2012 May June Journal Magazine

MINNESOTA SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION

May-June 2012 Volume 64, No. 6

Going Year-RoundMinnesota’s NCLB Waiver Prevents “Slow-motion Train Wreck”

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2 MSBA JOURNAL

CONTENTS MAY/JU

NE 2012 VOLUME 64, NUMBER 6

Calendar

Articles

Divisions

GOING YEAR-ROUND

Bruce Lombard

MINNESOTA’S NCLB WAIVER PREVENTS “SLOW-MOTION TRAIN WRECK”

Sam Kramer

CABINET TO CLOUD: CLICK HERE TO SEE MY LEARNING

Jen Green, Stacy Warneke, Justin Jourdan, and Jen Hegna

14BOOSTER BASICS

Bruce Lombard18MAKING A CHANGE: SELECTING A SELF-FUNDED HEALTHCARE PLAN

Matt Mons and Julie Cink

22

12

8

QUOTES OF NOTE

MSBA Staff

STRAIGHT TALK

Bob Meeks, MSBA Executive Director

PRESIDENT’S COLUMN

Kent Thiesse, MSBA President6VENDOR DIRECTORY

Pierre Productions & Promotions, Inc.28ASK MSBA

Sandy Gundlach, Director of School Board Services31

54

MAY 2 0 1 22–4 .........MASBO Annual Conference7–10 .......FREE BoardBook Webinars17–18 .....MSBA Board of Directors’ Annual

Meeting23 ...........Minnesota School District Liquid Asset

Fund Plus Meeting28 ...........Memorial Day (no meetings)

J U N E 2 0 1 214 ...........MSBA Insurance Trust Meeting

J U LY 2 0 1 24 .............Independence Day (no meetings)

AU G U S T 2 0 1 25 .............Early Bird Workshops5 .............MSBA Board of Directors’ Meeting5 .............MSBA Insurance Trust Meeting5–6 .........MSBA Summer Seminar7 .............Charter School Training7 .............MSBA Phase I & II Combination7 .............Minnesota School District Liquid Asset

Fund Plus Meeting14 ...........Primary Election Day (no meetings or

activities 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.)

The MSBA Journal thanksthe students of Orono PublicSchools for sharing their artwith us in this issue.

COVER ART: Connor McLaughlin

MAY/JUNE 2012 3

4 MSBA JOURNAL

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

Ending the Jan. 15 penalty“In economic times likethese, for a schooldistrict to have to takemoney out of thegeneral fund becausethey don’t have acontract with abargaining unit is notgood. The penalty was imposed on oneparty. This levels theplaying field.”Gary Amoroso, Executive Director ofMinnesota Association of School Administrators

Attack by the pink slime “I feel deceived by thegovernment—we’recounting on them tosend us stuff fit forhuman consumption.To think we’re givingsomething like this tokids just doesn’t seemmorally right.”Sandy Meyer, Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose lunch worker

District purchasingiPads for students A magazine is an iPadthat doesn’t work.Lisa Snyder, Lakeville Superintendent

Girls basketball team volunteering as elementary school mentors“It is so important for young learners to haveappropriate models in their lives. This highschool mentorship creates a relationshipbetween two students who can learn from eachother. Over expanded time, we hope that younglearners will begin to perceive school as animportant part of their lives. Mentors can helpinstill confidence in young students’ daily lives.”Jesse Peterson, Aitkin Elementary Principal

Cyberbullying other kids from home“None of that [cyberbullying] is being generatedat the school. It’s all outside in the community, at home, but it filters into the school, wherethey’re all there together, and we end up dealing with it.” Gail Griffith, Cottage Grove school resource officer

Teaching kids from illegal immigrant homesAll too often I hear on the news that “illegalimmigrants” are “destroying our country.” I hearthat they are “stealing American jobs.” I hear thatthey sell drugs and cause all sorts of mayhem.What I see is entirely different.

I see Brian, a boy who won the Model StudentAward for excellence in character and academics.I see his mom holding a camera with tearsstreaming down her face as he received theaward. I see his dad working three thankless jobs.Nobody else I know would choose such work, buthe does it with humble dignity, knowing that he isdoing a father’s duty and is taking care of thefamily the best he can.Justin Tiarks, St. Paul City School teacher

OFFICERS

President: Kent Thiesse, Lake Crystal Wellcome Memorial

President-Elect: Walter Hautala, Mesabi EastDISTRICT DIRECTORSDistrict 1: Kathy Green, AustinDistrict 2: Jodi Sapp, Mankato AreaDistrict 3: Linden Olson, WorthingtonDistrict 4: Betsy Anderson, HopkinsDistrict 5: Marilynn Forsberg, Spring Lake ParkDistrict 6: Kevin Donovan, MahtomediDistrict 7: Roz Peterson, Lakeville AreaDistrict 8: Elona Street-Stewart, St. PaulDistrict 9: Karen Kirschner, MoraDistrict 10: Dana Laine, Frazee-VergasDistrict 11: Tim Riordan, VirginiaDistrict 12: Ann Long Voelkner, Bemidji AreaDistrict 13: Deb Pauly, JordanSTAFFBob Meeks:Executive DirectorBarbara Lynn:Executive Assistant/Director of Board OperationsKirk Schneidawind:Deputy Executive DirectorJohn 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 ServicesDonn Jenson:Computer and Information Systems ManagerBill Kautt:Associate Director of Management ServicesGrace Keliher:Director of Governmental RelationsKatie Klanderud:Director of Board DevelopmentGary Lee:Associate Director of Management ServicesBruce Lombard:Associate Director of CommunicationsBob Lowe:Director of Management ServicesKelly Martell:Director of TechnologyCathy Miller:Director of Legal and Policy ServicesErica Nelson:MSBA Advertising

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.Call MSBA office for subscription rates.(Opinions expressed in the Journal are those ofthe writers and do not necessarily representMSBA policy.)

IPublic schoolsand the boardswho overseethose schoolsstill have themajorresponsibility to make sure all students learn and areready for theworking world of the future.

MAY/JUNE 2012 5

STRAIGHTTALK

I received a reminder in the mail this weekabout how important it is that public schoolboards do their job: It’s the 2012 PublicEducation Primer from the Center onEducation Policy (www.cep-dc.org). It is fullof some basic (and sometimes surprising)facts about the U.S. educational system.

Perhaps the biggest fact is that 90 percent ofall students (55 million) are educated inpublic schools. Public schools and theboards who oversee those schools still havethe major responsibility to make sure allstudents learn and are ready for the workingworld of the future. Despite all the talk ofreform, vouchers and private schools, thepercentage of students in public schoolsstands at 90 percent.

But here is what HAS changed:• Between kindergarten and eighth grade,only 5 percent of students never changedschools. About 13 percent of studentschanged schools four or more timesthrough eighth grade.

• About 45 percent of the nation’s publicschool students are children of color,with the fastest-growing segment beingLatino children—from 16 percent to 22 percent in just 8 years.

• About 45 percent of public schoolstudents are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch.

• The largest 2 percent of school districts(those with 25,000 or more students)educate 35 percent of all students.

As a nation, we’ve seen families becomemore and more mobile. Most of the movingresults from issues of poverty (moving toareas with less expensive rent), but it canalso be linked to economics (moving closerto a job or moving to a different town orstate because of a job opportunity). Theresearch is there to tell us that the moretimes a student is pulled from one schooland dropped into another, the lower his orher achievement. This is why, especially inurban areas, it is important to have effortsthat keep children in their school despitethe family moving across town. Or to set upprograms for students new to a school tofind out where they are academically, and

to bring them up to speed and make themfeel welcome.

Our nation is becoming more diverse.Estimates from the Center on EducationPolicy predict that by 2020, there willalmost be more students of color thanwhite students. Our younger students aremuch more diverse, which means schoolshave to be ready to teach across culturaland racial lines. And boards need toseriously focus on closing racialachievement gaps in learning. An educated,diverse population is this country’s future.We need to reach out to, include, and havehigh standards for everyone.

Unfortunately, our nation is also becomingless wealthy. As our middle class is squeezed,the percentage of families qualifying for freeor reduced meals has grown to nearly half ofthe total student population. We all knowthat poverty brings its own myriad ofchallenges. Poverty is another reason whyschool boards need to be proactive inkeeping strong preschool programs andpush to get every child to readingproficiency by third grade. We need to keepfunding for healthy food programs in theschool so all children are ready to learn—not thinking about how hungry they are.

We also need to look at the resources wecan provide to our largest school districts.Those districts are educating more thanone-third of all students in the country. Ifthose large districts fail, we fail more thanone-third of the children in our country.We know it takes much effort, andsometimes more resources and money. Butwe can’t afford to let down the 18 millionchildren in large urban schools.

Yes, some of the challenges for school boardsare scary. Some of the facts in the EducationPrimer seem daunting. But that’s why it isimportant that ALL school board membersbe on top of their game. Work WITH the restof your board to find solutions, not second-guess them. Work WITH your administrativeteam to find new ways to help children, notsabotage ideas that have not yet been tried.Get INVOLVED with your schools at thelocal level, your Association and statelegislators at the state level, and yourCongressional representatives on the federallevel. It’s a lot of work. And the reminder Itake away from reading the EducationPrimer is simply this: We know that thefuture of 55 million students and the futureof our country depends on school boardsbeing on top of their game. That’s why we’rehere to help you.

A BASIC PRIMER REINFORCES HOW IMPORTANTIT IS FOR SCHOOL BOARDSTO DOTHEIR JOB

Bob MeeksMSBA Executive Director

6 MSBA JOURNAL

TAKETIMETO STOP AND REFLECT

WOne bestpractice for aschool board isto set aside all or part of a work session inJune to reviewgoals andaccomplishmentsof the previousyear, and to begin settinggoals for thefollowing year.

Kent ThiesseMSBA President

PRESIDENT’S COLUMN

When serving on a school board, it’ssometimes all you can do to simply keepup with everything that’s happening inthe school district. Whether you areupdating policies, developing a budgetfor the coming year, or trying tounderstand possible new laws that mayresult from the state legislative session,there are always many ongoing activitiesand tasks to be completed. But as withanything, sometimes board membershave to take off the running shoes, inorder to allow time to sit back and reflecton what has been accomplished duringthe year, and whether the district has metits goals for the past school year.

Understanding district goals is the firststep for any school board. Over thesummer months, board members shouldspend some time thinking about whatthey want to accomplish in theupcoming year. One best practice for aschool board is to set aside all or part ofa work session in June to review andupdate goals all based on your strategicplan.

These goals should be adopted by theboard, and referred back to oftenduring the school year, as well asmeasured at the end of the school year.Remember that not every goal may befully accomplished in the first year;however, your district can makesignificant progress toward a goal duringthat year. Goals that are achieved andevery positive step in the process shouldbe recognized and celebrated at the endof the school year.

Some districts have incorporated thegoal-setting and measurement processright into their strategic planningefforts. Too often, very good strategicplans are completed, but the schoolboard does not have a goodimplementation process for making theplan happen. Regular evaluation ofthose goals is one step towardimplementing a strategic plan.

Many districts compile a list of thestudent accomplishments during theyear, which is many times quite long andvery impressive. However, far fewerdistricts take the time to reflect and listthe school board accomplishments atthe end of the school year. Thesereflections can be as formal or asinformal as a board wants, but theimportant part of the process is lookingback on the school year and reflectingon what was accomplished, as well as onwhat areas the school board needs towork on in the coming year.

As a school board member, I know thereare always many speed bumps that candetour board evaluation efforts. Taskssuch as hiring a new superintendent,dealing with budget cuts or an upcomingreferendum, or negotiating employeecontracts can prevent a school boardfrom taking appropriate time for strategicplanning, goal setting, and evaluation.School boards need to deal with themanagement and problem solving of theschool district; however, it is important tofocus on the goals and longer-range plansfor the district as well.

Sometimes, if there has not been ahistory of strategic planning and goalsetting in a school district, it can bedifficult to get started. The first step iseasy: Set up a work session this summerto make sure the school board sets somegoals, updates a strategic plan, or simplybrainstorms what should beaccomplished in the coming school year.Hopefully, by the end of the next schoolyear, there will be a nice list ofaccomplishments to discuss with yourboard, your staff, and your community.

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AAccording to the National Association for Year-Round Education (NAYRE), more than 3,000 schools(mostly at the elementary level) nationwide have adopted year-round programs—with 26 inMinnesota.

Sumner Elementary School (Austin) and Crossroads Elementary School (St. Paul) are twoMinnesota schools utilizing a year-round schedule.

Principal Celeste Carty has been with Crossroads Elementary since its creation as a year-round schoolin 1999. Crossroads operates under the same number of school days (173) as the other schools inthe St. Paul Public Schools system—along with an additional 23 days of optional intersession.

“Right now we are the only school in the district operating on a year-round calendar,” Carty said.“The other school (Four Seasons A+ Elementary) changed to a traditional calendar this past fall.”

Sumner Elementary, on the other hand, just adopted its year-round program for this current schoolyear on August 1, 2011. Sumner’s 175-day schedule is also equivalent to its fellow schools in the

Bruce Lombard

Graham McKee

Going Year-RoundTwoMinnesotaprincipalsreflect on theiralternativeschedules

MAY/JUNE 2012 9

Austin Public Schools system. Sumner’s schedule calls for itto start its school year earlier than the other Austin schools,but it will conclude on the same day as the rest.

Sumner Principal Sheila Berger said the school takes thefirst three weeks off in October as their fall break, then acouple of weeks over the winter holidays and then threeweeks in March. Sumner students also enjoy a seven-weeksummer vacation.

As mentioned, Crossroads was conceived as a year-roundventure from its inception by the St. Paul School Board.But why did Sumner make the switch from a traditionalschedule?

“Our population of students that we serve here has a highfree and reduced lunch percentage,” said Sumner PrincipalSheila Berger. “As we looked at different ways to helpstudents increase their academic achievement, the year-round schedule seemed to be something specific for a planthat would address those needs, as well as some of the otherthings, like a higher percentage of English languagelearners here. I think the schedule complemented a coupleareas of need that we had, and it cost us no money toimplement.”

Year-round reactionsBerger said the schedule has yielded a much happier staff.

“When you work in a building like ours, it is veryexhausting,” Berger said. “Not that teaching isn’texhausting anyway, but we’ve kind of become the stability inthe students’ lives. It’s nice for our staff to be able torefresh and regenerate and come back after a three-weekbreak ready to go for another nine weeks. The kids seem tobe doing well (with the schedule), too.”

Sumner also offers two-week intersessions during the falland spring breaks. Berger said the intersession classes are abig advantage for everyone. “The students are coming toour schools with our staff,” she said. “We know the kids, weknow their deficits and know how they operate and learnbest. We feel that pays off for them, versus having them goto a school across town in the summer and meet up with anew staff member that they’ve never see before. We feel likewe are able to address some of their remedial needs whilethey are still in school. We feel like that’s another positivefrom the schedule as well.”

Carty said that while intersession is optional at Crossroads,they “strongly encourage anyone below grade level toattend at least two out of the three intersessions.” She saidthe only minor problem with intersession is scheduling theteachers to teach the classes. Currently, Crossroads teachersare not contracted to teach intersession. Crossroads usesretired teachers or guest teachers to fill the gap.

Carty also said a vast majority of her students and teachersare doing well in general with this schedule. Both Bergerand Carty agree continuity is one of the biggest plusses ofthe schedule.

“We know that when our kids leave us in June, we’ll be backwith them July 31,” Berger said. “We almost get to work withthem year-round because of the intersessions in the fall andthe spring. We feel like we’ve made more of a relationshipwith them and are able to make a much greater gain withthem than we were able to before.”

Carty seconded those sentiments, noting that not havingstudents away on break longer than four or five weeks hasbeen a big plus.

Berger said after some initial concern, the vast majority ofher families have been positive about the new schedule.

“Some of the toughest things for families to deal with were(scheduling issues) if they had older kids—middle school orhigh school students—on the traditional calendar,” she said.

Day care was an initial concern, but Berger said familieshave appeared to work around that issue as well. Sumnerhelped in that area by offering after-school activities.

Improved student performance?Berger said students generally showed improvement basedon mid-year evaluations held in December 2011. “On ourkids’ initial assessments, they scored much higher in the fallthan they have in previous years,” she said. “The growth hasbeen very similar to what we have seen in other years.”

Jay Robie

10 MSBA JOURNAL

Going Yea

r-Rou

nd

“The teachers felt like they could get into the heartof the curriculum much more quickly in thebeginning of the year,” Berger said. “Which is whatthe research said, but it was nice to see for ourselves.This was especially true in math. We didn’t have tospend a month going back through our curriculum.”

Berger said she couldn’t make a clean call on herschool’s achievement compared to the others in thedistrict, due to the fact that Sumner has a muchdifferent student group.

Carty said student achievement has fluctuated forCrossroads. “This is the first year Crossroads Sciencedid not make AYP since 1999,” she said. “But we areworking toward improving our scores.”

The lack of time to prepare for the MCAs is thebiggest downside. Carty said her school is at adisadvantage by having five weeks less (than theirtraditional schedule counterparts) time to preparefor the MCA tests. “We’re trying to cram in a lot more information before the students take the tests,”she said.

Carty said that when her students take the math testin the summer, they are equal to or usually above therest of the district’s schools. “For MCAs, it’s always aquandary: Have we been able to even covereverything because of the November and Februarybreaks?” she observed.

A mixed bag of analysisA number of studies have been done over the yearson year-round education, and most have beeninconclusive on student achievement gains and othermatters.

In 1999, Elisabeth Palmer and Amy Bemis (of theUniversity of Minnesota’s Center for AppliedResearch and Educational Improvement) compiled areport on year-round schools, culling their data fromother studies from the previous 30 years.

Palmer and Bemis noted that they had difficultydrawing conclusions on student achievement andother outcomes due to poor research designs orincomplete data. However, from what they couldgather from 75 analyses they reviewed, 42 studiesshowed no significant effect on student achievementfor year-round students—while 27 studiesdemonstrated significant positive effects.

In their summary, Palmer and Bemis concluded “thatstudents attending year-round schools are likely toperform as well as, if not better than, their peers intraditional nine-month programs, especially at theupper elementary school level.”

Palmer and Bemis’ study also revealed:

• Mixed results in student attendance rates • A slight decrease in teacher absenteeism• Mixed findings on student attitudes• An improvement in teacher attitudes the longerthey were exposed to the schedule• More difficulty for teachers to schedule professionaldevelopment events• No significant differences in administrative burnout• Mixed results in the impact on families (i.e.,scheduling vacations, day care, etc.)

A 2007 study authored by Paul von Hippel (an OhioState University research statistician and sociologist)found “over a full year, math and reading test scoresimproved about the same amount for children inyear-round schools as they did for students whoseschools followed a traditional nine-month calendar.”

Von Hippel’s study used data from the EarlyChildhood Longitudinal Study, a national surveyconducted by the U.S. Department of Education. VonHippel examined reading and math test scores ofchildren in 748 public schools and 244 privateschools from around the country. However, it’s worthnoting that the results sampled students from onlykindergarten and first grade.

“On purely academic grounds, I wouldn’t advocate ayear-round calendar, but I can’t recommend againstit, either,” von Hippel said. “On the other hand, if aschool is considering a year-round calendar in hopesof boosting academic achievement, it seems unlikelythat those hopes will be realized.”

An article from the April 2010 edition of EducationLeadership magazine (produced by ASCD—formerlycalled the Association for Supervision andCurriculum Development) also seconded the lack ofconclusiveness regarding the impact on studentachievement.

“Research indicates that summer learning loss is areal problem for students—especially foreconomically disadvantaged students. One study . . .found that low-income students made similarachievement gains to other students during theschool year; the widening of the achievement gapbetween the two groups occurred over the summer.Another study found that summer learning loss ismore pronounced for math facts, spelling, and otheracademic material that is concrete rather thanconceptual.

Berger emphasized the problem of the informationall students lose during a three-month summer break.“For English language learners, this is very critical; astypically, students don’t have much exposure toanyone at home who speaks English, so their learningloss is even greater,” she said.

MAY/JUNE 2012 11

Education Leadership went on to report: “Unfortunately,research is inconclusive on whether year-round schooling isan effective solution to this problem. Two major meta-analyses of studies on year-round schooling have shown thatthe findings are mixed and that many studies suffer fromweak research designs or methodology—for example,failing to account for family socioeconomic level orparental education. However, both of these meta-analyses . . .did find support for the following conclusions:

• Students in year-round schools do as well or slightly betterin terms of academic achievement than students intraditional schools.

• Year-round education may be particularly beneficial forstudents from low-income families.

• Students, parents, and teachers who participate in a year-round school tend to have positive attitudes about theexperience.

“The research also indicates that when year-roundschooling has resulted in higher academic achievement, theschools in question are usually doing more than justrearranging the school calendar. These schools are alsoproviding remediation and enrichment for students duringthe breaks so that students have opportunities to relearnmaterial, practice skills, catch up, or experiencenonacademic enrichment activities continuouslythroughout the year.”

Regardless of what the data says—or doesn’t say—bothBerger and Carty said they are pleased with their respectiveschools’ schedules and the outcomes produced.

Berger said more schools should move away from thetraditional agrarian-based calendar and go in this direction.

“There’s a misunderstanding that the traditional calendar isbased heavily on research—and there’s absolutely none tosupport it educationally,” Berger said. “Our year-roundcalendar has research to support it and I would encouragepeople to take a look at it . . . given how life is changing forour kids—they’re not working at home on the farm. . . .Right now, I think our school board members are waiting tosee how things will look for us after a year or two. I thinkthey are going to see how it pans out for us first.”

Carty concurred. “I know a number of my colleaguesbelieve in a year-round calendar and have said they wish theentire district could change to a year-round,” she said.

Bruce Lombard is the Associate Director of Communications at theMinnesota School Boards Association. You can contact him [email protected].

Further Readinghttp://www.k12academics.com/education-policy/year-round-school

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/08/070811151449.htm

http://www.edweek.org/ew/issues/year-round-schooling

http://www.educationbug.org/a/year-round-school-statistics.html

http://www.nayre.org

http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational_leadership/apr10/vol67/num07/Year-Round_Schooling.aspx

http://theweek.com/article/index/208721/year-round-education-is-summer-vacation-over-forever

http://www.ericdigests.org/2001-3/year.htm

Whitney Magnuson

12 MSBA JOURNAL

WSam Kramer When Secretary of Education Arne Duncan called No Child Left Behind (NCLB) a “slow-motiontrain wreck” last summer, he was referring to the increasing number of schools mislabeled asfailing. Pushing the train further off the tracks was the impending 2014 goal for 100 percent ofstudents to show proficiency on standardized tests and the requirement that schools directfunding toward initiatives that have yielded little success to move student achievement.

If NCLB was a train wreck, Minnesota’s schools were among its passengers. Despite having someof the highest ACT and NAEP scores in the country, in 2011, more Minnesota schools failed tomake Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP)—the accountability measurement tied to that 2014 goal—than made AYP. Meanwhile, more Minnesota districts were labeled failing than in any other statein the Midwest. The inevitable result had been demoralized educators, poorly allocated resourcesand widespread confusion about school accountability.

Minnesota’s NCLB Waiver Prevents“Slow-motion Train Wreck”

Piper Cashman

MAY/JUNE 2012 13

Fortunately, Secretary Duncan responded to this crisis byallowing states to apply for a waiver to some of the mostproblematic provisions of NCLB. When the opportunity wasannounced in September, Governor Mark Daytoninstructed the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE)to apply. This started an important conversation withstakeholders about how best to hold our schoolsaccountable for performance and provide supports forthose most in need of improvement.

The result of those conversations was a waiver proposal,approved in February, built around the goals of closingachievement gaps and promoting high growth for allstudents. With that approval in hand, we now have a newaccountability system that will measure schools in a fairer,more robust way, while providing new flexibility to districtsin the way they use their federal funds and plan for schoolimprovement.

At the core of the new system is a better measurement forschool accountability: the Multiple Measurements Rating(MMR). The MMR avoids the weakness of AYP, whichlooked at school performance only through the proficiencylens. By contrast, the MMR looks not only at proficiency,but also at student growth, achievement gap reduction andgraduation rate. Under the waiver proposal, every schoolwill get an MMR that shows how they compare to otherschools around the state on these four importantmeasurements, as well as on an overall basis. Rather thanlooking at school performance as black and white, theMMR captures the important shades of gray that willprovide parents, community members, and school boardswith more data on the performance of schools. While statestatute still requires us to calculate and report AYP eachyear, it is the MMR that will drive school improvementdecisions.

Equally important, the new system will provide moretargeted, strategic, and locally tailored support for schoolimprovement activities. We know that while most of ourschools are performing very well, there are some in need ofchange in the way they operate. To accomplish thesechanges, the current AYP stages and mandated financial set-asides are replaced with a tiered system of recognition,accountability and support that better responds to theunique needs of schools and districts.

Using the MMR, we will now identify three main groups ofschools from the group of schools in the state that receivefederal Title I funding. At the top end of this list will be ourReward Schools, the top 15 percent of Title I schoolsaccording to the MMR. Singled out for public recognition,these schools will also provide us the opportunity to learnfrom their best practices. At the other end of the spectrumwill be the lowest-performing 5 percent of Title I schoolsdesignated as Priority Schools. These schools will berequired to undergo a turnaround effort to change the waythe school operates, with the goal of improving studentperformance; all with technical assistance, support and

monitoring from MDE. Finally, the 10 percent of Title Ischools making the greatest contribution to the state’sachievement gap will be identified as Focus Schools, andwill be required to work with their districts to develop aplan for closing the achievement gap. Both Priority andFocus Schools will be identified for a period of three yearswhile they work to turn things around.

Greater local control for school improvement is at the heartof our new accountability system. The one-size-fits-allinterventions of NCLB proved unsuccessful in manyschools; we believe better results will come by allowing localconditions to dictate the improvement planning process. Toaid in this effort, MDE will release more data on schoolperformance than ever before. And when schools areidentified as Priority or Focus Schools, districts, schools andcommunities will play a larger role in determining theirpath forward.

This is not a pass on accountability, but rather a new systemof creating more meaningful accountability for schools anddistricts. Developed to be fairer, more transparent, andmore responsive to the local needs of every school anddistrict, it is a tremendous opportunity for us to start freshwith new goals and new ideas. MDE looks forward tocontinuing our work with all stakeholders across the state tomake sure that we use this opportunity well.

Sam Kramer is the Federal Education Policy Specialist for the Minnesota Department of Education.

Anna Steege

14 MSBA JOURNAL

IJen Green, Stacy Warneke, Justin Jourdan, and Jen Hegna

If your school is anything like ours, every year, we wouldregularly head to a dark, cluttered closet filled with poorlyorganized and overcrowded file cabinets to collect and filestudent writing portfolios. At some point, the files wouldceremoniously be given to seniors . . . who unceremoniouslydropped them in the trash on their way out of the room. Theonly people who really invested any meaningful time withthose paper portfolios were the teachers; other than a tripdown memory lane, students saw and felt little value or usefor them. Real use of these files for reflection and growthmeasurement was usually impossible and impractical.

Enter the digital age, and the portfolio is reemerging as avaluable and practical tool—not just for writing and English,but for ALL student learning. With the creation,organization, and management of portfolios put intostudents’ hands, they are empowered and engaged to create,reflect, and share their work on a whole new level. As astudent shared with us, the ePortfolio makes his work “lookhonored and important, instead of just turning it in for asimple grade.”

Our Journey Began...When Byron High School’s English departmentbegan discussing how best to prepare our studentsfor their future, our discussion centered on theidea of electronic portfolios; however, the teachershad experienced the “old” system of cumbersomepaper files and were not interested in returning to it.We all agreed on the value and potential in the idea,

Cabinet to Cloud:Click Here to See My Learning

Alex Jenkins

MAY/JUNE 2012 15

but it was the old reality that stopped us cold. Sincebecoming a Google Apps school in 2009–2010, our use andintegration of Google’s suite of tools has grownexponentially. This culture of embracing technology andchange opened the door for the portfolios to move fromthe cabinet to the cloud in the form of ePortfolios inGoogle sites.

A brief pilot and overwhelming positive student feedback,combined with our belief in the project, encouraged us toproceed with a larger scale implementation. After theentire department took an online summer course1 in thepedagogy, the instruction, and the theory of ePortfolios, wewrote a mission statement to guide our process: “Byimplementing ePortfolios, BHS will empower students tobecome active participants in their own personalizededucation. Through the use of reflection, technology, andcollaboration, students will develop skills that will lead themto achieve and showcase progress toward their lifelonggoals.” Prior to the start of the 2011 school year, thedepartment laid out the required ePortfolio elements foreach grade level and developed a common rubric forassessing students’ work.

Our Plan...The implementation of the ePortfolios consists of two parts:a storage portfolio (grades nine to eleven) and a showcaseportfolio (grade twelve). In grade nine, students willprimarily include writing samples and reflections. For tenth-and eleventh-graders, non-writing projects, such as videos,are required to demonstrate learning. Students in gradesten and eleven are also required to use papers or projectsfrom other classes in order to demonstrate their strengthsand personalize the ePortfolio. Additionally, all levels arerequired to include one artifact from a non-English courseand one artifact from outside school; these two elementsallow students to truly showcase themselves through theirstrengths and talents. Every year, students will update theirbiography and goals in order to show reflection andgrowth. After completing her eleventh-grade ePortfolio, astudent commented, “I liked how we could personalize it[the ePortfolio] and that it was our OWN place.”

Seniors create a new “Showcase” ePortfolio to house theirrequired elements. This ePortfolio is much moreprofessional, personalized, and unique to each student. Bycreating a new portfolio, students must judiciously choosewhat to include from their nine-to-eleven storage portfolio.Seniors add required artifacts from English courses, non-English courses, and outside of school, in addition to aresumé and cover letter. If students have created other

ePortfolios they are proud of, they can link that entireportfolio to their showcase portfolio. As seniors leave, theycan transfer ownership of their site and keep it for futureuse in college and the work force.

By far, the most meaningful piece of the ePortfolios is thestudent reflection. So often, students are not required orencouraged to truly note their strengths or weaknesses onany given assignment. As part of the common assessment,the department developed and agreed on four reflectionquestions for each artifact:

• What did I learn?• What did I do well and what was I proud of?• What did I struggle with?• What would I do differently if I could do it again?

The ePortfolio gives students an opportunity to makethoughtful comments about their work and progress; theycan see the growth that takes place over the course of theirhigh school experience. In the words of one student, “Itshows me how much I’ve grown as a student.”

To Infinity and Beyond...ePortfolios have proven to be so much more than just awriting tool. Given the culture of innovation andtransformation at Byron Public Schools, other departmentsand grade levels see the power and potential and haveimplemented their own versions of ePortfolios. Students inGeometry and Statistics, for example, are creatingePortfolios to demonstrate understanding of mathematicalconcepts. The elementary and middle school teachers arecreating ePortfolios with their students as well—fourth-grade students document their musical growth inePortfolios during the year, and seventh-grade students aredeveloping English ePortfolios. Access to students’ previouswork gives their future teachers an instant snapshot of eachchild’s strengths, abilities, and personality; teachers nolonger have to wait to “get to know” their students.

As part of the continuous improvement model, Byron HighSchool is working toward creating common assessments in

Artifact from a non-English course shared through anEnglish portfolio

16 MSBA JOURNAL

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n gall departments, which are directly linked to theMinnesota state standards; thus, the use ofePortfolios provides proof of learning. We alsorecognize that ePortfolios are an assessment oftechnology literacy and 21st-century skills2 asoutlined in the National Education TechnologyPlan.3 These skills include collaboration, creativityand innovation, communication, and criticalthinking—necessary skills for student success infuture academic and professional careers and thecompetitive global society they will soon enter.

If our task as educators is to educate the wholechild, the use of ePortfolios both as anassessment tool and a celebration of students’talents and passions makes perfect sense. Wewould be remiss as educators if we fail to embrace thenew technologies that will allow our students todemonstrate learning on their terms. In the same waywe moved from cabinet to cloud, educators aremoving from assessments based on memorization andrecall to creating real-world artifacts as proof oflearning. Using this model, teachers can begin tothink about instruction and student learning in awhole new way, and the possibilities become infiniteindeed.

Jen Green is the Byron High School Mathematics &Language Arts Instructor, [email protected];Stacy Warneke is the Byron High School LanguageArts Instructor, [email protected];Justin Jourdan is the Byron High SchoolLanguage Arts Instructor,[email protected]; and Jen Hegna is the Byron PublicSchools Director of Information andLearning Technology,[email protected].

1Creating Student ePortfolios with Google Sites (freeMoodle course for schools) -http://courses.moodleshare.com/course/view.php?id=972National Technology Standards ISTE Standards -http://www.iste.org/standards.aspxThe Partnership for 21st Century Skills -http://www.p21.org/3National Education Technology Plan -http://www.ed.gov/technology/netp-2010

Example of math in the real world from Chelsie D’s Geometry ePortfolio.Applying conditional statement logic to advertising.

Alex Jenkins

Artifact from a non-English course shared through anEnglish portfolio

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18 MSBA JOURNAL

BOOSTERBASICS

MSHSL officials offer adviceon how to handle supporters

Taylor Werdel

MAY/JUNE 2012 19

TThe Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL)has only one specific policy in regard to boosterclubs. Still, the MSHSL has experienced a variety ofsituations with booster clubs and their relations tomember schools.

The main policy in place is that booster clubscannot provide funding to student athletes for theirparticipation in camps or clinics outside of theregular season.

The first bit of advice to school board members?Establish your own policies and procedures.

“School boards need to have policies about howbooster clubs will be treated and how school boardswill allow booster clubs to function with schoolactivities, because you’re the ones hosting thoseprograms,” said MSHSL Executive Director DaveStead. “What do the statutes say you have to do?What does Title IX say you have to do about boosterclubs and how they relate to your programs?”

Adhering to Title IX laws is essential whenestablishing your own rules. Passed by the U.S.Congress in 1972, Title IX prohibits discriminationon the basis of sex in education programs andactivities by recipients of federal financial assistance—which include schools, colleges and universities.

“Generally, Title IX requires school boards to treatprograms equally,” Stead said. “If your school fundsa boys basketball team and the school provides anice chartered bus for them to travel to (away)games, then the same thing must be done for thegirls. Treat your programs equitably. That’s whatTitle IX requires. It’s the right thing to do as well.”

Stead said that oftentimes, school board membersor athletic directors will encounter representativesfrom sport-specific booster clubs (e.g., the footballbooster club, the boys hockey booster club, the girlsswimming booster club) donating money with theintent of only their program getting those funds.

“There are ways for school boards to accept specificdollars and expend them as the giver intended,”Stead said. “But there are some limitations on whatcan be done as well.”

The MSHSL has a manual on Gender Equity inAthletics on its website at www.mshsl.org entitled“Providing Equal Athletic Opportunities—A Guideto Compliance” (located under the “Popular Links”section).

Accepting booster club donations doesn’t meanthere have to be strings attached. Stead said it is thedistrict’s discretion as to the manner they expenddonated funds.

Stead gave an example: Person X wants to be anassistant football coach at the high school. BoosterClub Member Y says she will pay Person X to be theassistant coach. After the school board does thebackground check on Person X, Booster ClubMember Y pays Person X.

“That is a violation,” Stead said. “According toMinnesota state statutes, the funds for the programsunder the jurisdiction of school boards would have tobe given to the district. The booster club can donatethe money to the district—then the district paysPerson X as a volunteer. But the district must thendeduct all the applicable taxes. There are specificstate statutes that govern what schools must do.”

Stead said that IRS has been looking into boosterclub expenditures much more closely nationwide.

“School boards can use booster club funds, but theschool board has to manage those dollars,” Steadsaid. “Board policies need to be in place in order toreceive and expend the dollars for your programs.”

MSHSL has provided this information to all theschools’ athletic directors, and a new “GenderEquity In Athletics” guide will be distributed duringthe Area Meetings conducted by the League thisfall. This manual is being written by Sara Winter(Division of Compliance and Assistance at theMinnesota Department of Education) andpublished by the MSHSL.

Kevin Merkle, the MSHSL Associate Director and aformer school athletic director, seconded Stead’sassessment.

“One of the places where booster clubs can get intotrouble is with finances,” Merkle said. “As a schooldistrict you cannot control their finances, becausebooster clubs are a separate entity.”

Sharing state laws and guidelines with booster clubscan be helpful in assisting them with properfinancial procedures.

Merkle said, for accounting and other reasons, it isbest for “booster clubs to gift money to the districtsand allow the district to make the expenditures.Most districts have policies in place in regard to howgifts are received and about how gifts can bedesignated for a specific use.”

Merkle said it is good public relations for thedistrict when this is done, as it allows them toproperly recognize the donors. Also, publicizingdonations can lead to more donations in the future—for athletics, as well as for fine arts activities andacademics. This also sends a message that thecommunity supports its local schools.

Bruce Lombard

20 MSBA JOURNAL

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School districts can then control the expenditure ofdonated funds. Schools can usually make purchasesat reduced rates on items such as uniforms,equipment and scoreboards. Districts also are notsubject to state sales taxes. More importantly, thedistrict has the freedom to purchase the quality, style,color, etc., within the guidelines established by thegift agreement.

This will avoid problems such as a parent buyingblack uniforms when your colors are green and gold,or buying other items that may not meet necessarysafety standards or rule requirements.

Once purchased, the district owns the item. Thatmeans the district will be responsible for installation,repair and possibly replacement; but it also meansthat if the donor’s child is injured or cut from theteam, you don’t have to give the item back.

Getting a handle on booster clubs

Merkle said that while booster clubs like to supportprograms and provide money, there are two otherareas that can more easily lead to difficulty: havingdirect influence or control on a particular program,or being involved with hiring or firing coaches.“Sometimes they want to do the job of the athleticdirector or principal,” he said.

Merkle learned many dos and don’ts from hispredecessor at another district.

“When we started a booster club, we started thingsthe right way with the right people for the rightreasons,” he said. “We established an umbrellabooster club that supported all of our sports andactivities.”

Merkle said that under an umbrellabooster club system, you can supportand fund all programs.Fundraising activities can bemore focused, as areabusinesses are solicited onetime instead of havingrequests from multiplebooster clubs during thecourse of a year.

Merkle also shared how anumbrella booster club canearn funding through the saleof program ads and concessions.A form of grant program can beconducted to allow coaches to requestfunds for needs they have.

Merkle also recommends that the athletic/activitiesdirector be an ex-officio member of the booster club

board, and attend all the booster club meetings.While not a voting member, the AD can provideguidance. He or she can help make sure that fundsare shared equitably between programs, and that thegender equity guidelines are followed. If a boys teamgets funding for new uniforms or equipment, youdon’t have to run out and get the same for the girlsimmediately, but over the course of time you canmake sure that funds are distributed equitably.

“We worked together to pick the right people to beon the booster club board of directors, those whowere able to focus more on the big picture and didnot have individual agendas,” he said. “We had a rulethat we would not talk about coaches or problemswithin a specific program.”

The few times something of that nature would comeup in a meeting, Merkle would say: “No, we’re notgoing there during this meeting—but we can set anappointment to talk about those issues individually.We can deal with the issues, but not at the boosterclub meeting.”

Are booster clubs positive or negative? They can beeither, but with the proper structure and the rightpeople, they can provide many benefits to a schooland community and provide a great way to buildcommunity support for the entire school program.

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

Special thanks to MSHSL’s Dave Stead and Kevin Merklefor their contribution to this article, most of which waspresented at an MSBA Leadership Conference workshop.

Sarah Stark

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LLast summer, Prior Lake-Savage Area Schools made theswitch to its own self-funded healthcare plan after havingbeen part of a different insurance plan for more than 10 years. It was a change we made after reviewing all theoptions, meeting with our employee groups, and takingour recommendation to the school board. The decisionto move to a self-insured health plan has providedtransparency, saved money and allowed for the creationof a reserve that will provide greater stability in the faceof the ever-increasing cost of health insurance.

22 MSBA JOURNAL

Matt Mons and Julie Cink

Zach Ofness

Making a Change:Selecting a Self-FundedHealthcare Plan

In spring 2011, we decided to go out for bid on ourmedical insurance plan in order to ensure that we wereoffering our health benefits in the most affordablemanner possible for the district and our employees.While we were waiting for our annual rate adjustmentsfrom the former plan, we obtained bids for fully insuredhealthcare models from Medica and PreferredOne, andalso for a self-insured healthcare model fromPreferredOne.

The best bid for a fully insured model came from thecooperative and guaranteed us a 5 percent rate increasethrough a two-year period, which would cost the districtapproximately $350,000. After analyzing our claimshistory and the premiums we were paying out to thecooperative, we were able to predict that if our currenttrends continued we would be significantly overpayingunder our current model, and by switching would be ableto save the district from the 5 percent premium rateincrease.

In addition to being able to avoid the 5 percent rateincrease, we were also able to find significant savings inthe administrative costs associated with offering ourbenefits through a self-insured model. The district wasable to cut $800,000 in administrative costs by changingplans. These savings will be used to create a reserve whichwill allow the district and our employees to insulateourselves from dramatic swings in the cost of providinghealth benefits.

After we had analyzed the bids, the self-insured optionwas clearly worth exploring. In order to betterunderstand what a self-insured model would mean forour district, we first had a discussion with PreferredOne,which had provided the bid and would be theadministrator, to get a better understanding of the plan.We also sought counsel from Al Hofstede from CorporateHealth Systems, who helped us review the numbers andgain a comfort level with changing to a self-insured plan.

It is a lot of work to make a change in a healthcare plan,so a school district needs to have a compelling reason tomake this change. After running the numbers and realizingthe kind of savings and long-term stability the change couldoffer, we made the decision that it was in the district’s bestinterest to change plans. We knew we had a significantopportunity, but that making a change would come withchallenges. The two biggest challenges are timing andemployee buy-in.

From the day we decided to recommend the change to aself-insured model, it took one month to educate our boardand employees and formally adopt the plan, and it took anadditional month to implement the plan. It is a commonmisperception that changing plans is a process that musttake many months or even years, but we found that theprocess can work on an abbreviated timeline as well.

MAY/JUNE 2012 23

Ozzie Secundino

24 MSBA JOURNAL

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Employee buy-in is crucial to the success of makingthe change to a self-insured model. We found thatdistrict and employee interests aligned in a desire tokeep premiums low and avoid costly rate increases.The greatest concerns for our employees were theability to retain the same benefits they had previouslyreceived, and continue to see the doctors with whomthey had formed relationships and utilize the sameprescriptions. Under the self-insured model, we wereable to alleviate their concerns by duplicating ourplan design exactly. Once these concerns were laid torest, our employees were able to recognize the valueto both the district and themselves in changing plans.

Nearly a year into the change, our employees aremore knowledgeable about our health plan due tothe transparency that comes with a change to self-insurance, and we have recognized the benefits weanticipated, which include these:

• Lowering of administrative costs by $800,000annually, which will be ongoing and has helped usto build a reserve

• Cost avoidance of $350,000 by not needing toincrease premiums by 5 percent as dictated by ourfully insured bids

• Retention of the difference between our actualclaims and premiums paid, which will also help tobuild our reserve

This change has taken a significant amount of timeand energy to make, but we are confident it was theright decision.

Matt Mons is Director of Human Resources and Julie Cinkis Director of Business Affairs for the Prior Lake-SavageArea Schools. The district has 7,200 students at 12 sitesand has 1,000 full-time and part-time employees.

Camren Notermann

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MAY/JUNE 2012 27

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Updated daily

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Appraisal/Capital AssetsHirons & Associates, Inc.(Mark T. Hessel)225 E. Fairmount Ave.Milwaukee, WI 53217414-906-1921, 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 55427763-545-3731Fax [email protected] Group Architecture,P.A.(Judith Hoskens)201 Main Street SE, Suite 325Minneapolis, MN 55414612-817-8839, Fax [email protected] Group(Jennifer Anderson-Tuttle)520 Nicollet Mall, Suite 200Minneapolis, MN 55402612-977-3500, Fax [email protected](Evan Larson)808 Courthouse SquareSt. Cloud, MN 56303320-252-3740, Fax [email protected]

Hallberg Engineering, Inc.(Rick Lucio)1750 Commerce CourtWhite Bear Lake, MN 55110651-748-4386, Fax 651-748-9370www.hallbergengineering.comrlucio@hallbergengineering.comICS Consulting, Inc.(Pat Overom)5354 Edgewood DriveMounds View, MN 55112763-354-2670, Fax [email protected], INC.(Fred King)5801 Duluth St.Minneapolis, MN 55422763-546-3434, Fax [email protected] Architectural Group, Ltd.(Edward J. Kodet, Jr.)15 Groveland TerraceMinneapolis, MN 55403612-377-2737, Fax [email protected] Playground ComplianceProgram (in partnership withNational Playground ComplianceGroup, LLC) (Tim Mahoney)PO Box 506Carlisle, IA 50047866-345-6774, 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(Steve Miller)84 10th Street S., Suite 200Minneapolis, MN 55403612-851-5094, Fax [email protected], Inc.(Rick Wessling)18707 Old Excelsior Blvd.Minneapolis, MN 55345952-474-3291, Fax [email protected]

Widseth Smith Nolting(Kevin Donnay)7804 Industrial Park RoadBaxter, MN 56425218-829-5117, Fax [email protected] Architects and Engineers(Scott McQueen)305 St. Peter StreetSt. Paul, MN 55102651-227-7773, Fax [email protected]

Athletic Sports Floors/SurfacingFisher Tracks, Inc.(Jordan Fisher)1192 235th StreetBoone, IA 50036515-432-3191, Fax [email protected] MSBA Playground ComplianceProgram (in partnership withNational Playground ComplianceGroup, LLC) (Tim Mahoney)PO Box 506Carlisle, IA 50047866-345-6774, Fax [email protected]

AttorneysKennedy & Graven Chartered(Neil Simmons)200 South Sixth Street, Suite 470Minneapolis, MN 55402612-337-9300, Fax 612-337-9310www.kennedy-graven.comnsimmons@kennedy-graven.comKnutson, Flynn & Deans, P.A.(Thomas S. Deans)1155 Centre Pointe Dr., Suite 10Mendota Heights, MN 55120651-222-2811, Fax [email protected], Sorlie, Rufer & Kershner, PLLP(Mike Rengel)110 N. MillFergus Falls, MN 56537218-736-5493, Fax [email protected]

Ratwik, Roszak & Maloney, P.A.(Jay T. Squires)730 2nd Ave. S., Suite 300Minneapolis, MN 55402612-339-0060, Fax [email protected]

Construction Mgmt & ConsultingBossardt Corporation(Greg Franzen)8300 Norman Center Drive, Suite 770Minneapolis, MN 55437952-831-5408 or 800-290-0119Fax [email protected] Consulting, Inc.(Pat Overom)5354 Edgewood DriveMounds View, MN 55112763-354-2670, Fax 763-780-2866www.ics-consult.compato@ics-consult.comKraus-Anderson Construction Co.(John Huenink)8625 Rendova Street NECircle Pines, MN 55014763-792-3616, Fax 763-786-2650www.krausanderson.comjohn.huenink@krausanderson.comMetz Construction Management, Inc.(Deb Metz)20759 Eastway RoadRichmond, MN 56368612-236-8665www.metzmanagement.comdeb@metzmanagement.comMSBA Playground ComplianceProgram (in partnership withNational Playground ComplianceGroup, LLC) (Tim Mahoney)PO Box 506Carlisle, IA 50047866-345-6774, Fax [email protected]

Educational Programs/Services Minnesota State Academies for the Deaf and Blind(Linda Mitchell)615 Olof Hanson Dr.Faribault, MN 55021800-657-3996/507-384-6602Fax [email protected]

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

MAY/JUNE 2012 29

Renaissance Learning2911 Peach StreetWisconsin Rapids, WI [email protected]

Energy SolutionsJohnson Controls, Inc.(Brent Jones)2605 Fernbrook Lane N., Suite TPlymouth, MN 55447763-585-5039, Fax [email protected]

Facilities Maintenance & SuppliesMarsden Bldg Maintenance, LLC(Diane Lewis)1717 University Ave. W.St. Paul, MN 55104www.marsden.com [email protected]

Financial ManagementMSBA-Sponsored Administrationand Compliance Service (A&C Service)Administration and ComplianceService(Paige McNeal, Educators Benefit Consultants, LLC)888-507-6053/763-552-6053Fax [email protected] MSBA-Sponsored MNTAAB (MN Tax and Aid AnticipationBorrowing Program)MNTAAB(DeeDee Kahring, Springsted, Inc.)800-236-3033/651-223-3099Fax [email protected] MSBA-Sponsored P-Card(Procurement Card) ProgramP-Card Program800-891-7910/314-878-5000Fax 314-878-5333www.powercardpfm.comMSBA-SponsoredSchoolFinances.comSchoolFinances.com(Jim Sheehan, Ann Thomas)Sheehan: 952-435-0990Thomas: [email protected]@schoolfinances.com PaySchools(Patrick Ricci)6000 Grand Ave.Des Moines, IA 50312281-545-1957, Fax: [email protected]

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Floor CoveringsHiller Commercial Floors(Dave Bahr) 2909 S. BroadwayRochester, MN 55904507-254-6858, Fax [email protected]

Food Service Products & ServicesLunchtime Solutions, Inc.(Deni Ferlick)717 N. Derby LaneNorth Sioux City, SD 57049712-251-0427, Fax 605-235-0942www.lunchtimesolutions.com [email protected]

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Janitorial Contract ServicesMarsden Bldg Maintenance, LLC(Diane Lewis)1717 University Ave. W.St. Paul, MN 55104www.marsden.com [email protected]

PlaygroundsMSBA Playground ComplianceProgram (in partnership withNational Playground ComplianceGroup, LLC) (Tim Mahoney)PO Box 506Carlisle, IA 50047866-345-6774, Fax [email protected]

RoofingFour Seasons Energy EfficientRoofing, Inc.(Darrell Schaapveld)1410 Quant Ave. N.Marine on St. Croix, MN 55047651-433-2443, Fax [email protected]

School Supplies/FurnitureCTB(Kevin Stachowski) 26327 Fallbrook Ave.Wyoming, MN 55092651-462-3550, Fax [email protected]

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

Sustainability ConsultingPaulsen Architects(Bryan Paulsen)209 S. Second Street, Suite 201Mankato, MN 56001507-388-9811, Fax [email protected]

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

TransportationAmerican Bus Sales, LLC(Jason Lustig)12802 N. 103rd East AvenueCollinsville, OK 74021866-574-9970, Fax 918-274-9970www.AmericanBusSales.netinfo@americanbussales.netHoglund Bus Co., Inc.(Jason Anderson)116 East Oakwood DrivePO Box 249Monticello, MN 55362763-295-5119, Fax [email protected]

Minnesota School Bus OperatorsAssociation(Shelly Jonas)10606 Hemlock Street NWAnnandale, MN 55302320-274-8313, Fax [email protected] Central Bus & Equipment(Sandy Kiehm)2629 Clearwater Road SouthSt. Cloud, MN 56301320-257-1209, Fax 320-252-3561www.northcentralinc.comsandyk@northcentralinc.comTelin Transportation Group(Jamie Romfo)14990 Industry AvenueBecker, MN 55308866-287-7278, 763-262-3328Fax [email protected]

30 MSBA JOURNAL

AdvertisersATS&R...........................................................................Page 25

DLR Group ..................................................................Page 17

FGB Service Corporation .............................................Page 7

Hiller Commercial Floors ...........................................Page 26

Kennedy & Graven, Chartered ...................................Page 17

Knutson, Flynn & Deans, P.A. .....................................Page 26

MSBAIT.........................................................................Page 32

National Insurance Services, Inc.................................Page 27

MSDLAF+......................................................................Page 25

PreferredOne .................................................................Page 2

Ratwik, Roszak & Maloney, P.A. .................................Page 21

Taher, Inc......................................................................Page 30

Telin Transportation Group ..........................................Page 7

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MAY/JUNE 2012 31

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This articleaddressesthreequestionsschool boardsface in thesuperintendentpost-hiringtime period.

AAt some point in time in their tenures, mostboard members must search for and hire anew superintendent. Once a hiring decisionhas been made, board members typically willbreathe a sigh of relief because they havetheir new superintendent under contract forthe coming year(s); however, they quicklyrealize that their work must now shift todeveloping and maintaining a good workingrelationship with their superintendent forthe betterment of the students and thedistrict. This article addresses three questionsschool boards face in the superintendentpost-hiring time period.

Question: Who should develop thesuperintendent’s job performanceexpectations?

Ideally, the board and superintendent worktogether to establish the expectations andpriorities for the superintendent’sperformance for the coming year(s). Settingexpectations is important because they formthe basis for the superintendent’sperformance evaluation. Hopefully, theseexpectations and priorities will be alignedwith the district’s goals and priorities and aredesigned to move the district forward. Theparties should agree on what the evaluationpriorities are, what tool(s) will be used, whenupdates will be provided, and when the final,summative evaluation meeting will takeplace. See Chapter 3 of the MSBA ServiceManual for sample superintendentevaluation forms.

The board should also spend time thinkingabout its performance and ways in which itcan be improved. Many boards participate inan annual board self-evaluation to help themidentify their strengths and weaknesses, andareas in which improvements could be made.Ultimately, both the board andsuperintendent benefit from an annualperformance review, and that is good for thedistrict. Contact Katie Klanderud, MSBA’sDirector of Board Development, for moreinformation.

Question: How soon after the newsuperintendent’s first day of work should theboard and superintendent get together to setthose expectations?

The meeting at which the expectations forthe superintendent’s performance are setshould be held as soon as possible after thenew superintendent’s first day of work so thateveryone is “reading off the same page.”Many school boards schedule a specialmeeting for this purpose, while some addressthe issue during a regular meeting. Theconversation about the board’s expectationsfor the superintendent’s performance mustoccur in an open meeting, because noexception exists in state statute that allows aboard to close a meeting for this purpose.

Question: What are important factors toconsider when developing a good board-superintendent working relationship?

Wise school board members andsuperintendents know and understand thevalue of having a good working relationship.Board members and superintendents knowthat having consistent, open lines ofcommunication are keys to success. They alsoknow how important it is to talk about andreach a consensus on topics such as handlingcomplaints from the public; preparing theboard meeting agenda; handling commentsat board meetings; and the process to beused when developing the budget anddeciding on personnel issues.

MSBA offers several different opportunitiesdesigned to help boards and superintendentsdevelop strong board-superintendentrelationships. In-district workshops are anoption for boards and superintendents whowant to focus on specific topics such asdeveloping mutual expectations or clarifyingroles and responsibilities. The in-districtworkshops are customized to meet a specificdistrict’s needs. Contact MSBA’s BoardDevelopment Team for more informationabout in-district workshops and trainings.

By Sandy Gundlach,MSBA Director of SchoolBoard Services

HOW BOARDS CAN HELPA NEW SUPERINTENDENT

1900 West Jefferson Avenue, St. Peter, MN 56082-3015

PRSRT STD

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PAIDMANKATO, MN

PERMIT NO. 47

Property, Inland Marine, and CrimeWorkers’ Compensation

School Leaders’ Legal LiabilityAutomobile

Group Term LifeLong-Term Disability

General LiabilityExcess Liability

ddrill@ mnmsba.org

ataylor@ mnmsba.org

glee@ mnmsba.org

[email protected]

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