Once again, Independent School District No. 361 will be in search of a superintendent for the next school year.

The Falls School Board is expected to take steps toward to seeking applicants for the superintendent position for the 2014-2015 school year when it meets next week. The posting is recommended to run from Nov. 18 through Feb. 15, 2014.

The meeting is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. Monday in the cafeteria at Falls High School.

The superintendent position is currently held by Nordy Nelson, whose contract expires June 30, 2014.

Nelson, who has more than 30 years of education experience under his belt, has been with the district since 2012.

In February, after just about seven months on the job, Nelson shocked and disappointed most school board members by announcing his resignation effective June 30 to pursue his St. Cloud-based consulting business full time.

Later in April, however, Nelson reversed course and accepted a one-year contract, adding he'd be willing to stay on even longer after this new contract ends — depending on how much progress the district has made.

Board Chairman Darrell “Boxer” Wagner in February said Nelson is one of the better superintendents the district has had. In Wagner's 16 years on the board, he said the district had seven or eight different superintendents.

A new superintendent will be faced with declining enrollment and the task of working to settle a contract for the district's about 70 teachers, who are working under a 2011-2013 agreement that expired June 30.

In related business Monday, the board is expected to schedule a special work session for 5 p.m. Dec. 3 for a cost adjustment review. The meeting will be open to the public.

The board Nov. 4 held its first special work session to kick start the process of how to handle spending adjustments to offset the loss of about $425,000 in state funding to the district. The loss in funding is caused by the decline in enrollment. Reducing staff and eliminating two non-revenue sports teams are among the proposed options.

The board will also Monday enter a closed session following the regular meeting for contract negotiation discussions with the teacher's union Local 331.

Monday's agenda also includes the consideration to allow use of Falls High School to the International Falls Police Department and the Koochiching County Sheriff's Department to conduct training exercises during winter break.

The board is also expected to consider the following under its personnel consent agenda: 

  • Accept the resignation of custodian Darrell Ulrich.
  • Acknowledge Charlie LeDuc as a volunteer boy's hockey coach.
  • Approve the hire of Lynda Faith as an hourly Title I teacher to be placed at St. Thomas School for a total of 99 hours.
  • Approve the hire of Michelle Hebner as the assistant boy's swim coach. 
  • Approve the hire of Chuck Remus and Jonathon Isenor as co-coaches for the speech team.
  • Approve the hire of Rayleen Bishop as a regular route, non-union bus driver. 

The board is expected to hear an audit report Monday night as well as reports from Nelson and the schools' principals.

At the beginning of each regular school board meeting, an open forum allows members of the public to fill out a comment card and address the board on any topic they choose.