New superintendents learn on job

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Denise Fox, right, the new superintendent at Ethan, helps Rebecca Tilberg with her calculus homework recently at the Ethan High School library. (Chris Huber/Republic Photo)

Talk about it

Many superintendents who return for another school year are well established in their routine and well versed in their district’s policies, issues, academic scores and budget.

But that’s not necessarily the case for three area superintendents who started new jobs on July 1.

They have begun a learning curve in their pursuit of becoming informed about the financial, policy, academic and leadership aspects of their jobs.

Two of the superintendents were promoted from within, so they are familiar with their staff, students, fellow administrators, community and local issues.

But for Ethan Superintendent Denise Fox, she is starting at a new school after serving as superintendent and elementary principal in Marion for four years. Prior to that, she served one year as superintendent at Midland.

She was hired in February while interim Superintendent Jack Broome served at Ethan after Terry Mathis died last November. She leads a district with 234 students, up from 221.

Fox isn’t entirely a stranger to Ethan. She had been the elementary vocal teacher and band teacher before leaving for Midland.

“I knew what a great little school district it was,” she said. “I jumped at the chance at possibly getting that opportunity again to go back.”

And Fox, of Alexandria, was eager to stop living out of a suitcase for five years.

Broome made the transition easy, Fox said. She noted the two would talk often.

“He left a good paper trail for me,” she said.

Despite the smooth transition, Fox’s first two months haven’t turned out that way. She injured her neck in a July 31 car accident that requires her to wear a neck brace until Nov. 1 and avoid driving for now. Her father also recently died and her mother is in poor health.

“I just go at a much slower pace than I used to,” Fox said.

As far as Fox’s goals, she said she would like to involve the staff and school board in that process. But one that stands out thus far is incorporating more advanced placement classes through Dakota Wesleyan University and Mitchell Technical Institute into high school students’ schedules.

Four students are taking AP biology, one in AP chemistry, one in AP English and three in math.

“I’d like to go to my staff and say, ‘How do we make a bigger schedule for our students?’”

For Fox, one of the biggest challenges is learning where the district has been been and where it wants to go.

“Each has their own budget and needs,” she said. “At Marion, we paid off our building. I had monies to work with. At Ethan, they are paying off a building, so their budget is constrained by other factors.”

The biggest issues facing Ethan involve state aid, getting big applicant pools for openings and keeping enrollment up.

Chamberlain

Superintendent Debbie Johnson applied to replace her predecessor Tim Mitchell because she had been an administrator for 17 years and wanted to move onto different challenges. She oversees one of the area’s largest districts with about 850 students.

Johnson served as middle school principal for 13 years, with high school duties added on for nine of those years.

“Being in the school district knowing what has happened and wanting to keep that going, I felt I could handle the responsibility,” she said.

Serving at the helm of a K-12 school district has been a career aspiration for Johnson. She saved an article on what it takes to be a superintendent’s husband for 19 years.

“I saved that for my husband and gave him that the day after I was offered the contract,” she said. “I had a little proof it was something I’d been working on.”

The biggest challenge for Johnson so far has been organizing the financial aspect of her position and getting acclimated to the district’s funds.

She also has had to shift her focus from a building perspective to that of the district.

“I’m still on that huge learning curve,” Johnson said.

Some of her goals involve maintaining staff development initiatives for staff that support student achievement, continuing to provide opportunities for students in and outside the classroom and seeing the joint city and school events/fine arts center become a reality.

Another responsibility is determining how the district will measure progress in achieving a culturally positive learning community outside the school system, which is part of a cultural standards resolution passed last month.

The biggest issues in the Chamberlain district pertain to the middle school being placed on level 1 school improvement status for reading and on alert status for math in the economically disadvantaged subgroup under No Child Left Behind.

The Fast Forward program, which helps elementary students who struggle with reading, is among the various solutions to aid students.

“As we continue to get closer to that mark of 100 percent proficiency, it becomes more challenging as the years go on,” Johnson said. “I always like to think student achievement is our biggest challenge. Sometimes it’s our biggest success.”

White Lake

A few months ago, Bob Schroeder was a junior high science, computers and high school consumer math teacher.

Now he is at the helm of the White Lake School District as its superintendent. He will spend 60 percent of his time in that position as outgoing Superintendent Berle Johnson transitions into retirement by working part time.

“I’ll still be teaching classes and coaching,” Schroeder said.

He has been with the school district for 18 years and is working toward an education specialist degree at the University of South Dakota.

When the school board asked Schroeder if he was interested in the position, he said it was a great opportunity.

“They kinda wanted to hire from within — somebody who knew the ropes of the school,” Schroeder said.

“Berle has done a tremendous job here trying to keep it going.”

Johnson will serve in a support role for Schroeder at White Lake, which has roughly 130 K-12 students this fall.

One of Schroeder’s main goals is keeping students at the small school in an aging community. Opportunities are needed to bring in families, he said.

“We don’t have many young families in the community,” Schroeder said. “The state is talking the magic number of 100 and they will shut you down. One hundred thirty is not far off.”

He possesses hope that the PrairieWinds project north of White Lake will draw employees with families into the district.

Schroeder, 40, also wants to maintain the district’s accomplishments in winning awards for student achievement.

In his new role as administrator, Schroeder is discovering that time management and forbearance will pose challenges for him. He also serves as athletic director, assistant football coach and head girls track coach.

“I’m used to getting quick answers,” he said. “I’m finding out as superintendent there is a lot of patience that goes with this job.”

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