery day to look out for the district’s legal, financial andother interests.”

Brittany Larson

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14 MSBA JOURNAL

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Positive experience“If you are a first-year superintendent to two districts, itwould be extremely difficult,” Kuphal said. “I think youneed to have some experience you can draw uponbefore you go into a shared position. Does that mean afirst-year superintendent can’t do it? No, I’m not sayingthat (but) it’s going to be tough. Your first year as asuperintendent is tough enough anyway. You’ll definitelybe torn and feel torn between the two districts, and thatyou don’t have enough time for either one.”

Kuphal said he would have been more than happy tocontinue as the shared superintendent at Southlandand LeRoy-Ostrander. “I felt that when the Plainview-Elgin-Millville offer came up it was a betteropportunity for me, personally and professionally.”

Although the experience was positive, Kuphal said hedoesn’t miss having two districts, but wouldn’t ruleout a dual role in the future. “Would I do it again?Sure. It depends on the circumstances.”

Grupe said serving two districts simultaneously has beena real positive experience that he’s thoroughly enjoyed.

“I love trying to do things for people, that’s part ofmy personality,” he said. “I also have a real fond spotin my heart for medium-sized to small districts. It’sjust been real satisfying to serve both districts. I thinkthey both would be considered successful unions. I

think if you would ever talk to some of the boardmembers from both, they would say it has really beengood for everyone involved.”

Grupe recommends anyone doing double duty shouldkeep strict documentation of their records to keepboth districts straight. “I have been real organizedwith my books and those types of things,” he said.

Clow said he finds working for two districtsrefreshing. “Each district has its own personality,” hesaid. “You have to be willing to adjust to that whenyou are working with them. The best part of the job isworking with the boards to be able to provide asmuch as we can for kids. It is very satisfying.”

Clow adds: “I just hope that anybody that isconsidering doing this kind of thing will be able tohave the same positive experience that I am having. Icouldn’t have asked for anything better than this. I’vebeen fortunate to have outstanding people to workwith in Grygla-Gatzke and Goodridge.”

When asked if he would ever go back to one district,Clow replied: “I could, but I do like the flexibility ofgoing to two districts in one day. I like the idea. It’s alittle bit more challenging and a little bit more fun.”

Bruce Lombard is the Associate Director of Communicationsfor the Minnesota School Boards Association. You can reachhim at [email protected].

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Dr. BruceWeinsteinThursday, Jan. 14Doing the Right Thing

Ethical dilemmas arise every day—from getting backtoo much change at the grocery store to issues as aboard member. It might even be said that ethicalstandards can fall by the wayside when the pressure ison. Nationally known ethics expert Bruce Weinsteinexamines how to lead a more ethical, and ultimatelymore fulfilling life at and away from the board table.

Bryan TownsendFriday, Jan. 15Making Good ThingsHappen

Good things do not happen by accident. They happenon purpose when people who care about the rightthings accept responsibility and do whatever it takes tomake good things happen, even in difficult situations.Join Bryan as he takes a humorous look atinterpersonal relationships and what it takes to makegood things happen in this world of people.

It’s not easy to do the right thing, especially when timesare tough. But Minnesota educators need to do the rightthing for kids, even when others don’t. When statefunding falls short year after year, when parents don’tparticipate in the education of their kids, when operatinglevies fail, school boards and school leaders are the lastresort for kids. The many challenges faced by schoolsdoes not give anyone an excuse to cut corners or takethe easy way out because we all need to do the rightthing for our children. MSBA’s annual conference ispacked with information and inspiration to help schoolleaders focus on how to improve as a board, as a districtand as a place of high achievement for every student.The General Session speakers will bolster your courageto put your students first and do the right thing.

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

T

A

T

DOING THE RIGHT THING

for KidsMinnesota School Boards Association

89th Annual Leadership Conference

January 14-15, 2010Minneapolis Convention Center

16 MSBA JOURNAL

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t

g

ct

PRE-CONFERENCETRAINING SESSIONSPhase I: New Board MemberOrientation7 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 12, Hilton Minneapolis

As a new board member, hit the ground running byattending this session. Phase I covers the role of theschool board, the role of the superintendent, and commonscenarios new board members may face.

Phase II Orientation8:45 a.m. – 3 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 13, Hilton Minneapolis

Phase II includes the mandatory financial training schoolboards are required to have by state law. The session alsocovers core topics such as the budget, school financing,local levies, policies, significant laws affecting schoolboards, collective bargaining and personnel issues.

EARLY BIRDSLeading by LeveragingYour Mission1 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 13,Hilton MinneapolisTuition: $50, walk-ins add $10

Presenter: Donna Rae Scheffert,University of Minnesota EmeritusExtension Professor

There are not enough resources today for fulfilling manyimportant public missions by “going it alone.” That is whyschools, hospitals, local governments and others aretapping talent that is not on their payroll. How do youactivate residents, business executives, nonprofit staff,public managers and others in contributing to your missionof education? Find out how to put others in action.

Put a Spark in Your Student’s Life7 p.m. – 9 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 13,Minneapolis Convention CenterTuition: $50; walk-ins add $10

Presenter: Dr. Peter Benson, author and Search Institute founder

Dr. Peter Benson, creator of Search Institute’s 40Developmental Assets, will lead a discussion on a simple,yet powerful plan for awakening the spark that lives insideeach and every young person. Based on his recent book,“Sparks, How Parents Can Help Ignite the HiddenStrengths of Teenagers,” Dr. Benson will share strategiesto help adults provide support and guidance for youngpeople to experience joy, energy and direction in schooland in life. Attend this session to learn ways you canchange a young person’s life from one of“surviving” to “thriving.”

Responding Effectively to the Media inTimes of Crisis7 p.m. – 9 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 13, MinneapolisConvention CenterTuition: $50; walk-ins add $10

Presenters: Scott Libin, WCCO-TV News Director;Shamus O’ Meara, Esq., Partner, Johnson & Condon;Thomas Heffelfinger, Esq., Partner, Best & Flanagan;Brett Johnson, Assistant Director of Communications &Public Relations for Anoka-Hennepin SchoolsModerator: David Kyllo, Senior Vice President,Riverport Insurance Company

Bomb threats, pandemics, shootings, weather disasters . . .the pressure is on and the media wants answers. Join thediscussion of a panel of experts on how Minnesota schooldistricts can prepare for and respond to the media when acrisis hits and people demand answers. Discuss the roleof administrators, staff and other school leaders in thecrisis management and media relations process. Hearpractical suggestions and recommendations for yourschool district based on real crisis experiences ofMinnesota school districts.


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18 MSBA JOURNAL

CCan you imagine what it would be like if you had to drive to Chicago orDenver, and we had no interstate highway system? What if we had no cellphones, no Internet and no e-mail? Suppose there was no GPS, no ATM, noDVDs and not even VCRs.

What if there was no change? Some people say we are resistant to change.That’s crazy! People who oppose change still ride around in buggies pulled byhorses and draw their water from a well. In this country, most of us embracechange.

We took to the interstate highway system right well. Today, you get in a panic ifyou leave home without the cell phone you didn’t have just a few years ago.The acceptance of the Internet, e-mail and social networking has beenstaggering.

Reasonable people understand all change is not progress. However, we mustconcede, all progress is change.

Bryan Townsend

Getting it Right & Doing it Better

Courtney Hanala

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r Have you ever wondered, where did all of this positivechange come from? How did we get Post-it notes,pacemakers, heart transplants, cruise control and i-phones?

It’s a two-step process. Progress comes from those who firstdetermine to do whatever it is that they do, well. They areinsistent about getting things right.

Then, these determined people insist on finding ways to doit better. Those who constantly and consistently look forways to improve are the ones who bring us progress andinnovation. It’s easy to imagine where we would be withoutthem. We’d be a nation of uninformed pedestrians.

From Henry Ford to Bill Gates and beyond, we are a nationof people who not only adapt to change, we seek it, plan forit, long for it, cause it to happen and then embrace it. Inaviation, health care, communication, transportation,public education, and many other fields, we have led theworld.

Leadership is sired by vision. Henry Ford had the vision tosee a horseless world. Bill Gates had the vision to see aworld where mom & pop, and little brother and little siscould take advantage of the power of the computer.

They say as a second grader, Wernher Von Braun’s teacherasked him what he wanted to do when he grew up. LittleWernher said, “I want to go to the moon!” Don’t you supposethat came as quite a shock to his teacher back in 1920? Doyou suspect she assumed this little kid was quite thedreamer?

While Wernher never made it to the moon himself, he didlead us there. And when Neil Armstrong stepped on thesurface of the moon in 1969 and said, “One small step forman, one giant leap for mankind,” Wernher’s dream cametrue.

Thomas Edison was obsessed with finding ways to do thingsbetter. His legendary method was to get it wrong until youlearn how to get it right.

Thomas Edison worked long and hard through the middle of the night.

He set out to make a discovery, he’d call it electric light.

Tom struggled in his efforts to invent,

What could he use to make the filament?

When the light came on, Tom exclaimed

No wonder it took such pursuing,

It’s been so doggone dark in here,

I couldn’t see what I was doing!

In the early years of our republic, the idea of publiceducation was almost as radical as thoughts of going to the

moon must have been in 1920. And no doubt, in the earlygo, those who were passionate about public education quiteoften made mistakes. But just look at how far we havecome!

Public education has produced the largest middle class andthe most productive work force in the world. And whileperfection is a myth in this world, we continue to strive toget it right and make it better. Our success in this arena,more than any other, makes the big difference between ournation and most of the others of the world.

Educated people are not easily led astray by demagoguesand dictators. Educated people are better prepared to dotheir jobs well, and as already stated, this is the launchingpad for progress. Those who get it right and look for waysto do it better, lead us to the moon, give us cell phones,heart transplants and all of the other wonderful things thathave made such a wonderful change in this old world ofours.

Bryan Townsend is an author and humorist. He is the keynotespeaker for MSBA’s Leadership Conference on Friday. His booksinclude Making Good Things Happen and Life is anAdventure.

Public education has

produced the largest

middle class and the

most productive work

force in the world.

And while perfection

is a myth in this

world, we continue to

strive to get it right

and make it better.

388446_JanFeb_10:_ 12/16/09 4:16 PM

20 MSBA JOURNAL

TThe New Year welcomes in 87 new board members who wereelected to school boards across the state in November. And asthey take the oath and pull up a chair at the board table, MSBAthought it would be good to offer some advice from experts—board members who have spent many years on their boardsand spent many hours receiving training and attendingconferences of all kinds.

So MSBA went to its database and pulled up the top five boardmembers in the state with the most hours of training andcredits: Arlene Bush from Bloomington; Dianne Kimm ofPelican Rapids; Arnie Michalicek of Maple Lake; Roy Nelson ofRed Lake and Kathi Thymian of Ortonville.

Greg Abbott

Jeramie Forsman

SAGE ADVICE FOR NEWBOARD MEMBERS

And words of

wisdom for all

board members

to remember

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Never Stop LearningThe best piece of advice from many of the members is tosimply keep on learning.

“Every board member comes in with the idea that they knowwhat’s going to happen when they get on the board, andusually it doesn’t turn out that way,” said Kimm. “There arevery good training programs set up so board members canlearn to do things right the first time. And for veteran boardmembers, things change so much in the educationenvironment that you have to stay current. When anopportunity comes up for training, you have to take advantageof it.”

Bush, who has more than 1,100 hours of training, agrees thatmost people have no idea of what is involved in being on aschool board. It’s a position where the more you delve in tothe duties, the more there is to learn.

And Thymian says the learning can come outside the seminarsand conference workshops just as much as inside the seminars.

“The chance to talk with other board members from aroundthe state is valuable, too. You can get tried and true ideas. Youwill find that some of the same topics will come up at yourmeetings. If you find one of the topics to be an interest to you,that could be your starting topic to learn about,” Thymian said.

Nelson said the best seminars he went to were MSBA’s Phasesessions. He urges new board members to attend those as soonas they are offered.

“The knowledge that you possess, you can pass on to your staffand superintendent,” he said. “It’s just as important as teachertraining and staff development. This is a board member’s staffdevelopment.”

Know Your Role as a Board MemberFor Bush, the hardest thing for a board member to learn is tounderstand a board’s role. “It’s tough to focus on governanceand stay out of administrative business. But it’s important toknow what a board member does and draw that line betweenwhat you do and what the superintendent is supposed to do.

We’re there for the students, not to take over theadministrative process,” Bush said.

Michalicek can put the process in real-life terms: “Most boardmembers have very little experience in the operation of aschool. You wouldn’t expect the manager of a McDonald’s tobe able to step in and manage a computer networking facility.It is the same way in schools. As a board, you are responsible tothe public for the policy of the school, and the superintendentcarries out that policy and maintains the operations.”

The Board is a Team, Not Six or Seven Lone RangersThere is a tendency for some new board members to act likethe Lone Ranger because they come in knowing what they liketo see changed, said Kimm. “But we are part of a team. It’simportant for public perception that we can reach consensusand provide a safe learning environment for children. Andthat is NOT a one-person job.”

Michalicek said it is really hard at the beginning not to thinkeverything should change now that you are on the board. “Youhave to remember that you have no power of your own andtotal power as a board. So if you want to accomplish somethingyou will need the rest of the board. Ultimately you need thesuperintendent also,” he said.

Job One: It’s All About the KidsThymian sums up her board duties concisely: KIDS, KIDS, KIDS.

“That is what we are all about. But it isn’t as easy to do as Ithought it would be. For example, if you believe that havingsmall classes for K-3rd grade is very important for theirdevelopment, then you have to be willing to put out the extradollars,” she said.

Kimm sees two priorities that go hand in hand. Children arethe first priority, she said. “We are part of an important teamworking for the best interests of our most precious asset—ourchildren, who are the future of our community. What we doaffects them, so we’d better move ahead as a group. That

Arlene Bush Dianne Kimm Arnie Michalicek Roy Nelson Kathi Thymian

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22 MSBA JOURNAL

SAGE

ADV

ICE

FOR NE

W BOA

RD M

EMBE

RSmeans keeping an open mind and being a good listener.We always have lots to say, but we often forget to listen.”

Being Prepared for Board MeetingsMichalicek said it is important to understand that beinga school board member is a full-time job—or at leastunderstand that you are on duty all the time. Whatboard members say and do will influence the way thecommunity sees the school. That’s why being preparedfor meetings is important.

“If you come to a meeting unprepared, it can beembarrassing or boring. Either way, it will make youwonder, why am I wasting my time here,” he said.

Thymian said that being prepared is easy to do. “Readall the information in your packets. Ask questions aboutanything you don’t understand. Remember that thereare no dumb questions.”

Be Willing to Make ToughDecisions That Benefit AllStudentsBush remembers her first year on the board—herdaughter had just started high school. A year later, shewas part of the board that closed that school.

“I was faced with a difficult decision from the verybeginning,” she said. “We had three high schools. Theone we closed was wonderful, but we had less than halfof the students we used to, and we had to make the bestpossible use of the money we get. I see many districtsnot closing schools and not changing boundariesbecause it is hard. But it is something you have to do soyou have the money and programs to help kids.”Ironically, she will be looking at possible boundarychanges again soon.

Kimm said new board members’ toughest decisions willalways come down to money—especially with the statefacing another huge deficit.

“It’s getting to be an impossible solution to a difficultproblem,” she said. “Our board is in the middle of thatwith levy attempts failing. Balance is the hard part. Youcan’t please everyone, but our priority is for the studentsin our building. I think it means we have to be creative,look for other sources of funding, and look at whatother communities are doing right and learn from oneanother. It may also mean putting in a lot of time toconvince the Legislature that kids’ education can’t bevoted up or down.”

Avoid the Common Stumbling BlocksNelson said the best thing new board members can do isto always keep lines of communication open. Talk toyour superintendent. Talk to other board members.

“You and your board have hired a superintendent to runyour schools. So if you have questions, ask yoursuperintendent,” he said.

Thymian has seen many board members burn outbecause they come on board wanting to be liked byeveryone. “So they try to please everyone. And as thesaying goes, you end up pleasing no one.”

Michalicek agrees that it is very important that you listento your constituents and be sure they know you valuewhat they say.

“DO NOT just agree with them to get them off yourback and then go out and do what you want anyway,” hesaid. “If you don’t think their idea is what is needed,tactfully tell them. It is really hard as a citizen to thinkyour board member is on your side and then find outthey really didn’t agree and voted the opposite of whatyou were told.”

If there are two things that trip up new board members,Michalicek said it is not understanding the commitmentbefore running, and not getting training on what aboard member should do.

“Getting training to understand what your role is andhow it intermixes with the administration, staff andother board members is so important. I have seen boardmembers who come in thinking they know how schoolsshould be run. That training will help them understandthe dos and don’ts,” he said.

Their Best Advice, in a NutshellBush: Work as a team for your students—that means nosurprises at the board table.

Michalicek: DON’T hold a grudge. Sometimes themajority will be on your side and sometimes they won’t.There will be times that you need to say, “I don’t agree,but the majority rules.” Drop it and go on to the nextdiscussion.

Thymian: Kids, Kids, Kids. Remember that you are therefor your kids.

Kimm: Children are always your first priority.

Nelson: Your best decisions are usually made from theheart with kids in mind. It’s usually the right decision.

Greg Abbott is the Director of Communications for theMinnesota School Boards Association. You can contact him [email protected].

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24 MSBA JOURNAL

TThere are nearly 15,000 youth in the state of Minnesota whoare affected by deployment, yet when asked, some teachersare not aware they have a military-connected youth in theirclass. Minnesota is unique in that it does not have a singleactive duty military installation but is home to all branchesof the Armed Forces. A military installation offers supportand resources to families and youth who are impacted bydeployment.

Since there is not an active duty installation, servicemembers and their families have to rely on their civiliancommunities, friends, educators, and extended family forsupport during the cycle of deployment. The impact ofdeployment is extended beyond the service member’s child;younger siblings, neighbors, teachers, and extendedrelatives are also affected.

Anna Holtman

Supporting Military Families

Laura Poppen

Deploymentaffects more than15,000 youth

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Three phases of deploymentThe deployment cycle has three phases: pre-deployment,deployment, and post-deployment. The pre-deploymentphase is when service members are told they are going tobe activated and they need to prepare themselves and theirfamily. There are many emotions that occur in this stagethat affect the whole family, including shock, surprise,denial, sadness, and anger. A service member and familyneed to prepare for the year of separation, have all theirpaperwork in order, write a will, connect with extendedfamily members, and make sure the youth involved aretaken care of during the deployment.

During the deployment phase there are mixed emotions ofgrief and loss combined with relief, feelings of beingoverwhelmed or abandoned, as well as numbness, sadness,security issues, sleep difficulties, and separation anxiety.

The post-deployment phase is a unique time as well forfamilies and service members, where a range of emotionsare experienced again. The anticipation of reunion can beas stressful as the anticipation of deployment. Families whohave gone through the cycle of deployment have felt joy,fear, anxiety, and even anger during a time of reunion. Afamily has had to learn how to live life for a year without amajor part of their family and then during the reunion, afamily has to readjust. Some families are able to adaptsuccessfully and others may have had a more difficultexperience. There are unique challenges that happenduring a deployment and each family responds differentlywith different levels of success.

Look for signs of stress in youthMany military-connected youth are resilient and adaptive;however, there are profound effects on youth due to warand long periods of stress. Youth and teens can have severereactions during the cycle of deployment. For example, achild three years or younger may have regressive behaviors,difficulty being consoled, and increased clinginess, andyouth aged three to five experience fear of being separatedfrom loved ones, increased temper tantrums, and sleepdisturbances. Older youth and teens who were typicallygood students in class might experience dropping grades,isolation from peers, anger, bullying, fighting, numbing,and risk-taking behaviors in response to a deployment.

It is important for military children with a deployed parentto connect with caregivers, youth leaders, teachers andschool support staff to be aware of the particular needs ofyouth and work with the parents to support their youth.Teachers and caregivers are with a student for the majorityof a day and week and they are sometimes the first to noticea change or stress in a youth. Teachers and caregivers play acritical role in supporting and promoting resiliency inyouth. It is important to maintain stability, continuity, andtraditions as much as possible throughout the cycle ofdeployment.

Becoming a Yellow RibbonSchoolSchool administration, educators, and support staff haveanother opportunity to support military-connected youth inthe state of Minnesota. Schools have the option to becomeYellow Ribbon Schools. Educators, administration, and staffcan go through training to be educated on the challengesand stress youth face during the deployment cycle. Schoolstaff then can develop a youth network to organize aprogram that raises awareness and uniquely supportsmilitary youth in their schools and districts. All studentsbenefit from the global perspective our military servicemembers can provide.

To get started in becoming a Yellow Ribbon School, thereare 4 steps to consider:

1. Review the action plan requirements located on theBeyond the Yellow Ribbon, BTYR, Web site.

2. Have your school superintendent contact the state youthcoordinator to begin the process.

3. Conduct a training within your district.

4. Create and submit an action plan for approval. Theprocess and contact information needed to start theprocess is located at www.beyondtheyellowribbon.org.

There are 12 modules educators and school personnel cango through on topics such as Minnesota’s Military Culture,Deployment Cycle for Education Professionals, YourRole–Support for Children and Youth, and more. There is acertificate that is printed off after each module iscompleted and used for CEUs for educators. Thedesignated group then decides how they want to implementthe Yellow Ribbon program in their school, and submits theaction plan to the state youth coordinator. The YellowRibbon Chief will review and confirm the plan for approvaland then each school that completes the process willreceive the Governor’s Proclamation.

Source: Deployment Support Handbook, 2007.

Laura Poppen is the State Youth Coordinator for the MinnesotaNational Guard. You can reach her at [email protected].

388446_JanFeb_10:_ 12/16/09 4:17 PM

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ActuaryHildi Incorporated(Jill Urdahl)11800 Singletree Lane, Suite 305 Minneapolis, MN 55344952-934--5554, Fax [email protected] Iwaarden Associates(Jim Van Iwaarden)10 South Fifth Street, Suite 840Minneapolis, MN 55402-1010612-596-5960, Fax [email protected]

Architects/Engineers/Facility PlannersArchitects Rego + Youngquist inc.(Paul Youngquist)7601 Wayzata Blvd., Suite 200St. Louis Park, MN 55426952-544-8941, Fax [email protected]&RPlanners/Architects/Engineers(Paul W. Erickson)8501 Golden Valley Rd., Suite 300Minneapolis, MN 55427763-545-3731, 800-545-3731Fax [email protected] Group Architecture, P.A.(Judith Hoskens)201 Main Street SE, Suite 325Minneapolis, MN 55414612-379-3400, Fax [email protected] Group(Troy W. Miller)520 Nicollet Mall, Suite 200Minneapolis, MN 55402612-977-3500, Fax [email protected] Architecture & Interiors, Inc. (Robert Ames)PO Box 306Moorhead, MN 56560218-236-1202, Fax [email protected]

INSPEC, INC.(Fred King)5801 Duluth St.Minneapolis, MN 55422763-546-3434, Fax [email protected] Architects(Bryan Paulsen)209 S. Second Street, Suite 201Mankato, MN 56001507-388-9811, Fax 507-388-1751www.paulsenarchitects.combryan@paulsenarchitects.comPerkins + Will(Ted Rozeboom)84 10th Street S., Suite 200Minneapolis, MN 55403612-851-5000, Fax [email protected], Inc.(Rick Wessling)18707 Old Excelsior Blvd.Minnetonka, MN 55345952-474-3291, Fax [email protected] Architects and Engineers(Scott McQueen)305 St. Peter StreetSt. Paul, MN 55102651-227-7773, Fax [email protected]

AttorneysAdams, Rizzi & Sween, P.A.(Steven T. Rizzi, Jr.)300 First Street NWAustin, MN 55912507-433-7394, 877-443-2914Fax: [email protected] Kennedy & Graven Chartered(Gloria Blaine Olsen)200 South Sixth Street, Suite 470Minneapolis, MN 55402612-337-9300, Fax 612-337-9310www.kennedy-graven.comgolsen@kennedy-graven.comKnutson, Flynn & Deans, P.A.(Thomas S. Deans)1155 Centre Pointe Dr., Suite 10Mendota Heights, MN 55120651-222-2811, Fax [email protected]

Pemberton, Sorlie, Rufer & Kershner, PLLP(Mike Rengel)110 N. MillFergus Falls, MN 56537218-736-5493, Fax [email protected], Roszak & Maloney, P.A.(Kevin J. Rupp)730 Second Ave. S.300 U.S. Trust Bldg.Minneapolis, MN 55402612-339-0060, Fax [email protected]

Construction Mgmt. & ProductsBossardt Corporation(John Bossardt)8300 Norman Center Drive, Suite 770Minneapolis, MN 55437952-831-5408 or 800-290-0119Fax [email protected] Construction Company(Jon Kainz)2277 W. Highway 36, Suite 210WRoseville, MN 55113651-227-0631, Fax 651-227-0132www.donlarcorp.comjon.kainz@donlarcorp.comKraus-Anderson Construction Co.(Mark Kotten)PO Box 158Circle Pines, MN 55014763-786-7711, Fax [email protected] Safe Surfacing Initiative, LLC(Shannon Godwin/Tim Mahoney)PO Box 506Carlisle, IA 50047866-345-6774, Fax: [email protected]@nssi-usa.comR. A. Morton and Associates(Becky Fulton)3315 Roosevelt Road, Suite 100St. Cloud, MN 56301320-251-0262, Fax [email protected]

Wells Concrete Products Company(Spencer Kubat)835 Highway 109 NEWells, MN 56097800-658-7049, Fax [email protected]

Educational Programs/Services Minnesota State Academies for the Deaf and Blind(Linda Mitchell)615 Olof Hanson Dr.PO Box 308Faribault, MN 55021-0308800-657-3996/507-384-6602Fax [email protected]

Electrical & Communications, Service & Construction Peoples Electric Company(Dean Larson)277 East Fillmore AvenueSt. Paul, MN [email protected]

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)The Sand Creek Group, Ltd.(Joan Sirotiak)610 N. Main Street, #200Stillwater, MN 55082651-430-3383, Fax [email protected]

Energy SolutionsJohnson Controls, Inc.(Arif Quraishi)2605 Fernbrook Lane N.Plymouth, MN 55447763-585-5148, Fax [email protected]

Environmental ConsultantsU.S. Green Building Council -Minnesota Chapter(Sheri Brezinka/Jennifer Tuttle)5353 Wayzata Boulevard, Suite 207Minneapolis, MN 55416Brezinka: 952-564-3068Tuttle: [email protected]@kke.com

28 MSBA JOURNAL

MSBA’s Vendor Directory helps connect school districts with the products and services they need. The directory is always at yourfingertips. You’ll find it printed in the back of every Journal magazine as well as on the MSBA Web site at www.mnmsba.org.Most listings in the Web version of this directory include a link so you can head instantly to a Web site or e-mail address. Thedirectory includes everything you need to know to contact a company quickly—phone numbers, fax numbers and addresses—inan easy-to-read format. If you have a service or product you would like included in this directory, please contact SueMunsterman at 507-934-2450 or [email protected].

MSBA’s VENDOR DIRECTORY

388446_JanFeb_10:_ 12/16/09 4:17 PM

Financial ManagementPaySchools(Patrick Ricci)6000 Grand Ave.Des Moines, IA 50312281-545-1957, Fax: [email protected] Asset Management, LLC -MSDLAF+(Donn Hanson)45 South 7th Street, Suite 2800Minneapolis, MN 55402612-371-3720, Fax [email protected], Inc.(Jodie Zesbaugh)900 Long Lake Road, Suite 220St. Paul, MN 55112651-633-2223, Fax 651-633-2229www.sunergi.com [email protected]

Fire and SecurityPeoples Electric Company(Sheldon Crabtree)277 East Fillmore AvenueSt. Paul, MN [email protected]

Food Service Products & ServicesLunchtime Solutions, Inc.(Chris Goeb)PO Box 2022North Sioux City, SD 57049605-235-0939, Fax 605-235-0942www.lunchtimesolutions.com [email protected], Inc.(Jody Pacholke)5570 Smetana Dr.Minnetonka, MN 55343952-945-0505, Fax 952-945-0444www.taher.com [email protected]

InsuranceMinnesota School BoardsAssociation Insurance Trust(MSBAIT)(Denise Drill, John Sylvester)1900 West Jefferson AvenueSt. Peter, MN 56082-3015800-324-4459, Fax 507-931-1515www.mnmsba.org [email protected]@mnmsba.org

Playground EquipmentMSBA Playground ComplianceProgram(Shannon Godwin/Tim Mahoney)PO Box 506Carlisle, IA 50047866-345-6774, Fax: [email protected]@playgroundcompliance.com

Public FinanceWells Fargo Securities, LLC(Pam Lang and Mary Webster) 608 Second Ave. S. - 10th Floor;MAC: N9303-105Minneapolis, MN 55479Lang: 605-341-9945/800-267-1262Webster: 612-667-3110Fax 605-341-7696www.wellsfargo.com/publicfinance [email protected]@wellsfargo.com

RoofingFour Seasons Energy EfficientRoofing, Inc.(Darrell Schaapveld) 410 Quant Ave. NorthMarine on St.Croix, MN 55047651-433-2443, Fax [email protected]

School Supplies/FurnitureStaples Advantage(Michael Teetzel)1233 W. County Road EArden Hills, MN 55112651-234-4036, Fax [email protected]

Software SystemsSkyward, Inc.868 3rd Street South, Suite 101Waite Park, MN 56387800-236-7274www.skyward.comSunergi, Inc.(Jodie Zesbaugh)900 Long Lake Road, Suite 220St. Paul, MN 55112651-633-2223, Fax 651-633-2229www.sunergi.com [email protected]

TechnologySunergi, Inc.(Jodie Zesbaugh)900 Long Lake Road, Suite 220St. Paul, MN 55112651-633-2223, Fax [email protected]

Technology EducationPaySchools(Patrick Ricci)6000 Grand Ave.Des Moines, IA 50312281-545-1957, Fax: [email protected]

Temperature Control & Building AutomationSystem One Control/Peoples Electric Company(Bill Gausman)277 East Fillmore AvenueSt. Paul, MN [email protected]

TransportationHoglund Bus Co., Inc.(Jason Anderson)116 East Oakwood DrivePO Box 249Monticello, MN 55362763-295-5119, Fax 763-295-4992www.hoglundbus.comsalesmanager@hoglundbus.comMinnesota School Bus OperatorsAssociation(Shelly Jonas)10606 Hemlock St. NWAnnandale, MN 55302320-274-8313, Fax [email protected] Transportation Group(Todd Telin)14995 Industry AvenuePO Box 10Becker, MN 55308763-262-3328, Fax [email protected]


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30 MSBA JOURNAL

AdvertisersATS&R ..........................................................................Page 27

DLR Group .....................................................................Page 7

Donlar Construction ...................................................Page 14

Four Seasons Energy Efficient Roofing, Inc. .............Page 23

Hoglund Bus Co., Inc. ................................................Page 29

Kennedy & Graven Chartered ....................................Page 26

Knutson, Flynn & Deans, P.A. .....................................

MSBA Board Training..................................................Page 32

MSBAIT...........................................................................Page 2

MSDLAF+ .....................................................................Page 27

Ratwik, Roszak & Maloney, P.A. .................................Page 15

Skyward, Inc..................................................................Page 26

Taher, Inc. ......................................................................Page 7

Telin Transportation Group ........................................Page 23

Wells Fargo Securities, LLC...........................................Page 2

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What is the role of the GovernmentalRelations Division of MSBA?

The primary responsibility of theGovernmental Relations Division is toassure a statewide perspective,reflecting positions supported byschool board members, is given onsubjects and issues regarding all aspectsof Minnesota’s public schools.

The services of the GovernmentalRelations Division include workingwith legislative committees, individualstate and national legislators and theirstaff, numerous state agencies, andrepresentatives of the executivebranch.

How does the Minnesota SchoolBoards Association establish theirpositions for which they advocate?

MSBA’s legislative positions areadopted through what is recognized asone of the most grassroots approachesof any of the interests represented atthe state Capitol. School boardmembers from throughout the stateare elected for a two-year delegate termby their peers through a mail ballotelection in the fall. Theserepresentatives come together in aDelegate Assembly in December todiscuss and vote on various legislativeresolutions submitted by school boards

and individual school board members.During an average year, nearly 40legislative resolutions are submitted tothe Delegate Assembly forconsideration. Those resolutions thatreceive a majority vote, as well aspositions adopted during previousyears, become the basis for MSBA stafflobbying efforts on behalf of all publicschool board members in the state.Lobbying on behalf of Minnesota’spublic school board members is, andmust be, a full-time effort if we are toassure that our public school studentsreceive the best possible education in acost-effective manner.

Can any school board member becomea delegate?

Yes. The two-year term for delegatesbegan in October 2009 and willconclude after the December 2010Delegate Assembly. Watch fornomination forms that will be mailedto your district for delegate andalternate positions.

How does a board member become adelegate?

Since we have changed to a mail ballotelection, we ask board members tonominate individual board memberswho are interested in taking part in theestablishment of our legislative policies.As elected delegates, their duty is torepresent the interests of school boardswithin their Director District region ofthe state at the Delegate Assembly.

How does MSBA determine thenumber of delegates for each region ofthe state?

The formula is quite simple. The stateis broken into 12 Director Districts.The number of delegates is based onthe student enrollment within each ofthese Director Districts. For instance,the northwest region of the statecollectively has a smaller studentenrollment than some regions of theTwin Cities metropolitan area. As aresult, the northwest region of the statewill have fewer elected delegates than ametropolitan region. Collectively, there

are 150 delegates that represent schooldistricts from every region of the state.

How does MSBA keep track of all ofthe legislative positions it hasestablished through the DelegateAssembly?

The positions that are adopted atMSBA’s Delegate Assembly becomepart of the collective legislative policieswhich can be found under theGovernmental Relations tab on theMSBA Web site. The legislative policies,often referred to as our “pink sheets,”provide direction to the GovernmentalRelations staff on specific issues foradvocacy.

How can school board members getinvolved in the advocacy of MSBA’slegislative positions?

The first step is to stay informed on thecurrent issues relating to K-12education. One way to do this is tofollow the daily events at the stateCapitol. The Governmental Relationsstaff provide a daily update ofcommittee and floor activity at the stateCapitol through Lobby Line. By dialing1-800-864-MSBA on a daily basis ourmembers can stay on top of thecommittee and floor events at the stateCapitol. The daily reports are alsoarchived on MSBA’s Web site. MSBA’sstaff will also be using Twitter(www.twitter.com/mnmsba) this sessionto provide you with more immediatecommittee and floor updates. We willalso be hosting a Joint LegislativeConference on March 25 with theLeague of Minnesota Cities,Association of Minnesota Counties,and the Minnesota Association ofTownships. This “Lobby Day” or Day atthe Capitol provides our members anopportunity to speak with one voice onimportant and relevant K-12 issues. It is also important tobecome acquainted with your HouseRepresentative and State Senator.

Kirk SchneidawindAssociate Director of

Governmental Relations

ASKMSBAHow to get involved in Your MSBA

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