A new principal will greet Staples Motley High School students when they return to school next fall.

The school board approved the hiring of Ryan Luft as high school principal at their meeting Monday night.

Luft is currently serving as the middle school and high school principal at Southland School District. The district includes the communities of Adams, Dexter, Elkton, Johnsburg, Rose Creek, Taopi and their surrounding rural areas in southeastern Minnesota. He and his family live in Austin.

Luft has been the middle school and high school principal since 2007. In addition, he has served a superintendent internship for the current school year.

Previously he has taught in Marshall Public Schools and in the Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg School District.

His bachelors degree in psychology and his masters in educational leadership are from Southwest Minnesota State University. His sixth year degree in administration licensure and superintendancy are from St. Mary’s University, the Twin Cities campus.

Luft was one of six candidates interviewed for the job. The others were:

o William Kirkeby, high school principal at Warroad High School;

o John Hedstrom, assistant principal for student activities at Minnetonka High School;

o Ehren Zimmerman, dean of students and activities director at Rothsay Public Schools;

o Peter Remboldt, administrative intern and math instructor at Benson School District; and

o Stuart Fuhs, high s chool principal at Schaller-Crestland School District in Schaller, Iowa.

Thirty-seven applications were received. A committee screened those and narrowed the list to six to be interviewed.

The hiring of Luft led to a discussion about the high school dean of students’ duties when action on that position was required.

Currently, Lynn Peterson is the district’s activities director and the high school dean of students. Because he’s a retired teacher and relating to language in the master contract regarding tenure and the retirement policy, Peterson must be terminated from that position, must resign and re-apply, then be rehired on a oneyear contract.

Board member Ken Swecker moved to table action on re-hiring Peterson. Swecker said he didn’t have anything against Peterson or the job he was doing, but he wondered if the new principal would want to talk about the dean of students duties.

“Is it reasonable for a new principal to make a recommendation like that?” asked board member Brad Anderson, adding that maybe it would be more appropriate in his second year.

Board member Mary Freeman said she thought most of the high school

students look at Peterson

as the dean of students. “They see Lynn as some

place they can go,” with problems and concerns.

“This may be an opportune time to evaluate what percent of his time is dean of students and what percent is activities director,” Swecker said, “and with a new principal maybe some duties can be shifted.”

“Personally, I feel this would not be a good time to do that,” said Barb Schmitt, board chair, She wanted the discussion to be part of a larger, broader, strategic plan.

Peterson reported that during the day he primarily spent time with students as the dean. He said he handled some activities director duties during the day, but most were done evenings and weekends.

Freeman thought that either the finance committee or the administrative cabinet should consider the request.

Board member Chad Longbella thought that if they looked at this position, they should also consider the transportation management situation.

Swecker’s motion to table Peterson’s re-hiring died for lack of a second.

Brad Anderson moved to hire Peterson as the activities director and high school dean of students. His motion was seconded by Freeman and was passed with Brad Anderson, Freeman, Longbella and Schmitt voting yes. Swecker abstained. Paul Anderson was not at the meeting.

In other business the board:

o ACCEPTED the retirement resignation from Tom Danculovich, high school science teacher, effective Sept. 30. Superintendent Mark Schmitz reported that the position had been posted, but would likely be changed, perhaps with the addition of online instruction. He suggested Danculovich might spend the first month of the school year before his retirement date helping the new teacher develop curriculum for online classes.

o APPROVED a leave of absence/early retirement agreement for Eva Joy Lund, Staples Elementary.

o ACCEPTED the retirement resignation from Jane Reck, high school math and special education, effective Nov. 8.

o ACCEPTED the resignation of Keri Ellingson, speech-language pathologist.

o APPROVED contracts with the professional group and the support staff group. Both had some contract language changes and the financial settlements were the same as the teachers’ contract.

o HEARD a report by Mary Freeman on the importance of volunteers and the paraprofessionals at Staples Elementary School. Freeman volunteers

there on a regular

basis and said the paras “really do double duty.”

She said they are an extra pair of eyes to “step in and troubleshoot so teachers can teach.” She called the paras “very kind, caring helpers.”

She wondered, “as a board member, how do we get more helping hands, watchful eyes and kind, caring hearts into our buildings.” She noted how important it is that every child knows he or she is important. “Social growth is paramount if we are going to reach them academically.”

“A good volunteer program needs to be formalized and it needs leadership,” Freeman said. The board agreed to discuss the issue as a possible goal or strategy during their next planning session.