School taxes to increase in 2010

The Willow River School Board appeared disheartened at the December 8 regular meeting when Superintendent Lynette Maas formally and unequivocally confirmed her plans to step down from her part-time position. “I have decided that I will be retiring next fall,” she said.

While the board expected the news, they held hope that Maas might reconsider the plans she brought forth in April, when she first expressed to the board that she would likely leave before her contract expired in June of 2011. Last month, however, the board requested that Maas consider remaining through the end of next school year to ensure a smooth transition in administration after her departure.

Firm in her decision, Maas assured the board, “I gave it lots of thought.”

Maas entered the district’s superintendent position in July of 2007, then saying, “I’m happy to have the opportunity to work part-time.” The following year she signed on for an additional three years that would take her through June 30, 2011. Then in the spring of 2009, and at the request of Maas, the board agreed to reduce her workload to two days per week, on a trial basis. It was then that Maas informed the board of her intention to ease out of her position.

Maas has been lauded by the board for her leadership in guiding the district forward in the years following its recovery from statutory operating debt in 2006. “This school couldn’t have functioned with a half-time superintendent without the experience of Lynette,” said chairman Roger Else at a meeting last spring.

In the months since April the board has set into motion a transition plan granting K-12 Principal Scott Anderson the additional duties of assistant superintendent while under the tutelage of Maas. Anderson was licensed last summer as a superintendent and is poised to assume Maas’ role on her exit from the district.

The transition plan also includes two part-time deans who report to Anderson. Julie Hebb, Title 1 coordinator and teacher, serves as elementary dean, and Social Studies teacher Matt Hosmer serves as dean for the high school. Hosmer is currently working on his masters in administration and is expected to acquire his principal license around the fall of 2011.

In November, seven months after reducing her hours, Maas alerted the board, “I can’t get the work done in two days.” Although reticent to increase her hours, Maas acknowledged that an excess workload, as well as mentoring Anderson in superintendent duties, required more than two days per week.

At this month’s meeting the board approved a revised superintendent contract for Maas, effective December 1, 2009 through June 30, 2011. While the agreement effectively reverts back to the original part-time contract, Maas reserves the right to retire in November of 2010. Her official notice of retirement is expected sometime in the spring.

Maas’ anticipated exit next November leaves the fate of administration in question. While Anderson is positioned to become superintendent, neither dean will have yet acquired a principal license to assume Anderson’s post next November. The board expects to discuss administrative options at future meetings.

Taxes to increase

School taxes are set to increase over 17 percent next year for residents in the district, as the board adopted the maximum tax levy of $583,834 payable in 2010. While the $87,647 increase from last year reflects a 17.66 percent bump in school taxes, business manager Jenny Nelson said, “It is still 36 percent below where we were two years ago,” when the tax levy was $910,592.

On a motion from Dave Kliniski, the board approved a two-year master agreement between the district and its teaching staff. The contract, finalized last month, runs from July 1, 2009 through June 30, 2011 and covers 27 articles from teacher rights to professional development to teacher evaluations. The contract calls for a 2 percent salary increase for the 2009-2010 school year and another 2 percent raise in 2010-2011.