When the Jordan School Board reorganized during its first meeting of the year, they did so with a brief synopsis of what each committee assignment entailed. The explanations were written by Superintendent Larry Kauzlarich.

The Carver-Scott Educational Cooperative board

“Presently we have two members appointed to be members of this board,” Kauzlarich wrote. “They function just like local board members. This may be reduced to one member in the near future."

The number of members from each district was reduced to one member by the time of the January Jordan School Board meeting.

The Jordan representative earns meeting payments for this assignment through the cooperative, Kauzlarich wrote. The cooperative is more than just special education, though. It provides other programs including vocational programs for member school students and adult education programs for area citizens.

Jordan participates minimally in the special education programs, Kauzlarich wrote, but does send seniors from Jordan High School to the vocational programs daily.

Tammy Will, who was the board’s representative to Carver-Scott last year said she would like to keep the assignment because the cooperative will be hiring a new director this year, and she felt her experience on the board would be useful in the hiring process.

Minnesota River Valley Special Educational Cooperative board

This is the special educational cooperative used by Jordan, Kauzlarich wrote. It serves six districts and its offices are in Jordan in the MRVSEC School along Hope Avenue. It’s the main special educational source for the district students who need programs that the district can’t provide by itself.

“We also host a program in our high school that is attended by students from other member schools,” Kauzlarich wrote.

The position is similar to the Carver-Scott position in that the member will earn meeting pay through the cooperative and must attend cooperative board meetings.

Jim Donna will again be the district representative to MRVSEC. Because the cooperative, like Carver-Scott, will be searching for new leadership and going through a lot of changes, Donna said, he would like to keep his board assignment.

Minnesota State High School League

“This appointment does not carry much of a time commitment,” Kauzlarich wrote. “In most years, the representative may have nothing do, in other years it may require voting on some issues. If a member wanted to be more actively involved in this, they could in the future seek election to the representative board.”

Meet and Confer Committee

“This committee is designed to be a vehicle to resolve issues with our teachers which aren’t covered by the master contract,” Kauzlarich wrote. “I believe that the law says this committee should meet several times yearly. IN our district, this has never been the case. The committee usually meets when the teachers have an issue or question they think they need to discuss with the board and administration. In my 12 years, I think we have met less than five times.”

Board member Joe Benko said he felt the committee should be more active. He said it was time for the board to start getting closer to the staff of the district.

Kauzlarich said that the district has always left it up to the staff to bring issues to the meet and confer committee.

Continuing Education

“This committee is the committee which approves all continuing education hours for teachers,” Kauzlarich wrote. “They need these to keep their licenses up. Our practice has been for the teachers to appoint to this committee to handle this. If there was a question needing the board member assistance, they would go to this member. This has never occurred in my 12 years here, to my knowledge.”

Technology Integration in Education (TIES)/Region 5/ South Central Educational Cooperative Services Unit (SCECSU)

“These are three agencies similar to Carver-Scott and MRVSEC. They are operated by a board of member districts’ school board members and/or administrators,” Kauzlarich wrote. “Member districts vote on the candidates for these offices. We have not been active in having members campaign to be elected to these boards. Again, these are boards which if one has an interested in serving on, you could run when an office is open.

“We use TIES for the student management side of our business operations. TIES is structured so that we can pick and choose what services we use. We o use TIES for some technology needs also, as this is their specialty.

“We use Region 5 for our business services. This is with whom Nancy (Goss) and Laurie (Jabs) work closely.

“We use SCESU for our health insurance. We also occasionally use other business services they have to offer in purchasing, et cetera.”

Curriculum committee

“Next to our negotiations committee, this has been our most active committee,” Kauzlarich wrote. “The committee is made up of the district’s administrators, teachers, board members, and community members ... Their purpose is to work with the school employees and community members to review the school’s curriculum, make suggestions for possible changes, and to be a voice for parents who might have suggestions.”

The board approved a list of citizens to serve on the committee during the January meeting.

Community Education

“This is the board which serves as the main board overseeing Community Ed. Programs,” Kauzlarich wrote. “There is an advisory board that serves to help determine the hands on programming. The joint board is comprised of school and city council members, and community members. They meet most months, just prior to our regular board meetings.”

Community Relations

Each member of the board serves to communicate with the public and provide public relations for the board.

Negotiations

“This is the committee that takes the most time commitment,” Kauzlarich wrote. “It is the committee that negotiates contracts.

“We have two unions – the teachers union and Union 284, which represents the cooks, custodians, and our district bus drivers. The other support staff employees are not organized, but the negotiating committee still meets informally with them prior to setting salaries, working conditions, et cetera.”

The negotiating committee lost two of its three members in Ira Beckman and Bob Vollbrecht, leaving now board chairman Dan Buresh as the only returning member. Jim Donna, who has served on the negotiating committee in the past, was returned for his experience and new board member Scott Erickson will also serve on the three-member committee.

Staff development

“This committee doesn’t have much to do,” Kauzlarich wrote. “In fact, I’m not sure they ever meet with the teachers.”

The committee might need to meet should new laws affect the teachers, but most of the staff development is run through the teachers and administrators, Kauzlarich wrote.

Middle school principal Lance Chambers is the district administrator in charge of staff development, high school principal Mark Ruggeberg said. They have a committee that meets regularly, and minutes from those meetings will be made available to the board members.

Personnel committee

“This committee’s purpose is to be involved if there are issues with individual employees that can’t be resolved and need board input,’ Kauzlarich wrote. “It hasn’t been needed very often in our district.”

Legislation

“These members keep the board informed of legislation and issues the (Minnesota School Board Association) wants boards to know,” Kauzlarich wrote. ‘They can be as active as they want to be in statewide issues.”

Board member Deb Pauly, who will serve on the legislative committee of one, has been active in state legislative issues for the board already, Kauzlarich wrote.

Scott County Association for Legislative Efficiency (SCALE)

“This organization is made up of school, city, township, and county administrators and/or board members,” Kauzlarich wrote. “The purpose is to discuss common issues and see where efficiencies may be gained by working together. Meetings are held monthly on Friday mornings at 7:30 a.m. in Prior Lake.”

Kauzlarich said he usually attends the meetings, but that the board could appoint a member to attend as well.

Technology

Like the district staff development committee, the technology committee is usually run through the administration and staff of the district. Ruggeberg is in charge of the district technology.

Buildings and land committee

“This committee just started this part year,” Kauzlarich wrote. “We have had two members on this committee, they meet occasionally when something is needed that the administration or board might want more input on. I have seen them as a resource when needed.”

For more on which board members serve on which committees, go to http://www.jordannews.com/community/brandon/school-board-reorganizes.