Falls superintendent officially rehired by School Board

Still, board members, principals, teachers and students all said Nelson had quickly proved himself invaluable with ideas like introducing a seven-period day, new electives, better technology and transportation, added safety and more modern, technologically advanced and challenging classes. And they said they weren’t giving up on him.

So, Independent School District No. 361 leaders, such as board Chairman Darrell “Boxer” Wagner and Member Michael Holden, kept on asking him to stay, they said.

“Hey, Nordy, congratulations,” Wagner said after the vote.

Some also applauded Nelson’s professionalism and ability to remain even-keeled under pressure and bring together school professionals that at times are at odds over legion issues.

“Having a good superintendent makes all the difference in the world,” Wagner said after the meeting with bounce in his step and a wry smile. “He’s signed, sealed and delivered.”

For the first time, Nelson also said he would be amenable to staying on even longer after this new contract ends June 30, 2014 — depending on how much progress they’ve made.

He has a host of pursuits – most of which he introduced since January, when a new school board took office. They have been called ambitious, collaborative and forward-thinking. On Tuesday, Nelson said his long-term future with the Falls is “up in the air.” He said he wants to see how much they can accomplish in a year or the firm groundwork they can lay for his possible successor.

Earlier this month, Nelson said he was certain he would not be returning after this six-figure contact with generous benefits ends.

“It was a very positive environment last night,” Nelson told The Journal Tuesday morning. “And now I hope we are in a better position to settle these situations and continue to move ahead and get a lot done. This is a good step in that process.

“It was a nice a response to my rehiring, or whatever you want to call it,” he said of his reception with a polite chuckle.

Some of the new programs he and his team of administrators have proposed – hopefully — will be good enough to qualify as college credit, he and Falls High School principal Tim Everson said.

Nelson even testified before the state Senate recently, lobbying to make college credit in the schools possible so districts across the state can keep many of their best and brightest students on campus.

The alternative is attending Rainy River Community College, which costs the district not only state funding per pupil but also young leaders who invigorate others as well as school spirit, Everson said.

Nelson said he also spoke with Senate Majority Leader Tom Bakk, DFL-Cook. Bakk wants to overhaul Minnesota’s tax code and part of that would mean more money for rural schools in lake communities.

If his education reconfiguration passes, it would lessen the need for what’s become ubiquitous school levy referendums to pay for everything from roof leaks to special education. As a result, the average taxpayer is carrying a heavier financial burden than necessary, especially in rural northeastern Minnesota, where the average resident makes less than their Twin Cities’ counterparts, Bakk’s said.

Wagner has been on the board 16 years and seen a new superintendent come and go just about every two years. The lack of consistency has been compared to a football team switching offensive coordinators every season and the quarterback having to learn a new system from scratch.

Holden said Nelson is the one to take the Falls into the future, a better and brighter future. He said he really believes in him.

For one, Holden noted, Nelson’s appropriately been lauded for helping to complete a once seemingly impossible master agreement between the board and Local 331 teacher union for 2011-2013. The teachers had been working with low morale under a continuation contract since June 2011.

Even before the regular meeting in the Falls High School cafeteria, the board’s labor committee met, and then the entire board, minus Dena Wenberg who was unavailable, went into closed session to dive right into the next 2013-2015 contract.

In addition to the contract issues, Nelson and his key players, like Everson and elementary schools principal Melissa Tate, together with veteran teachers and board members are establishing a “Blue Ribbon” community-wide panel to retain and grow student numbers and tackle other ideas. Along with shrinking class sizes, they – and some of the kids – want to add modern curriculum choices and fix budget and finance challenges, such as building improvements, transportation and school safety initiatives.

A couple weeks ago, the board told Everson to pursue a student-propelled effort to add advanced calculus. Then on Monday the board approved establishing an engineering program for next year led by teachers David Olson and Timm Ringhofer, industrial technology and math teachers, respectively.

Everson said he’s also investigating starting a health care program since it is – and will continue to a be – a baby booming industry. He’s also researching with others to find a way to bring laptops and tablets, for some to bring home or take from a tech cart, and add wifi to the school and maybe even the buses.

At another gathering, Nelson and his administrative team introduced proposals to the board to reduce elementary and high school class sizes. The board on Monday tabled much of that discussion until a special meeting April 29 when it’s all been further researched. In general, cramped classes is one of the top reasons parents say they move their children to new districts, Tate said.

But with kindergarten orientation underway now, board member Michelle Hebner recommended moving ahead and increasing the number of kindergarten classes from three to four immediately for next school year. The board supported her move unanimously.

In other school board action, an independent testing agency found that the district had no part in the swimming pool debacle. Now, the dispute will just be between the project’s architect and contractor, Nelson said.

“That’s good news,” he said.

Also, six district employees were granted tenure Monday, all of whom happen to be Falls High School graduates, Everson noted.

They are Tate, Rachel Amdahl, Molly Pavleck, Amanda Baron, Katie Hamers and Jennifer Wenberg-Anderson. Teacher and administrators receive tenure in Minnesota after they’ve been offered their fourth contract and the board adopts a resolution. It was unanimous.