Coaches vote may happen at a later date

By Sarah Stultz and Sam Wilmes

The Albert Lea School Board will consider a resolution Monday that would allow the district to utilize any extracurricular positions to recruit teachers.

Albert Lea Superintendent Mike Funk said the resolution would authorize the administration to use coaching and other extracurricular adviser positions when hiring. This could include anything from yearbook and choral directors to science fair coordinators and musical directors, all described within a schedule with the teacher bargaining unit called Schedule C.

The board is not expected to vote Monday on a controversial proposal presented by Albert Lea High School Principal Mark Grossklaus that called for not renewing contracts with three district head coaches. Funk said these positions could be considered at a future date.

The superintendent said the resolution being considered would allow the administration the discretion to post for any of the special assignment positions. The administration could recruit and recommend people for positions, but ultimately the board would retain authority for hiring and terminating.

The meeting comes after Grossklaus last Monday suggested not renewing the contracts of Rick Barnhill, varsity girls’ soccer coach; Bob Furland, varsity boys’ soccer coach; and Jamie Cameron, varsity volleyball coach, in an effort to help the district find experienced teachers. The three coaches are not licensed teachers within the district, and the proposal would have essentially called for only licensed teachers to be coaches, with the exception of retired coaches.

In his proposal, Grossklaus said he has noticed a lot of quality teaching candidates have required they be able to have a head coaching position at the school. He thought being able to offer coaching positions could be a recruiting tool.

He said the suggestion had nothing to do with the coaches’ performances, noting it is tough to convince someone with teaching experience to come to Albert Lea.

Grossklaus referred to news articles across the state addressing the difficulty of recruiting new teachers and said the goal of his recommendation was to attract teachers with experience to Albert Lea and to keep teachers here from going to larger markets such as Rochester and the Twin Cities.

Executive Director of Administrative Services Jim Quiram said this proposal is one of several approaches district officials are considering to alleviate a teacher shortage. Quiram said officials are going to more teacher job fairs, participating in mock interviews at colleges and posting positions at colleges, universities and state education job sites.

Quiram said with the recent contract agreement, starting Albert Lea teachers are some of the highest paid in the Big Nine.

 

Reaction to Grossklaus’ proposal

Cameron, who has completed his first season as volleyball coach, said he had questions about Grossklaus’ proposal that would have allowed only licensed teachers to be coaches.

Cameron asked why Grossklaus’ request did not apply to varsity wrestling coach Larry Goodnature or varsity boys’ hockey coach Roy Nystrom, both retired teachers.

The volleyball coach said he thinks implementing the change while retaining retired teachers would do nothing for the district’s goal of obtaining quality, experienced teachers who can assist students during the school day.

Grossklaus said he did not recommend the retired teachers because he does not think people who dedicate their lives to teaching should lose their coaching positions to retirement.

Cameron, pastor at First Baptist Church in Clarks Grove, said Wednesday the district needs to look at other possible reasons why it is having trouble hiring and retaining quality teachers.

He said Minnesota State High School League training included the assertion that a coach is a teacher through their responsibility of implementing life skills, and added he understands that Grossklaus’ hands are tied trying to bring in qualified teachers to the district.

Furland, who is the interim recreation director for the city of Albert Lea, said he understands Grossklaus’ recommendation, noting that the position is a great job.

He said he will wait to see how the situation plays out, and added he enjoys coaching.

“I love coaching the boys and hopefully will do it again,” Furland said.

Nystrom said he has known Furland for several years, and he believes Furland has done a good job as coach, but understands the district is trying to attract more teachers.

Nystrom, who said he is paid a yearly salary of more than $6,000 by the district, expects the district to replace him once he retires with a teacher with head coaching experience.

Nystrom, a special education and physical education teacher at Albert Lea High School from the mid-1970s to the late 1990s, retired from St. Theodore Catholic School at the end of the 2014-15 school year.

When asked whether other districts allowed only licensed teachers to be coaches, Quiram said he was not aware of other districts having the same practice. He noted he does not know of any other district that does not have a Schedule C part of the teacher bargaining contract that lists all coaching positions and pay.

“This is an obvious contractual indication that there is a strong preference for filling with licensed staff,” he said.

Austin Public Schools Human Resources Director Bradley Bergstrom said Austin Public Schools does not have a set policy to hire staff members to coach, but noted district practices include hiring staff who have an interest or desire to lead extracurricular activities, such as clubs, activities or sports.

Multiple attempts to contact Barnhill were unsuccessful.