Decorah High School to hire a Dean of Students

On Monday night the Decorah Community School Board voiced its overwhelming support for the hiring of a Dean of Students at Decorah High School.  The position will deal with a variety of issues including: attendance, discipline, safety, and related student personnel services including academic and personal interventions, accommodations and related compliance (a significantly expanding need), and event supervision. The position will deal with many of  the same duties as do Principal Kim Sheppard and Associate Principal Adam Riley.

Superintendent Haluska noted that of the 88 largest schools in the state, Decorah High School is one of four schools with only two individuals serving the administrative roles of Principal, Assistant Principal/Dean of Students, and/or Activities Director. The other 84 schools have three or more people fulfilling these same and/or similar duties. He said it was simply not right to expect the current staff to be working 75-80 hours per week in order to fulfill their duties. Haluska said this will allow current staff to engage in more educational leadership activity.

Several years ago Jim Pankow was working as a drop-out prevention specialist at the High School. When he moved to the Registrar position, his old position was not filled, and instead of enrollment dropping as anticipated, the opposite has happened, creating more need in that and related areas.

Recruitment for the position to begin second semester will begin immediately, but then another search will be opened for the ongoing position to start at the beginning of next school year. Funding for this position, as well as a technology integration specialist to assist teachers with classroom implementations, will come from money saved via the early teacher retirement program.