PAC, L-M moving closer to sharing superintendent
January 22, 2003

A new superintendent for the Pocahontas Community School District could be named by early March.

Or it may be sooner. Judging from discussion at recent Pocahontas Area Community School District director meetings, it appears the district is close to inking a 28E agreement with the Laurens-Marathon School District to share the duties of current L-M Superintendent Michael Wright.

Wright is entering his second year as administrator at Laurens-Marathon and was high school principal at L-M for five years before moving up to the superintendent's seat.

Wright, PAC Superintendent Dennis Pierce and PAC School Attorney Jim Hudson Sr. met Jan. 14 to draft a preliminary 28E agreement. That agreement will be reviewed by both boards, and Pierce said the PAC board could vote on the agreement yet this month or during its February board meeting.

Discussions between the two districts concerning sharing a superintendent first began in late fall. PAC also approached the Pomeroy-Palmer School District with a similar proposal, but L-M was more receptive to the possibility.

 

Pierce announced his retirement, effective June 30, 2003, in late summer and initially PAC was going to hire a consultant firm in its superintendent search. However, following more discussion among local board members, it was felt that the district should approach neighboring school districts regarding sharing a superintendent before retaining a consulting firm.

Since that time, there have been numerous discussions between the two boards and Wright.

During the Jan. 13 PAC School Board meeting, directors Steve Baade and Jeff Kerns reported on a meeting they recently had with two L-M board members.

"I thought things went fairly well," Baade began. "We (PAC and L-M) share similar philosophies."

Pierce, who also attended the meeting, agreed. "I think the board members from Laurens-Marathon were very cooperative."

 

If an agreement is reached, Laurens-Marathon would carry the contract on the superintendent with the districts evenly splitting Wright's salary and fringe benefits. Wright would spend two-and-one-half days weekly in each district.

Plans also call for Pierce being retained as a consultant, paid on a per diem basis for 50 days of work during the 2003-04 term.

Pierce said he would help with budgeting and administrative duties. "I'll go wherever I'm needed and help out where needed," he remarked.

The 28E agreement would be a one-year pact, subject to review and approval each year. Either district could opt out of the agreement, providing it would meet the "sufficient notice" terms (not specified as of yet) of the agreement.

Wright and the two boards have agreed on compensation, but Pierce said the figure has not been approved through board action. If the tentative salary figure is approved by the boards, PAC would save $48,103 in compensation costs for the superintendent, he noted.

Baade said the movement by the districts to share a superintendent should not be misconstrued by the public as the first step toward more sharing or consolidation between the two districts — at least in the short term.

 

"There seems to be some miscommunication in the community that we are looking at consolidating with Laurens-Marathon," he noted. "We are not looking at consolidation, just sharing a superintendent. We haven't discussed consolidation or sharing programs. I realize that sometime in the future there may be talk of consolidation or sharing, but thus far, it hasn't been discussed."

Wright said he is "cautiously optimistic" that a 28E agreement to share a superintendent will be a win-win situation for both districts.

"Having been a superintendent just two years and then possibly becoming a shared superintendent is very new territory for me," he remarked. "However, I think that in the future in light of the shortage of administrators, you will see this (shared superintendents) becoming more common."

A major key to the success of the plan, he mentioned, is strong building principals. "I have a lot of confidence in the building principals in both districts. Without strong building administrators, this wouldn't be feasible."

The administrator said he doubt the districts would be talking about sharing a superintendent if Pierce weren't retiring.

 

Wright said his school board hasn't expressed any concerns about the agreement. "They have a positive outlook toward me working for both districts.

"Both school boards are going to have to be happy with the agreement," he continued. "A one-sided agreement won't work."

Wright, too, said there shouldn't be misconceptions by the public regarding the administrative sharing agreement. "We haven't talked about whole-grade sharing, but it may become a necessity in a couple of years. If that comes about, we will already have a piece of the puzzle in place."

In final remarks, he said the agreement could be finalized in the next two months. "I'm sure it will be on the agenda of both school boards for their February meetings. When it gets done depends on people's schedules. I think it could be done in March."

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