Unlike
many organizations, the fiscal year for Wisconsin school districts runs
from July 1 to June 30. Not only does this mean that my first
“official” year of working as the district administrator in Menomonie is
complete, but it also means that our school district now moves into a
new calendar and budget cycle. Hopefully, lawmakers in Madison will
complete the budget process soon so that school districts and other
public entities in Wisconsin can continue moving forward.
While
the 2014-2015 school year provided many challenges, we also have many
wonderful accomplishments to celebrate. Some of the most significant
district accomplishments from the past year include:
- Completing building renovations at Downsville and River Heights, along with stage one at MHS.
- Improving
branding of the school district through the creation of a school
promotional video, the expanded the use of social media, and the
continuation of the School Crossings column.
- Collaborating
with stakeholders to update the District’s strategic plan and
establishing a vision for financial security for the school district.
- Changing the district’s health insurance and early retirement benefits to make them more sustainable for the school district.
- Improving the school calendar for 2015-2016.
- Setting
a phasing plan for the MHS Sports Complex and continuing fundraising
efforts that include scoreboard sponsorships, exclusive beverage
agreement, and pre-approved naming rights for school district
facilities.
- Partnering
with UW-Stout and the community to obtain a large art integration grant
and to recognize staff with a community-wide Teacher Appreciation Week
celebration.
- Saving
thousands of dollars in annual interest costs by establishing a local
line of credit instead of short-term borrowing for cash flow needs.
- Establishing
a capital improvement trust fund to start saving for major maintenance
needs of the future, and working with maintenance and tech departments
to implement a digital work request system.
- Implementing
the new computer-based standardized exams in the SDMA, researching and
adopting a new K-5 math resource, and developing an expanded K-12
academic intervention program for 2015-2016.
- Identifying
and addressing the severe bandwidth limitations at Knapp Elementary
School, and collaborating with UW-Stout and other local governmental
units to expand high speed fiber access in Menomonie.
- Overseeing
the implementation efforts of the new Boys & Girls Club partnership
with SDMA and partnering with UW-Stout, Dunn Co., and Menomonie PD to
address bias-related concerns in our community.
- Participating
in a statewide advocacy effort for public education and developing a
balanced preliminary budget for 2015-2016 without eliminating
programming opportunities for students.
- Improving
the alternative teacher compensation model by soliciting feedback from
staff and developing solutions to improve the system.
As you
can see, it has been a very busy and productive year in Menomonie. Our
community has much to be proud of, and the collaborative effort by our
students, staff, and community members is greatly appreciated. The next
edition of School Crossings will discuss some of our ambitious goals in
the school district for the 2015-2016 school year.
Should
school stakeholders have any questions about our schools, or if you
would like to suggest some goals as we strive for continuous improvement
in Menomonie, I invite you to visit the Administrative Service Center
on Pine Avenue or contact me at 715-232-1642. More information about
our schools can be found on the school district website (www.sdmaonline.com) and on Twitter (www.twitter.com/sdmaonline).