Union R-XI Superintendent Steve Bryant wants to reorganize the district’s central office, adding what would essentially be a third assistant superintendent.
Bryant said the board wants administrators to evaluate staff, and his proposal was designed to make better use of the current central office staffing.
He stressed the reorganization — which would create a position overseeing facilities and being involved in curriculum — would not add new personnel to the district.
Currently Clark-Vitt Principal Jeff Van Zee oversees the district’s facilities. Norman Schroeder is the district’s maintenance department supervisor.
Bryant said the district can afford to have a supervisor or director-level position focused on facilities as professional learning improves at the building level.
Board of education member Ron Sohn said Bryant’s proposal leaves some questions unanswered and raises some concerns, however.
The new position would involve aspects of curriculum, facilities, human resources and more, Sohn said.
Board member Virgil Weideman said the position, according to documents Bryant provided the board, would pay $95-$100,000 a year.
Weideman said the district already has a facilities director “who is damned good and has saved us more than his salary on a yearly basis.”
James Borgmann, board vice president, said the district has added too many additional duties to that position since its inception, however.
Borgmann said the district needs someone in a central office role who can handle bidding for facilities projects.
Sohn said he doesn’t want the district’s central office to become “top loaded,” however.
Bryant said the Sullivan and Pacific school districts, both similar in student population to Union, have three central office staff in addition to a superintendent.
Sohn said he wants to see a plan for the district for the next five to 10 years, not just in the short-term.
Bryant has said previously that the district has a lot of facilities projects and repairs that need to be done.
He said Monday night that the structure of the district he is proposing wouldn’t nessecarily be the same in five years.
Bryant said the reason for the restructuring would be to make the district more proactive to issues and changes.
“I see (this plan) as allowing us to do more in our roles than being as reactionary as we are now,” he said. “As we continue to improve the structural leadership in the buildings, there could be changes in the roles.”
Weideman said he wants to see a job description for the proposed new position.
The board took no action on Bryant’s proposal Monday night.
Bryant said he hopes the board will make a decision soon, however, as potential candidates will be looking for new positions as the current school year ends.
