Administrative contracts are tabled by Dodgeland board

By Diane Graff of the Daily Times staff
Tuesday, June 3, 2008 1:04 PM CDT

JUNEAU - The Dodgeland School Board Monday night tabled action on administrative contracts for its newly hired elementary principal, middle/high school principal and middle/high school dean of students.

The board tabled the contracts pending further discussion in closed session.

The board recently revamped its administrative structure to include the three new positions. Currently, the district has an elementary school principal, middle school principal and high school principal.

Through the reorganization, all three administrators will be new to the district in the 2008-09 school year.

High school Principal Steve Schiller had requested to return to a position as a high school social studies teacher.

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Middle school Principal Michelle Weidemann had requested to also return to a business education teaching position. But she tendered a letter of resignation at Monday night's board meeting. She is moving to Minnesota after nine years with the Dodgeland School District.

Elementary school Principal Mary Kay Wolf resigned last month.

The board had already approved the new administrative team but has not finalized the contracts, according to acting superintendent Al Rosenthal. Some specific issues, including insurance, need to be discussed in closed session, Rosenthal told board members.

School board President Jeff Caine said the board had hoped to have the contracts approved by July 1. A closed session meeting will follow next Monday night's regular board session.

The new administrative team includes elementary principal Jessica Johnson, middle/high school principal Jeffrey Braun and Dean of Students Catherine Moore. Johnson and Braun's contracts are for 225 working days with a salary of $65,000 and Moore's contract is for 200 days with a salary of $50,000.

The board also tabled the Cooperative Educational Services Agency No. 6 contract for the 2008-09 school year. The contract for the coming year is $239,667.42, about $16,400 higher than the 2007-08 school year.

Several board members questioned the rise in costs and tabled the contract until the June 9 meeting.

The board approved several other personnel issues including a contract to Christele Schwerer of Oconomowoc as a part-time German teacher. She will replace Sandy Rettschlag who is retiring at the end of the school year. Schwerer will be hired at 83.3 percent time at a salary of $36,358.70.

Jamey Kamrath of Mayville was hired as the middle/high school special education instructor for the 2008-09 school year.

The board approved the appointment of Marcy Koch as a volunteer middle/high school cheerleading coach for the coming school year.

The board approved the school calendar for the 2008-09 school year. The first day of school will be Sept. 2, with three days included in the calendar for inclement weather. Graduation will be June 5, 2009. The calendar includes 189 days and four hours of flex time.

The school board's membership in the Wisconsin Association of School Boards for the year beginning July 1 through June 30, 2009, was approved for $3,054. The middle/high school WIAA membership was approved for $675.

The board will consider a proposal from the WASB to review the policies of the district. A representative from the state organization addressed the board last month on updating and reviewing the district's policies. The board will consider the proposal when it meets Monday.

The board started its meeting with a walking tour of the facilities with maintenance supervisor Ken Schimmel.

Schimmel pointed out the damage to the building over the year, including doors that were broken and holes that were made by doors that were pushed open to far. Schimmel said some of the damage was done due to lack of supervision. School board members questioned why students would want to damage doors.

Board members also reviewed a request to create a larger classroom in the elementary wing by taking out a wall between a classroom and a storage area. The board directed Schimmel to obtain bids for the work necessary to create one larger classroom.