Red Wing School Board briefs

Strategic plan meeting some goals, missing others

Red Wing School District’s strategic plan has officially been in place for a full year, and while some of the plan’s goals are being met, others need more time.

Brian Cashman, who worked to implement the plan, updated the board on the plan’s progress Monday. Progress is measured by asking staff in each building to rate where their school is in each of the plan’s five areas.

So far, growth has been made throughout the district in the areas of interventions, teacher and administration effectiveness and culture and behavior. However, Cashman told the board that, in general, there has been more improvement at the early childhood through seventh-grade level than at the high school level.

Still, he said that should even out with time. “It is hard to implement systemic change at the secondary level,” Cashman said. “It just takes a little longer.”

Director of Instructional Services Kathy Radmer added that high school students face more challenges than elementary students do. “Students are more complex at that level,” Radmer said.

The district also failed to meet three of the five goals the plan outlined for the 2011-12 school year. Still, Cashman said he expects there to be great improvement next year. He also stressed the overall importance of sticking with the plan.

“Our strategic plan is getting traction,” Cashman said.

First FY 13 budget approved

The board approved a preliminary fiscal year 2013 budget Monday. As per state statute, schools must approve a budget by June 30 each year.

The budget shows what Finance Director Brad Johnson called “slight changes.” General fund revenues are up 2.2 percent and expenditures went up 3.2 percent. The deficit is part of the district’s five-year referendum, which structures inflation by building up the general fund in its first years and then spending it down in the last couple years.

The budget also includes a transfer of funds gained during the sale of Bergwall Arena to Community Education to repay a loan.

Changes to the budget will be made throughout the year as needed.

“We will continue to keep numbers current during the year,” Johnson said.

Personnel changes OK’d

The board approved the following personnel changes:

Parental leave: Megan Damman, first-grade teacher at Sunnyside Elementary, Oct. 26, 2012–March 29, 2013.

Resignation: Jessie Prettyman, speech therapist at RWHS, effective June 6.

Meeting watch

Monday’s meeting lasted about one hour, 15 minutes before going into closed session to discuss labor negotiation strategies and former student Quera Pruitt’s lawsuit against the district.

- Compiled by Sarah Gorvin, staff writer

Tags: red wing, school board, education