Embarking on a New Journey: My First Day as Superintendent of Willmar Public Schools

Today marks the start of my journey as your new superintendent. Having served as the assistant superintendent for the past two years, I’ve had the privilege of getting to know many of you and becoming deeply familiar with both the academic and operational facets of our district.

The transition plan approved by the school board over two years ago initially met with some skepticism, including my own reservations. However, this experience has demonstrated the school board's remarkable foresight. Traditional superintendent transitions involve a search and selection process where the board might not fully know how well the candidate will align with the district’s standards, nor can the candidate be sure of the fit. Our approach—a two-year, on-the-job evaluation—has proven to be an invaluable decision-making process for me, the board, and our community. I am thrilled to now lead Willmar Public Schools into its continued success.

In spring 2022, when I first applied for this position, I had hesitations as I was quite happy as the Superintendent at New London-Spicer Public Schools. Yet, the unique opportunities that Willmar offers—its programming, support, and commitment to serving all students—drew me in. Recognized by Niche as the 8th most diverse school district in Minnesota, Willmar is positioned to prepare our students for a future in an increasingly diverse United States. I am striving to leverage this diversity to enhance our students' growth and development.

As I step into this role, I would like to acknowledge Dr. Holm’s impeccable leadership over the past nine years. His dedication has significantly shaped our district, and I am grateful for his service.

I extend my appreciation to the school board, staff, students, families, and the entire community for your trust in my leadership. I am committed to advancing our educational system and creating positive relationships across all sectors of our wonderful community.

Together, let’s continue to inspire and prepare all learners for their future in our community and the world!

Behind the Scenes: What Happens in a School District Over Summer

Over the past 12 years as a superintendent, I've often been asked, "Do you work in the summer?" When I answer yes, the response is usually one of surprise. So, I thought I'd take this opportunity to share what takes place in a school district each summer. Happy reading!

Finance

A school district's fiscal year runs from July 1 to June 30. Each district in Minnesota is required to have a school board-adopted budget by June 30. Consequently, the spring and all of June are spent finalizing the new fiscal year budget. Additionally, throughout the summer, our finance department works diligently in preparation for our annual audit. Needless to say, the finance department is busy during the summer months.

Technology

The Technology Department is currently inventorying new and used equipment while planning to update student iPads in grades 6-12. Additionally, they are onboarding a new phone system for our school district as the current one needs replacing. This year is more complex in the technology world as we transition from the Little Crow Telemedia Network to the Southwest West Central Service Cooperative for high-speed internet. This transition requires due diligence to ensure our network stays operational.

Buildings and Grounds

Aside from the Willmar Middle School gymnasium project, the Buildings and Grounds Department is busy with annual routine cleanings. This includes stripping and waxing floors, cleaning carpets, and other deep cleaning. There are also larger projects such as asbestos abatement, indoor air quality installation, key fob transitions, and several others taking place this summer.

Human Resources

The summer months are busy with benefits open enrollment fulfillment, payroll payoffs, hiring including orientations and New Teacher Induction, updating of the website and employee handbook, and other administrative projects in the Human Resources Department. The HR department also supports the audit process and fulfilling data requests, as about 75% of our annual budget relates to employee benefits and payroll. Additionally, the HR department operates several technology tools that require transitioning to the new year in preparation for our staff returning to the buildings. This year specifically, the department is completing retroactive payments for the teacher settlement and is beginning the negotiation process with all other groups as well.

Community Education

Our Community Education Department is busy running summer programming for our students, families, and community, while also planning activities for the fall. This department also runs our Cardinal Place School Age Childcare program, which provides summer childcare for many of our students.

Teaching and Learning

The Teaching and Learning Department is busy inventorying new curricula and developing staff development plans to ensure our staff continues to deliver high-quality teaching and learning experiences for our students. This department is also working to develop our standards-based learning program in our pursuit of a competency-based learning system.

Special Services

Our Special Education Department is running extended school year programming to minimize learning loss and ensure students can start the new school year strong. Our Special Education department also has state reporting requirements to the Minnesota Department of Education that are completed during the summer months. Just like all other departments, they are also working to prepare for the next school year.

Food and Nutrition

The Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) Department is actively concluding the previous school year while preparing for the upcoming one and managing the summer food service programs. This summer, FNS has adapted to provide meals in non-congregate settings, enabling children to take meals home. To maximize community outreach, the team has initiated a "mobile route" delivering meals directly to children at three apartment complex clusters within the community. Expanding from the usual five sites, there are now 17 locations this summer, ensuring that as many children as possible have access to free breakfast and lunch meals, available to all children 18 years and under. For more information on locations and meal times, visit our FNS website at https://bit.ly/wpsfoodservice.

Superintendent

As for the superintendent, I'm busy reviewing the last legislative session to ensure our policies and handbooks align with current state statutes. I'm also supporting all our department heads. We have school board meetings throughout the summer, and creating the agendas for these meetings is essential to ensure smooth school operations. My main responsibility throughout the summer is to ensure our operations are running smoothly and that we are prepared to start the new school year successfully, providing our students with what they need to succeed.

Contrary to popular belief, the summer months in a school system are extremely busy and full of activity. All of this work is crucial to ensuring we have an aligned system functioning at a high level to achieve our mission of inspiring and preparing all learners for their future in our community and the world.