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Phone calls and questions circulated through the community this past weekend about two items on the July 11 YME School Board agenda; Personnel Items 8A and 8B.
Item 8A was listed as “Principal on Special Assignment – K. Norell”, and Item 8B was listed as “Advertise for Grade 6 – 12 Principal Position”.
As 25 - 30 people sat in the gallery at Monday night’s YME School Board Meeting, the questions were to be left unaddressed as YME Superintendent Al Stoeckman read the following statement:
Mr. Chairman and Members of the Board:
On Saturday afternoon, July 9, 2011, Ms. Norell sent an email to board members, all high school staff members, her professional organization representative, and to me, stating that she supports middle school initiatives, she would like to complete her educational career as the YME high School principal, and she would like to retire on June 30, 2012 (which is the end of the upcoming school year).
Based on Ms. Norell’s email, I would request that the agenda Items 8A “Principal on Special Assignment” and 8B “Advertise for Grade 6-12 Principal Position” be removed from the agenda.
A vote by the school board is required to remove those items from the agenda.
After the motion to remove the agenda items was made and seconded. A short discussion followed during which board member Steve Zumhofe asked, “What’s going to happen?” Stoeckman explained that Karen Norell would continue as the high school principal. Zumhofe then asked if further contract negotiations would continue. Currently, Norell is the only employee at YME who has not settled on a contract agreement with the YME District. Stoeckman indicated that continued negotiations are possible.
Board member Jane Hagert then asked when the appropriate time would be to post the 6-12 principal position opening. Stoeckman indicated to the board that posting the position as early as possible is best.
Before the vote to remove the agenda items was taken, Zumhofe shared that he was personally searching for the best solution and suggested a discussion be held between Norell and board members where items of concern could be addressed. He said that once everything is aired, “I feel Karen is the best choice.”
The board then unanimously approved removing items 8A and 8B from the agenda.
Date set for lawsuit
Stoeckman informed the board that a trial date concerning the legal action taken against the school district has been set for Tuesday, October 25 at the Yellow Medicine County Courthouse. The limited trial was set by Judge Randall Slieter in order to gather additional information in regard to a lawsuit filed on behalf of Patrick McCoy and Scott Wintz by Kevin Stroup with Stoneberg, Giles and Stroup of Marshall.
Phone calls and questions circulated through the community this past weekend about two items on the July 11 YME School Board agenda; Personnel Items 8A and 8B.
Item 8A was listed as “Principal on Special Assignment – K. Norell”, and Item 8B was listed as “Advertise for Grade 6 – 12 Principal Position”.
As 25 - 30 people sat in the gallery at Monday night’s YME School Board Meeting, the questions were to be left unaddressed as YME Superintendent Al Stoeckman read the following statement:
Mr. Chairman and Members of the Board:
On Saturday afternoon, July 9, 2011, Ms. Norell sent an email to board members, all high school staff members, her professional organization representative, and to me, stating that she supports middle school initiatives, she would like to complete her educational career as the YME high School principal, and she would like to retire on June 30, 2012 (which is the end of the upcoming school year).
Based on Ms. Norell’s email, I would request that the agenda Items 8A “Principal on Special Assignment” and 8B “Advertise for Grade 6-12 Principal Position” be removed from the agenda.
A vote by the school board is required to remove those items from the agenda.
After the motion to remove the agenda items was made and seconded. A short discussion followed during which board member Steve Zumhofe asked, “What’s going to happen?” Stoeckman explained that Karen Norell would continue as the high school principal. Zumhofe then asked if further contract negotiations would continue. Currently, Norell is the only employee at YME who has not settled on a contract agreement with the YME District. Stoeckman indicated that continued negotiations are possible.
Board member Jane Hagert then asked when the appropriate time would be to post the 6-12 principal position opening. Stoeckman indicated to the board that posting the position as early as possible is best.
Before the vote to remove the agenda items was taken, Zumhofe shared that he was personally searching for the best solution and suggested a discussion be held between Norell and board members where items of concern could be addressed. He said that once everything is aired, “I feel Karen is the best choice.”
The board then unanimously approved removing items 8A and 8B from the agenda.
Date set for lawsuit
Stoeckman informed the board that a trial date concerning the legal action taken against the school district has been set for Tuesday, October 25 at the Yellow Medicine County Courthouse. The limited trial was set by Judge Randall Slieter in order to gather additional information in regard to a lawsuit filed on behalf of Patrick McCoy and Scott Wintz by Kevin Stroup with Stoneberg, Giles and Stroup of Marshall.
Stoeckman explained that additional information has been requested specifically on the hot water pipes being installed and the fire suppression sprinklers being installed. Stoeckman shared that the change in water pipes was required to switch the current steam heating system to a hot water heating system. He also assured the board that the sprinklers are not lawn sprinklers but rather fire suppression sprinklers as required by the state.
Most of the action items were ‘housekeeping’ items that needed to be addressed as the new 2011-2012 school year began on July 1. One item, the approval of Restrictive Procedures Plan for Seclusion and Restraint did elicit some discussion. Board member Hagert questioned how many staff members are currently trained in the proper procedures. Stoeckman shared that YME not only has trained staff but two of the staff members are trained as trainers to train neighboring district’s staff. High school principal Norell explained that eventually all special ed staff will be trained and that other intervention training will be conducted for all staff members.
Staffing
The board approved several personnel items:
•A recall of a teacher currently on Leave of Absence was approved in order to fill an additional K-1 teaching position for the 2011-2012 school year. That will increase the number of K-1 classrooms from five to six and lower the number of students in each classroom from 22 and 23 to 18 and 19.
•A three year leave of absence was approved for teacher Tom Diekman
•Terry Paulson was reassigned from the Custodial Department to Maintenance Department to fill the vacancy left when Darvin Andert retired earlier this spring.
