Board Retreat January 6-8, 2012

[Diane Blevins]

Proceedings of the Board of Trustees

District No. 2, Yellowstone County

High School District No. 2, Yellowstone County

Billings, Montana

 

January 6, 2012

 

CALL TO ORDER

 

The Board Retreat of the Board of Trustees of School District No. 2, Yellowstone County, Montana, and High School District, Yellowstone County, Montana, was duly held at The Lincoln Center, 415 North 30^th Street, Billings, Montana, January 6, 2012, at 5:30 p.m.

 

Members present included Trustees Allen Halter, Connie Wardell, Greta Besch Moen, Lindy Graves, Travis Kemp, Kathy Aragon, Teresa Stroebe, Travis Smith, Pam Ellis, District Clerk Leo Hudetz, Superintendent Jack Copps, and Assistant Superintendents Gail Surwill and Josh Middleton. Other administrators were Brenda Koch, Scott Anderson and Kathy Olson.

 

Registered guests were Mary Westwood, Darcy Frewin, Ed Frewin, Patrick Choriki, Pam Christianson, and John Quandt.

 

COMMUNICATION FROM THE PUBLIC

 

The Board recognizes the value of public comment on educational issues and the importance of listening to members of the public in its meetings. The Board also recognizes the statutory and constitutional right of the public to participate in governmental operations. The Board encourages members of the public to participate in and express opinions about issues important to the District. This part of the Board’s meeting is dedicated to public comment on any public matter that is not on the agenda of this meeting and is within the jurisdiction of the Board of Trustees. Members of the public may also address particular items on this agenda either now or at the time the Board considers the particular item.

 

Pam Christianson stated she was grateful for the trustees’ service to the community. She asked the members to remember the public and consider the following: 1) respect public input; 2) include the public in the committees; 3) develop a means to provide complete and timely information; 4) please conduct all board business in a public forum that allows for public participation; and, 5) develop a way that the board, administrators and the public can truly communicate.

 

BOARD RETREAT

 

Dana Toole, Facilitator, stated she is from a family of educators and views education as a core value. Trustees need to spend time together discussing issues that face the district. She urged those present to be respectful and break the barriers by working together for education in order to find solutions that benefit students. Ms. Toole urged them to unite and stand together by establishing trust in order to move forward. In order to accomplish the governance, work together for a way to move ahead, focus and strive for better communication. Everything the group needs is in this room to solve your problems. Ms. Toole stated 16,000 students are expecting you to figure out how to work together. She believed public education is the foundation of the USA.

 

The members present broke into groups to answer questions. (Answers during the retreat are attached to these minutes.) This type of exercise should happen more often. Change is constant and everyone is different. Ms. Toole asked the groups to answer what is the worst possible outcome of spending this weekend in a retreat.

 

Ms. Toole stated it is important when working with people to honor each person. She was impressed the way Connie wanted table decorations and Pam gave hugs to everyone present.

 

The retreat recessed at 9:15 p.m. and will reconvene at 9:00 a.m. tomorrow morning.

 

The retreat reconvened at 9:00 a.m. on January 7, 2012.

 

Those present were Trustees Allen Halter, Connie Wardell, Greta Besch Moen, Lindy Graves, Travis Kemp, Kathy Aragon, Teresa Stroebe, Travis Smith, Pam Ellis, District Clerk Leo Hudetz, Superintendent Jack Copps, and Assistant Superintendents Gail Surwill and Josh Middleton. Other administrators were Brenda Koch, Scott Anderson, Jeanie Lervick, and Kathy Olson.

 

Registered guests included Mary Westwood, Darcey Frewin, Mary Quandt, Sally Johnson, Kim Buhman, Patrick Chroriki, Melanie Jenson, Hollee Erlandson, Teresa Sandstead, and Chris Belcher.

 

Ms. Toole stated everyone has a perspective worth listening to and coalitions are formed when people feel they have been excluded. Those present broke into groups to answer the following questions: 1) what is the value of the educator to the student; 2) what is the value of the administrator to the student; 3) what is the value of the school board trustee to the student; 4) what would you like a 6^th grader to say about his education; 5) what would you like a 8^th grader to say about his education; 6) what would you like a graduate to say about his education; and, 6) what would you like a graduate to say about his education after five years.

 

Ms. Toole compared all information from the four groups on what is the value of a school board trustee to the student. The group developed the purpose statement as included in the end of these minutes.

 

Trustee Stroebe believed it is important to remember, as trustees, when a new member joins us that we should greet them and mentor them. Each member makes a commitment to greet other trustees and administrators, as well as the public members present. Ms. Toole suggested trustees should tell others good night after a meeting even if it was a contentious meeting. Another suggestion is to move trustees around at each meeting except the chair, vice-chair, and superintendent. This would eliminate allegiance through proximity. She urged the board to put their hard work into gaining a new educational leader. She asked the groups to list three qualities of excellence in an educational leader.

 

Ms. Toole stated single member districts are very complex and unique. She encouraged the board members to develop a plan on how to resolve issues by including the public. Trustee Ellis stated the board is divided on very important issues and felt there was no relationship building on the board. She felt the board needed to build relationships before making a decision. Trustee Smith felt members were going along with decisions in order to get along. Dr. Middleton did not see the board as divided but were becoming more focused. Trustee Aragon reported the board, a few years ago, approved a 3% raise for teachers which was a mistake knowing the future funding. The board will feel the turmoil when deciding on cuts that will need to be made. As a new trustee, she did not realize that boards should not approve a three-year contract when the legislature only meets every two years. Ms. Toole stated the board needs to work on board governance in order to work. The board must decide not to conduct board business outside of board meetings.

 

SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH

 

Superintendent Copps stated there were different superintendent styles. He reviewed his handout on two components of style: task and relationships. Sometimes a superintendent has to modify their style to fit the new needs of the district he/she serves. Longevity and continuity are directly connected to student achievement. The board should decide how to support longevity and continuity. Travis Smith felt it is important to have the information from the administrators on what type of style they would prefer. Trustee Wardell felt there is a difference on what the taxpayers want in a superintendent. Trustee Smith believed the new superintendent should be a person who is able to adapt. Trustee Kemp felt the new superintendent should be flexible.

 

Ms. Toole urged the group to craft something that will foster longevity for the district. Trustee Smith believed they should rely on Jack’s expertise and the consensus they reached on the important attributes of a superintendent. Trustee Stroebe did not want to leave this retreat until we have a process to find a superintendent. Ms. Toole stated the board could hire a national search firm, MTSBA (Montana School Board Association), or put together your own search committee.

 

Ms. Toole asked for community comments. Patrick Belcher stated it takes a lot of emotion out of an issue if you look at data and include the public input. Patrick Choriki believed there were a few people who did not want to be there today. He urged those present to work toward building relationships.

 

The retreat recessed at 5:30 p.m. to reconvene at 1:00 tomorrow.

 

The meeting reconvened at 1:00 p.m. on January 8, 2012.

 

Members present included Trustees Allen Halter, Connie Wardell, Greta Besch Moen, Lindy Graves, Travis Kemp, Kathy Aragon, Teresa Stroebe, Travis Smith, Pam Ellis, District Clerk Leo Hudetz, Superintendent Jack Copps, and Assistant Superintendents Gail Surwill and Josh Middleton. Other administrators were Brenda Koch, Scott Anderson and Kathy Olson.

 

Registered guests included Sara Boman, Craig Boman, Patrick Choriki, John Quandt and Mary Westwood.

 

Ms. Toole reviewed what was learned the past two days: collective thinking, respect everyone, and solving the problems by collective thinking. Two groups were set up. One group worked on governance and one group worked on the superintendent search. Each group will develop a proposal to solve the superintendent search and board governance.

 

Trustee Stroebe felt the board should know the options of the search firms that are available. Trustees Kemp and Wardell suggested hiring the HYA firm. Other firms were MTSBA and McPherson. The group prioritized characteristics of a superintendent. One option suggested was to hire from within or from within Montana.

 

Goals developed by the superintendent search group were: time commitment that this board is willing to make to be unified in order to attract a quality applicant; a right to have a qualified applicant and we understand superintendents will not be interested in serving a district for a split board; bona fide offer requirement; an applicant who has experience in a district with over 5,000 students; an applicant who is eligible for a Montana certificate; gain community input; and, a specific timeline.

 

The superintendent search group recommended hiring HYA as the superintendent search firm. Ms. Toole met with the board leadership and district clerk to determine how they can help with collective thinking process.

 

Trustee Ellis felt each of the search firms should be interviewed. She believe HYA was too expensive and its guarantee was not as good as McPherson’s. Trustee Wardell wanted to rule out MTSBA as she felt they were not as effective. Trustee Kemp believed MTSBA would be better for a smaller district. He liked HYA’s one-year guarantee. Trustee Ellis stated McPherson had a two-year guarantee and was half the price of HYA. She was not comfortable in paying twice the amount. She suggested a new proposal of interviewing both firms before making a decision. Ms. Toole recommended staying with the new proposal to interview both firms.

 

The governance group suggested making the following committees: planning and development and performance monitoring/stakeholder relations. The group recommended defining its purpose and assigning chairs to the committees. A recommendation was made to the group to read “The School Board Fieldbook: Leading the Vision” by Mark VonClay.

 

Trustee Aragon suggested the Policy Review Committee begin work again. Trustee Ellis recommended a proposal for the board to meet four Mondays a month. The first Monday would be for agenda setting, the second for Planning and Development, the third meeting would be the regular board meeting, and the fourth would be for the Performance Monitoring. Trustee Stroebe felt the board operations committee should be a part of the agenda setting meeting. Ms. Toole recommended the board operations meet twice a month for a time. Leo Hudetz will survey members as to days of the week to meet if there is another day than Monday. Trustee Moen made the proposal to meet four Mondays a month.

 

The meeting adjourned at 4:30 p.m.

 

 

 

 

Teresa Stroebe, Chair

 

 

 

Diane Blevins, Recorder