Several Clintonville School Board members criticized process
By Bert Lehman
Kimberly Bakeberg was approved by the board as the next principal of Rexford/Longfellow Elementary School.
After several Clintonville School Board members voiced displeasure about the hiring process, the hire was made official at the July 20 school board meeting.
Prior to the vote approving the hire, board member Jim Schultz told the board he was going to vote no because “the process was terrible.”
“It was a campaign, a well-organized campaign, to destroy the integrity of one of the applicants,” Schultz said. “And I didn’t think that was the way it should have gone, and I think we have to really look carefully at the way this all works, or we might as well tell the teachers to forget their input, we’re just going to go with what the superintendent wants.”
Board member Laurie Vollrath agreed with Schultz.
“We all had our thoughts, and we said our thoughts. I walked out of here and I felt OK with myself because I stood by what I believed and I didn’t let anyone strategically sway my vote,” Vollrath said. “And then Thursday came, and the phone calls started. I ran into somebody at the grocery store, and they’re all staff. Dave (Dyb, superintendent of the Clintonville School District) came up with this committee and they all met. They decided what they wanted and Dave let us know.
“We didn’t even take into consideration what the staff wanted. They spent hours of their volunteered time to be in a meeting and have some of the admin discredit one of the applicants, which was disappointing and unprofessional. I mean when you hear what was being said in that meeting, I can’t blame them if they don’t ever want to be on a committee again. We’re always here to do what’s best for the kids, and I don’t think we’re doing that here. I don’t think so at all, and I’m going to stand behind our staff.”
Board member Kris Strauman disagreed with Schultz and Vollrath.
“That whole process is a series of input, and input came from the staff, from the admin team that works closely with them, from parents, from all the interviews you had, from the people who actually run this district,” Strauman said. “There’s a lot of things that you aren’t aware of, that staff isn’t aware of, that the candidates weren’t aware of, but when you put it all together, that’s why I even changed my decision when we made this, because I got the whole story.”
Schultz said that two weeks before the committee discussed the hiring, there were rumors “out and about that somebody was being let to bring to the board meeting, and I don’t think we should have had any of that come before us at all. That’s what I’m talking about, a well-orchestrated campaign well before the interviews.”
“Jim, it wasn’t just on behalf of what you’re talking about,” Strauman replied. “There were some other parties that were making campaigns too. And I discussed that in closed session.”
Board member Mark Zachow also expressed concerns about the hiring process.
“We have worked three years to work the trust back with the teachers,” Zachow said. “You know what the situation was prior, OK. We lost it (trust) Wednesday night and we need a roll call vote on this tonight.”
Board member Ben Huber said whenever a hire within the district is being considered, the best thing for the whole district needs to be considered. Input from district staff is part of what needs to be considered, as well as other factors.
“I think we’re doing a disservice talking about it right now,” Huber said. “If you want to have this discussion later, we should talk about how things have happened, in the closed session, and we can have an open discussion in closed session, but I think now we have to support our district and the decision of the majority of the board.”
Board member Larry Czarnecki said the hiring discussion was long, and he was one of the board members who changed his position.
“It was gathering all the facts, gathering as much information as was thrown out there and available during that meeting, outside of the meeting. Input from teachers, etc. and whatever, making again, the best decision for the district going forward, for the long-term,” Czarnecki said.
Board President Lori Poppe told the board that was the approach she also took during the process.
“I value all of our staff, all of our administration, all of you and your thoughts,” Poppe said.
She added, “We discussed all the aspects of it, which is what we should do as a board. We took all of that information that was brought to us, we discussed it, and made a final decision.”
The board approved hiring Bakeberg by a 4-3 vote. Schultz, Vollrath, and Zachow voted no.
Bakeberg hire announced
The next day, the Clintonville School District sent out a press release announcing the Bakeberg hire.
According to the press release, the district received 30 applicants to fill the vacant elementary school principal position.
Bakeberg had been serving as the associate principal at Clintonville High School since July 2018, as well as the summer school coordinator for 4K-12 for the Clintonville School District.
Prior to coming to the Clintonville School District, Bakeberg served as the associate principal at Ashland High School and summer school principal for the K-12 program in Ashland.
“I am looking forward to the opportunity to pursue my passion in education, as well as continue to build upon the strong community at Rexford/Longfellow,” Bakeberg said in the press release.
CHS associate principal
With Bakeberg vacating the associate principal position at Clintonville High School, the board approved searching for a new associate principal, but to also reduce the contract of the position from 260 days to 215 days. Schultz voted no.
The reduction in days was at the recommendation of school administration
Schultz questioned filling the position, considering the district’s financial situation.
“I’m wondering why we can justify, when we expect far more of the teachers for no money increase, we expect to hire more administrators, when the job can be done just fine without it,” Schultz said.
Dyb said that is why the position would be reduced from 260 to 215 days, adding that the reduction would result in an estimated $15,000 savings.
He added that this year the district also eliminated the director of teaching and learning position, which will save the district $100,000.
“But there’s more we can do,” Schultz said.
Staff wage scale
The board approved the issue of letters of assignment for staff using the current 2019-20 salary schedule with increases for approved earned supplemental only. The board also agreed to revisit the wages later in the 2020-21 school year.
Teacher contracts
The board also approved the issue of contracts using the existing 2019-20 salary schedule with increases for approved earned supplemental only.
The contracts will say “not less than” with the amount listed using the 2019-20 salary schedule and the board will revisit the salary schedule later in the 2020-21 school year.