Board debates outside firm for strategic plan and addresses staffing, housing challenges

Superintendent Glass reviewed options to develop a district strategic plan and shared cost ranges for outside assistance. She said the district contacted a firm called CK Synergy and also consulted retired superintendents; the quoted range for a contracted plan was $10,000 to $30,000 depending on scope and number of feedback sessions.

Some board members objected to spending district funds before exhausting local resources. One board member urged a preference for local volunteers and retired educators: "I want to tap into our own resources before before we go, oh, hey. Let's just hire somebody," a member said during the debate. Other members noted the value of a neutral facilitator and the district’s need for a fair, documented scope of work if the board issues a request for proposal.

The work study session also included a staffing update that tied recruiting challenges to local housing costs. Superintendent Glass reported the district currently had 15 open positions and described expanded outreach efforts (posting on the district website, Indeed, ADE, LinkedIn, attendance at job fairs and direct follow-up with applicants). She also said some filled vacancies were staffed by individuals who did not yet meet state certification, reflecting statewide trends.

Board members discussed possible uses of district property to provide affordable employee housing and trade-offs between selling assets and retaining property for future solutions. No final decision to hire an outside firm was made; the board directed staff to collect proposals and samples of products from potential vendors and to continue outreach to local volunteers as part of planning work.