School board examines 2014 projects

A look at upcoming capital improvement projects slated for 2014 was among the highlights of the regular Waconia School Board meeting held on Monday, March 3. The district is planning to spend approximately $1,526,000 on projected Capital Facilities & Deferred Maintenance Programs in the coming year. The largest chunk of that figure is related to $943,000 in building improvements. Projects are planned for all of the districts buildings, including a number of district-wide facilities. At Bayview, space currently being used by Kids Company will be reconfigured into a classroom. Additional lockers will be installed to help accommodate continued growth and security improvements involving interior door locks will also be part of the work completed at Bayview. A sound system update for the green gym and the dining room is planned for Southview, as are security improvements involving interior door locks. At Clearwater, the district is planning to update the intercom system, install a sidewalk to the physical education fields, replace a floor scrubber and complete some roof repairs. A number of projects will occur at the high school, including sound and light upgrades in the auditorium. The Media Center will be recarpeted and the security system cameras and DVR system will be upgraded. A bottle water fountain will be installed in the main lobby and the wall pads on the main courts will be replaced. The buildings Bobcat Sweeper will also be replaced. In terms of district-wide improvements, the district is looking at the installation of portable bleachers and/or the rental of football field bleachers, athletic field improvements, mechanical and electrical system repairs / replacement, and reconfiguring a storage room at the WEC into a classroom. The district also has costs associated with a city street assessment related to Wildcat Way and a storm water well system (Burandt Lake Project). According to Director of Finance and Operations Todd Swanson, all of the projects are scheduled to be done in the coming school year with most of them scheduled to be completed over the summer. In addition to the building improvements, the district has $583,000 budgeted for equipment expenditures, which include allocations for Project Lead the Way, Curriculum Development, Technology, and expenses related to school equipment and copy and postage machine leases. The district also has $540,000 in lease levy expenses. In other matters: The board approved a motion to dissolve the Carver-Scott Educational Cooperative No. 930. The services provided by that co-op are now being supplied by the SouthWest Metro Educational Cooperative. Waconia is one of 10 area districts to take part in the cooperative, which provides a comprehensive array of customized programs and services to complement the educational services offered by the local school districts and surrounding communities. Steve Hullander, an American History teacher at Waconia High School, announced his retirement effective the end of the school year. In a letter to the board, Hullander noted his thanks and appreciation to all the teachers, coaches and administrators that he worked with at Waconia and thanked all the students and athletes that he had the privilege of being just a small part of their lives as they moved into the real world. A donation of $1,000 from James and Kim Manuel in memory of Connie Manuel was acknowledged by the board. The funds will be directed to the high school physical education department. The district received a $5,000 check from Minnesota Valley Electrical Cooperative for its energy efficiency upgrades at Clearwater Middle School. The board continues working with School Exec Connect regarding the superintendent search. A profile of the next superintendent has been created see information at right. Candidates are currently being sought for the position. According to information available on the district website, the board and consultants will meet to review and select candidates to be initially interviewed on April 28. The board will interview five or more recommended candidates on April 30 and May 1. On May 1, the board will narrow the field to two or three finalists. The next round of individual interviews will occur on May 13, 14, and possibly the 15. Community input will be welcome when it comes to selecting the finalist. To learn more about the search, visit the district website at http://www.waconia.new.rschooltoday.com. A recent phone-a-thon resulted in more than $7,000 being raised for scholarships through the School District 110 Foundation. Donations will still be accepted through April 11. To make a contribution, visit http://www.district110foundation.org and click on the Donate Now button. The board is planning a discussion on options for district facilities during a work session that will be held at 7 p.m. at the media center at Clearwater Middle School on Monday, March 24. A week later on Monday, March 31, the board will meet again to talk about gathering community input on the various options. The next regular school board meeting will be held at the ESC at 7 p.m. on Monday, April 21.

Profile Desired of the Next Superintendent

After meeting on March 17, the Waconia School Board has released the desired profile of the next superintendent. This profile is based on an online survey and focus groups that were facilitated by School Exec Connect. The Superintendent should be a person who: Is an excellent communicator with all of the community, families, senior citizens, each of the different communities in the District Is an integral member of the community, and active in both school and community events in each of the communities Can plan for long-range growth in the school district, and create the appropriate long-term solution, in collaboration with the cities. for the facility and athletic field needs, and knows the process for a successful bond and levy Can lead a strong central administrative and Principal team that is a cohesive team, focused on the best educational opportunities to prepare students for the future Can support the curriculum development process which addresses, gifted and talented, rigor and relevance, range of science, language, and math options needed Can oversee the fiscal management process so that there is continued stability of funding, appropriate fund balance and a response to curriculum and activities/athletics that puts student needs first Can review the offerings for students in athletics, arts, music as extra-curricular options and assure balance Is a visionary leader who can utilize a strategic plan to continue moving the district forward Will create common messages with the Board, staff, and community leaders, so that the message on district needs is consistent and able to be supported by each Is able to plan for technology integration. The plan needs to define, the purpose, expected objectives and outcomes, the range of tools, and short and long term investment needed as well as how the plan would be funded now and into the future

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School board examines 2014 projects