Written by
Gannett News_Service
COLD SPRING, Minn. - Rocori School District plans to look at how to provide an administrator at the middle school as the principal plans her retirement, Superintendent Scott Staska said.
Cheryl Schmidt has told the district she plans to retire June 30. She has been middle school principal for nine years.
Schmidt's announcement allows the district to talk about whether it needs two administrators for grades six through 12, Staska said.
The middle school opened in the fall for grades six, seven and eight in a wing connected to Rocori High School's west side. Schmidt and high school Principal Mark Jenson share a suite of offices near the main entrance to the school. The high school also has an assistant principal.
The district told the community when voters approved an almost $30 million tax increase for the middle school, high school and district services building that it would look for ways to develop efficiencies in staff as opportunities came up.
Staska said the discussion about the middle school principal's position will be part of the 2012-2013 budget process. What one principal for grades six through 12 might look like and the advantages and disadvantages it might create will be examined, Staska said.
The high school and the middle school have about 1,400 students this year in the seven grades.
Rocori already has one principal leading two schools. Shelly Muth is principal at John Clark Elementary in Rockville and Richmond Elementary. While those schools are separated by several miles, they have fewer than 300 students combined.
Having schools share administrators has become more common as school districts look to reduce costs. It has had mixed results.
In 2005-2006, St. Cloud school district had one principal for North and South junior high schools. Each school had an assistant. The schools, which were on opposite ends of town, had about more than 1,350 students combined, The next year, the district decided it did not work well and assigned a full-time principal to both schools and has continued with an assistant for each school.
Sauk Rapids-Rice High School, which has more than 1,300 students, has a principal and an administrative assistant and an administrative dean.
(Copyright 2012 by Gannett. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)