ELY – Just weeks after the top administrator at ISD 696 agreed to a contract extension, John Klarich announced Monday night that he is leaving his superintendent post after his contract expires next May.
At least some school board members were aware of the impending vacancy at the top of the school administration. A meeting agenda item this week called for the approval of a Superintendent Mentorship Agreement with current K-5 Principal Anne Oelke.
Apparently, school board leaders are looking at reducing school administration costs by combining the part-time superintendent position with a part-time elementary principal position. The current middle school and high school principal position would likely remain full-time. The move would reduce the number of administrators from three to two.
The school superintendent mentorship arrangement caught at least one board member by surprise. Following a motion by Tony Colarich, with support by Rochelle Sjoberg, to approve the agreement, Tom Omerza asked the superintendent or principal for an explanation.
Klarich and Oelke both pointed to each other to offer more details. “I think I’d rather let Anne talk about this a bit,” Klarich said, before announcing, “You know, I’m leaving May 31, and there was a discussion to decide to move (Oelke) into that superintendency. She will get hands-on experience and find out what it is to run a school district.”
Oelke, who holds a State of Minnesota school superintendent license, was asked prior to the school board meeting if the mentorship agreement proposal was her idea or if it came from the board.
“It was suggested that I do this,” she said.
The at-will Superintendent Mentorship Agreement, unanimously approved, runs from July 1, 2022 –May 31, 2023, and pays Oelke an additional $1,000 per month for the duration of the contract. The mentorship program also provides three paid days of vacation.
The completion of a list of duties or tasks for Oelke, required in addition to her regular full-time K-5 principal responsibilities for the next year, includes: ESSER funding; multi-tiered system/Coop; District IOWA; All District SERVS; World’s Best Workforce; REAP Grant and Funding; additional supervisory evaluations assigned by superintendent; crisis planning; QCOMP; TDE and other duties as assigned by the superintendent.
According to the agreement, the mentorship reports directly to the superintendent who will be responsible for evaluating the experiences and task completion every 60-90 days. The superintendent is required to present quarterly updates to the school board.
Klarich joined the school district in January following the resignation of Erick Erie and brought decades of school administration experience to what has been a revolving door of local school leadership. His part-time contract pays a $50,000 salary, plus a maximum of $13,500 contribution to a retirement plan. Klarich is required to work two days a week on campus and one day a week remotely.
Sjoberg added, “After John had brought this forward to Ray (Marsnik) and I for discussion, it was a way for the district, with the rotation in this position, to look more long-term and have some of that planning versus filling (a vacancy) by reaction. So, this is trying to pre-plan. Anne has had her license for many years and this is a way for her to get hands-on (experience) and determine if that is the direction she is going to want to go with after John is gone.”
Sjoberg also noted, “The school board has had a significant amount of discussion over the years that when the (Memorial and Washington) buildings were to be conjoined the administrative status would be looked at. Right now, the biggest reason that we have three administrators is in part because of the separation of the buildings. I feel that Ray and I were super transparent that this is something that the board would be looking at.”
The $21.5 million school facility building and renovation project is scheduled to be completed for the start 2022-23 school year.
Board chair Marsnik emphasized the reduction in school administrators from three to two would be a money-saving move for ISD 696.
After the unanimous approval vote on the motion, Sjoberg clarified that any discussion on the topic of administrative staff reductions would include a vote by the full school board.
“Should we decide that is the angle we want to look at, obviously, that is a decision we would all make,” she said.
Rock blasting
The campus-wide Ely school renovation project hit another road block involving the installation of water pipes, storm runoff and sewer pipe infrastructure this summer.
“It ended up that we have to blast to get through the ledge rock,” Klarich told school board members Monday night. “We can’t just jack hammer that out.”
Blasting notices were sent to residents in the neighborhood around the school from SX Blasting that allowed individuals to have pre-blasting inspections done on their homes and follow-up inspections to document any property damage that would result in financial reimbursement.
“The blasting company will come in and take pictures of the property before and after the blasting in case there is potentially any damage that happens due to the reverberation of the blasting,” Klarich said. “They came through the school as well to take pictures.”
ISD 696 Facilities Manager Tim Leeson is taking the lead on the unexpected development and latest construction delay that has plagued the renovation project since the start.
“For Kraus-Anderson and (project manager) Todd Erickson, this was new to him, too,” Klarich added.
“They were going to start last Thursday,” Leeson said. “Then they thought they could start today (Monday, July 11), but that didn’t happen either. They cannot transport nitroglycerine within a certain radius of thunderstorms. And also, if there is a certain amount of rain and moisture in the ground, that doesn’t do well with the nitroglycerine that they have to pack into the holes they drill. They need drier conditions and it doesn’t look great for this week either. If we get a couple of dry days, they can hopefully start blasting.”
According to a letter sent to property owners, “During the blasting and drilling process, you will experience noise and minor ground vibration. SX Blasting uses safe blasting practices and designs its blasts to minimize disruptions for those living in the vicinity of the blasting site. In addition, SX Blasting uses a seismograph to measure and monitor the ground vibration on every blast to ensure that each blast falls within the allowable levels designated by the federal government.”
The first rock blast was heard and felt by nearby residents of the school campus on Tuesday morning just after 9 a.m. Before each blast, three successive horn blasts sounded, followed immediately by a muffled rumbling sound, then another horn blast. “There are usually two blasts each day, weather permitting,” according to officials.
Leeson said the blasting would start on the west end of campus near the playground.
He also indicated that temporary water lines were installed last Friday.
“They did find a coupling out by the hydrant or up against the building, stamped from 1905, that was pure lead,” Leeson said. “That is probably an indication of couplings on the whole run. Hopefully that will fix our lead (in the water) problem.”
Other business
In other business, the board:
• Approved a resolution establishing dates for filing affidavits of candidacy for the Nov. 8 general election and special election for the school board. The filing period for both elections begins on Tuesday, Aug. 2 and closes at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 16. The filing fee is $2. Three seats, each for four-year terms are open for the general election. One seat for a two-year term is open for the special election.
Heard from Klarich about the school locker room flooring decision to proceed with a composite material “that will save us about $17,000 by going with an epoxy floor.” Keeping the planter in front of the elementary school and several trees will also result in a savings of about $25,000, he added.
• Heard from Leeson that using an existing wall-mounted furnace unit from the former boiler building for the Ice Arena locker room heating issue will be a temporary solution for the heating needs in that portion of the arena. “That should get us by for a year,” he said. A permanent heating solution for the locker room is still required.
• Approved a quote for office furniture in the new school addition building from Premier F&E for $65,537.
• Approved Minnesota Rural Education Association (MREA) dues for 2022-2023 of $1,693.
• Approved a managed services contract with Voltz, effective July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2023, for $3,000 per month.
• Approved a one-year Bus Maintenance Diesel Mechanic Agreement with Jeff Johnston that pays him $30.90 per hour for 12 hours per week.
• Approved a letter from teacher Todd Hohenstein rescinding his extended leave of absence request.
• Approved an agreement with Vermilion Country School, Tower, for cooperative sports participation for football, hockey, volleyball, basketball, softball and track and field activities for the 2022-2023 school year.