Dr. Werley In His Last Meeting Says School Finances In Black

“The figures look good, you can expect to finish the year $52,000 in the black... Final figures are not in, but you will finish the year and have a little money in your back pocket,” was the good news Dr. Robert Werley relayed to Coleman School Board at its regular monthly meeting on Monday, June 25.

It was “Doc” Werley’s final report to the board as District Administrator. He set aside plans to retire and came to Coleman 5 years ago to “temporarily” fill a vacancy, working at first on a shared time basis as District Administrator for both Coleman and Lena, and then full time for Coleman. He had previously handled the administrator’s job at both Lena and Wausaukee school districts for a year, and worked full time for Lena. He will retire at the end of June, which is also the end of the school’s fiscal year.

Dr. Werley’s replacement, Brian Walters, who will officially be on the job effective Monday, July 2, was present for the meeting as an observer. He has been spending a considerable amount of time in the district, learning about his new job and getting acquainted with the issues he will face and the people he will be working with.

Werley and Walters have been working together on the budget for the 2012-2013 school fiscal year that starts July 1. Werley said because of price increases and very modest raises for staff they will need to find about $149,000 for next year’s budget, but he didn’t feel that should be a serious problem since they already have the $59,000 he mentioned, and insurance costs have gone down. There may be some increase in revenue, “....but Brian can figure that out,” Werley said. No one will know the state aid amounts until after the official student count on the third Friday of September.

Board members took advantage of the time for public comment at the start of the meeting to thank Dr. Werley for helping them get through some tough times.

Board President Ryan Wendt opened the farewell salutations to Dr. Werley with words of thanks for his leadership since starting the job with Coleman on July 1, 2007. A year earlier former Administrator Paula Hansen had been dismissed, the community was in an uproar, and retired Superintendent Les Larmour had returned to work for just one year, during which the board would need to find a replacement. Dr. Werley was that replacement, on a shared time basis with Lena.

Ted Verges, who recently vacated the board president position, was next to speak. A longtime Coleman teacher and former Coleman High School Principal, Verges declared, “I was a history teacher, and in the process of studying history, I learned that sometimes the right person is somehow in the right place at the right time. Dr. Werley coming to Coleman is one of those people.

“We had had a conflict between the community and the board, and Dr. Werley fixed those issues, mended feelings and restored good will in the community.

“We also had financial issues, and during his time here, Dr. Werley has put the district in very good financial shape,” Verges declared.

He said during Dr. Werley’s tenure as administrator the district’s physical facilities, curriculum and test scores all improved, and many good young teachers were hired that will serve the school district well for many years to come.

Each of the other board members in turn thanked Dr. Werley for his years of service and contributions to the well being of the district, many of them echoing the sentiments expressed by Verges.

The board moved on to complete other business of the meeting, and when the regular agenda was clear they went into closed executive session to discuss administrative transition and needs and a compensation package. They also shared a retirement cake, along with a bit of socializing and reminiscing. The board presented Dr. Werley with a departure gift, an engraved plaque depicting the high school and elementary school buildings at Coleman.

During his comments near the start of the meeting, Dr. Werley congratulated the school’s baseball teams and coaches for copping two state titles. I think for a small district like ours to take two state championships reflects community support and dedication of the players and their coaches, He declared. “This doesn’t just happen. The kids are motivated by the community, the coaches and each other.”

In regular business of the meeting, despite some obvious misgivings in regard to at least one of the candidates, the board unanimously approved portions of the coaching lineup for the coming school year that had been tabled last month. All were recommended by High School Principal Kelly Casper and others in the athletic department.

They are Jean Levash as head girl’s softball coach, with Natalie Anderson as assistant coach; Tim Forner as head varsity boys basketball coach, with Steve Cagle as assistant, and Mike Lipinski as head varsity track coach.

Before the vote, Casper said she had met with two sets of parents and the athletic staff in an attempt to resolve some issues in regard to Levash, but after over an hour of discussion she decided it was a no-win situation, “and there was nothing that I could hold up.” She said she had been given the name and phone number of a student, and had called and left messages twice. The calls were not returned. Motions and seconds on two of the appointments were hesitant, but the votes were unanimous, and Verges asked that the record show that all four were approved unanimously.

The district gratefully acknowledged a $168,000 donation from the George Hansen estate. Hansen, an owner of the canning factory in Coleman before it was acquired by Friday Canning, was a bachelor. The money will be used to establish a scholarship fund. “When someone thinks so highly of the youth of this community that they make a gift of this size, it ought to be acknowledged,” declared Werley.

Verges asked that a committee be set up to manage the trust to administer the scholarship fund, and that it include some of Hansen’s long-time friends, including Vernle and Judy Durocher. He suggested the committee should set up some criteria and a selection process. He noted that Hansen estate had regularly contributed to the Lions Camp, and the UW School of Agriculture, and he loved the UW Badgers. He suggested perhaps scholarship candidates should be students planning to enter fields of agriculture, forestry or conservation and study at the University of Wisconsin. The board indicated agreement with the suggestions, and it appears a trust committee will be established along the lines Verges described.

Also by unanimous vote the board approved a memo of understanding with the teaching staff through which each teacher will receive a $1,000 raise for the coming year, to be spread over 26 pay periods. Total cost to the district, Werley said, will be $58,000, but overall there might be a cost reduction for the district in salaries and fringes because of savings on the cost of insurance coverage. The salary arrangement is agreeable to the teachers, Dr. Werley said. There will be no step raises, which are based solely on longevity, but there will be additional raises for lane changes, which are based on earning additional educational credits. Four or five members of the teaching staff will qualify this year, Dr. Werley said. He did not have cost figures available for the meeting.

Dr. Werley noted this settlement equates to a 3 percent wage increase for starting teachers at the lowest end of the pay scale and about 1 1/2 percent for those at the top. Last year, all members of the teaching staff received an across the board pay

He said last year all teachers received a 1 percent raise, which equates to only about a $300 a year raise for a starting teacher earning $30,000 a year. With repeated percentage raises the spread between those at the bottom of the pay scale and those at the top gets wider and wider each year.

Dr. Werley predicted in a few years the whole basis of pay increases for teachers will change to a performance based system. He added, “This used to scare me, but now it doesn’t.” What scared him was basing pay on a single test, but now with some “value added” programs, such as putting some extra effort into helping struggling students, “things are coming out that could be very, very good,” and the board will have more flexibility to reward good teachers.

Diane Mueller, who retired four years ago as a teacher for the district, came to the board asking that someone else be appointed to take charge of the Environmental Center.

Verges said he discovered that she and Don Damitz have been doing nearly all the work out there, and very badly need some added help.

“That Environmental Center has long been a source of pride for this community,” Verges declared. “That place was developed totally by the teachers and the community, although the board did provide some money. Verges said the teachers did all the “grunt work” and they got the kids to help. Principal Casper said Mueller has asked her for help.

Mueller said four teachers have been helping with mowing this summer, but the new teachers just seem to be too overwhelmed by their teaching assignments to get involved. She said when she started eight teachers shared the work, and taking care of 40 acres “is a big job.” A number of teachers are again using the Environmental Center for classes.

Casper said whenever anyone has a question about the center, whether it be wood chips, tree planting, etc., “they go to Diane.” She needs someone on the school staff to be in charge, and is willing to train and work with whoever will replace her.

Walters suggested that when they post for people to fill teaching jobs they include Environmental Center responsibilities as a choice for assignments.

The board was asked to think about the problem for a month and bring it back for action in July.

“We want someone who will do a good job there, and take pride in it,” Casper declared. “It takes a special person, someone who likes science and the outdoors.”

There is an activity account for the Center, but the money there was just used to by a $2,500 lawn mower. Pound Woman’s Club regularly contributes and Jerry Brady holds fund raisers.

Wendt thanked Mueller for all her work. He said growing up in Coleman, the Environmental Center meant a lot to him, and it still does. They need to be sure it gets taken care of.

Summer school positions were approved for Caitlin Dowden to teach English and Andrew Kaufman to teach math and science. The positions were approved last month but at the time they had no people to fill them. The classes are for remedial work at the Middle School and Elementary levels.

An agenda item to consider increasing lunch prices was tabled until next month by unanimous consent of the board.

Also by unanimous vote the board agreed to purchase milk products again this year from Morning Glory, the sole bidder, and bread products from Sara Lee. Both prices were slightly higher than last year.

In line with changes approved at their May meeting, the board adopted a long list of policies concerned with non-discrimination, the Wisconsin Quality Educator Initiative, physical exams, prohibiting weapons on school property,open enrollment, graduation requirements, emergency care and administration of medications, private vehicle transportation, student use of service/companion animals, and public attendance at school events.

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