Board approves contract with new superintendent

Grant Norgaard

The McCook Public Schools board of education approved a superintendent's contract with Grant Norgaard of Leigh during open session at a special board meeting at 7:30 a.m., today.

Norgaard will be paid a salary of $131,000 for the first year of the two-year contract from July 1, 2009, until June 30, 2011.

Norgaard was released from his superintendent/principal contract with Leigh Community Schools at a special meeting conducted by that board Tuesday evening.

MPS board president Tom Bredvick is pleased with the selection of Norgaard for the position being vacated by two-year-interim Superintendent Dave Schley. "We felt the energy, the charisma, the excitement of this candidate," Bredvick said this morning. "I am very excited about the future of our school district."

Schley said he was impressed by the process to select a new superintendent. "This is one of the most important things a board will do" he said. "I am extremely proud of this board."

The motion to sign Norgaard's contract was made this morning by MPS board vice president Larry Shields, and seconded by fellow board member Maury Green. Following discussion, the board unanimously approved the contract.

Norgaard's contract includes a family health insurance package valued at $12,500-13,500 annually, and a family dental plan valued at approximately $160 a month. The contract allows for 15 days of vacation leave and 10 sick days per contract year; and paid membership in the Nebraska Council of School Administrators and up to $1,000 paid toward the cost of annual dues in other professional organizations.

During the second year of Norgaard's contract with MPS, a new contract feature kicks in, requiring that Norgaard inform the board in writing of his intent to extend the contract for another year. At the same time, the board has the option to give the superintendent a written "notice of intent to not extend."

If the superintendent does not give a notice of intent to extend within specified dates (which differ during the initial contract and additional years), the contract will not be extended. If the board does not give the superintendent a notice of intent to not extend, (or of a notice of possible non-renewal, or cancellation), the contract shall be extended for an additional year.

Bredvick said this process will avoid automatic extension of a contract. The dates by which notices are required, by both superintendent and board, will also prevent a superintenent's resignation too late in the school year to hire a suitable permanent replacement, as happened when Superintendent Dr. Don Marchant resigned in April/May 2007.

Norgaard's contract requires evaluations by the board twice during the first contract year and once during each extended-term year. "We wanted to be proactive with an evaluation process" Bredvick said. The superintendent's response to an evaluation should be filed within 21 days, allowing a scheduled discussion of the evaluation and the response in closed session at the next possible board meeting.

The contract gives the board the right to adjust the superintendent's salary annually, but it will never be lower than that agreed upon for the first year of the contract.

The contract spells out the board-superintendent relationship: "The board shall have primary responsibility for formulating and adopting board policy. The superintendent shall be the chief administrative officer for the (school) district, and shall have primary responsibility for implementation of board policy. The superintendent shall be responsible for development of policies for adoption by the board and for development of regulations and rules consistent with board policy. In the absence of board policy on matters which require prompt action, the superintendent shall have the authority to act using the superintendent's professional judgement and consistent with legal requirements; provided that the superintendent shall report the nature of the matter and the action taken to the board no later than the next regularly-scheduled board meeting. The parties agree, individually and collectively, to promptly refer all criticism, complaints and suggestions called to its attention to the superintendent for action, study or recommendation, as appropriate."

Bredvick said he was impressed with the process to select a new superintendent, adding that he personally received "lots of eye-opening comments. We were clearly ... clearly looking at each candidate in great detail," and participated in many good discussions.