By Tina Snell, Staff Writer
Board Chair Robert Stoltman released a positive evaluation for Supt. Curt Tryggestad based on the past year’s performance. Each board member evaluated Tryggestad’s job individually before the group met in a closed session July 11. The evaluation was part of Tryggestad’s contract.
The individual evaluations were compiled by Stoltman into one document for anonymity purposes. There were 10 performance categories graded from one to five, one being unacceptable and five being outstanding.
The categories included Tryggestad’s:
• Leadership in the district’s educational programs, staff development programs and curriculum development;
• Ability to inform and advise the School Board about programs, practices and problems within the district;
• Defining the educational needs of the district to the School Board, including policy an staffing recommendations;
• Response to concerns of parents, students, staff and the community;
• Performance in overseeing the financial operations of the district;
• Participation in contract negotiations and the administration of those contracts;
• Institution of and updating of the comprehensive strategic planning process;
• Involvement in educational organizations that advocate the legislative agenda;
• Assistance in the professional growth and development of the members of the School Board; and
• Accountability for all aspects of the district’s operations.
Tryggestad’s overall evaluation by the School Board members was positive, said Stoltman. Based on the graded categories, the Board’s rating was a 4.1. He received high marks in defining the educational needs of the district, overseeing its financial operations and instituting and updating a strategic planning process. He scored lowest (3.5) in informing and advising the School Board members about programs, practices and problems. That score was still above the average evaluation of “meeting expectations.”
At the closed meeting, the Board discussed better ways for Tryggestad to inform the members of district programs, practices and problems.
Little Falls School Board briefs
Other business conducted by the Little Falls School Board Monday night included:
• Voting to approve the district’s 2011-12 handbooks;
• Setting the truth and taxation meeting for Monday, Dec. 12, at the regular board meeting;
• Learning from Supt. Curt Tryggestad that juniors and seniors are able to earn up to 60 college credits by the time they graduate from Little Falls Community High School;
• Voting to approve the changes in Policy 524 which deals with the acceptable usage of the Internet and school approved electronic devices;
• Voting to hire Kurt Stumpf as dean of students at the Little Falls Community Middle School (LFCMS), pending a successful completion of the hiring process; Jeffrey Flaten as a custodian at the LFCMS, Dawn Lattimer as a cleaner at the LFCMS, Lisa Kobliska as a cleaner at the Little Falls Community High School (LFCHS), Rebecca Jacobsen-Strahl as a world language teacher at the LFCHS for 4.5 hours per week and Dawn Mykkanen as a human resource generalist;
• Voting to give family medical leaves of absence to Diane Schneider, Camilla Larson, Becky Abbott and Kelly Mertens;
• Accepting the resignations of Richard Mettler, Julie Bassett and Nichole Tabatt and terminating the at-will agreement with Connie Novak;
• Accepting two donations of lumber valued at $3,024 from George Marotte and valued at $3,885 from CJ’s Equipment and Building Repair to be used in the industrial technology department for furniture building and construction projects;
• Accepting a $1,000 donation from the National Exchange Club for the Adopt A Child Program at Lincoln Elementary School and a $610 donation from the Lyle James Charitable Fund of the Minneapolis Foundation for the Lyle James Math Scholarship; and
• Hearing a report from Rhonda Schmidt and Nancy Leisenheimer on the Spanish students’ trip to Argentina in June.
The next School Board meeting will be held at the Morrison County Government Center Monday, Sept. 12, beginning at 6 p.m.
