District 88 won't replace technology director

Restructures job, spreading duties among current employees

NEW ULM -- The New Ulm Board of Education on Thursday decided against replacing retiring Technology Director Jim Aufderheide, opting instead to restructure his position and spread his duties among current school employees.

Under the new arrangement, Curriculum, Instruction and Personnel Director Bill Sprung will assume most of Aufderheide's oversight duties, while shedding some of his own responsibilities. For example, Sprung will pass duties such as the supervision of gifted and talented program and summer school onto staff in each school building, usually the principal.

The planning and "vision" aspects of the tech director's job -- including the monitoring and incorporation of new technology trends -- will be handled by a new technology committee. This committee will possibly include administrators, a board member, tech and media specialists and other staff.

Day-to-day tech support services will be performed by the technology office employees, with a newly-appointed tech office coordinator responsible for their smooth provision.

Miscellaneous duties will also be assigned to business office and other staff.

Despite some misgivings about losing the district's "overall technology vision," the potential handling of tech problems that may require special expertise and the increase in duties for staff, the board chose to try out this configuration for a two-year trial period, with periodical assessments, with the intention of saving money, Superintendent Harold Remme, who pressed for the plan, and board members said.

"With the current financial picture looking the way it does, unless something remarkable happens, we have to look at possibilities of downsizing," noted Remme.

Board members pointed out that they would be reluctant to hire a replacement for Aufderheide, only to discover in a year or two later that they cannot afford to keep the position and have to lay the person off.

"I have some worries (about not having a tech director), but what I am really scared about is next year's budget," observed board member Brian Wieland.

Board member Susan Nierengarten said the restructuring details provided by Remme largely answered her concerns. She, however, insistently urged periodic updates of how the plan is working out.

Laurie Groebner, media specialist at Washington School and one of several media staff present at the meeting, asked the board whether, under the new scenario, media specialists would be "pulled out of teaching situations" to assist with resolving tech problems.

Officials assured her that this was not the intention of the move.

Facility plan

The board approved a ten-year facility improvement plan which envisions spending anywhere from approximately $400,000 to approximately $700,000 a year to maintain the district's physical plant.

Facilities Director Scott Hogen stressed that both monetary estimates and projects are "best guesses."

The plan is "jiggled around" on an annual basis, with some projects taking precedence over others, new projects being added, and some projects being postponed.

Overall, during the ten years covered by the plan, the district expects to spend approximately $980,000 on Jefferson school; $850,000 on Washington school; $1.2 million on the Middle School; $1.4 million on the High School; and $700,000 districtwide.

Music curriculum

The board approved a review of the music curriculum, particularly praising the program's "cohesion" and "sequence;" the fact that all classes are taught by specialists, with elementary music being held five days a week; and strong community support for the program.

The board also agreed with the music department's assessment of the program's limitations: the lack for performance opportunities for Washington students and choral lessons at the Middle School, limited opportunities for individual student support, scheduling conflicts with other classes and activities and some other issues.