When the new school year begins students who attend classes at Coon Rapids-Bayard will have a new superintendent watching over them. Last October current Superintendent, Dr. Tom Ward, who also serves as the Superintendent at IKM-Manning, informed the CR-B board that he would like to opt out of the last year of a three year contract. He says the many miles of travel, coupled with some philosophical differences, were just part of his decision. Ward adds the move could also be a benefit for CR-B’s future.
When the contract was first signed, Ward says, the sharing agreement was, “based upon districts getting dollars and cents” as it benefited them financially. The man tapped to take over Ward’s position, Audubon’s Superintendent Brett Gibbs, along with members of the Audubon School Board, would agree.
Both districts will get to count those additional eight “mythical” students, Gibbs says, which equals out to about $5,200 of additional revenue. The two districts already share an elementary school councilor adding three more additional students to the enrollment count. Gibbs says the monetary incentive isn’t the only enticement as the program also encourages districts to share resources and personnel. This arrangement, he says, is a good move.
Under the new contract agreement Coon Rapids-Bayard will pay 40% of the Superintendent’s salary and benefit package with Audubon paying 60%. During an average week of the 2016-2017 school year Gibbs plans to spend three days with the Wheelers and two days with the Crusaders; his new role begins July 1, 2016.
