Earlham Echo

April 1, 2025

The highlight of the special meeting of the Earlham School Board on March 26 was the consideration of the creation of a new administrative position; Activities Director/Dean of Students (AD/DOS).

The item was on the agenda for the regularly scheduled meeting on March 12, but was tabled at the suggestion of board member Jess Tiemeyer, who said after that meeting, “I didn’t think we had discussed it enough as a board—the full plan. I have asked for some additional numbers and information on the position itself. I intend to review that independently and I’ll bring my vote forward as an individual board member to the next meeting.”

The potential new position raised some eyebrows when it recently came to light. The position was posted on March 6 on SchoolSpring, an online job board and recruiting platform specifically designed for the education sector, before the Board even considered it for approval on March 12. Plus, the new position came as a surprise to many, since discussions of it during open meetings seemed to be limited to generalizations. The term ‘Dean of Students’ does not appear in any Board meeting minutes dating from January 2024 to February 2025. Thirdly, the new position would mean that long-time Athletic Director Chris Caskey could no longer serve in that role. Lastly, the salary for this administrative position is $75,000 per year.

The posted job description for the AD/DOS lists the typical duties of an athletic director, and also these duties listed under ‘student management:’support/assist building principal(s) in day-to-day management of the building; supervise buildings in the absence of the principal; keeps principals aware of building level concerns and issues; supervise student attendance and behavior; conduct parent/family conferences on disciplinary matters; serve as a resource for staff on policies and procedures; work with teachers and students to resolve classroom and personal issues; maintain student behavior records; coordinate with counselors and social workers; supervise emergency drills and building operations.

At the meeting on March 26, Tiemeyer led off the discussion of the matter. She said, “I am concerned with this one. I think we should proceed with caution.” She voiced concern from a budgetary standpoint. “We can probably make this work for a year, but what about the future?” She added that layoffs and/or a tax increase might be necessary to cover the additional cost.

Board President Joey Morrison argued that “going this route allows principals to focus on academics, separating discipline from their duties.”

Board member Erin Christensen agreed, saying that the new position would “take a load off administrative staff and focus on kids and goals,” adding that it would allow for “covering lunch duty and halls.”

Tiemeyer responded that the position “could be a value add, but this isn’t the right time.”

Board member Kasey Henke said about the new position, “I don’t know if it’s quite needed. We could probably wait a year or two. The budget scares me. This is stretching us a little.”

Tiemeyer continued the conversation, saying that there isn’t a clear understanding of what the gap is and what is needed, and again mentioning the cost. “We’re competing with districts that are paying $75,000 a year for teachers,” adding that ECSD is top heavy and not competitive.

Board member Charlie Lenze, who was not present but had dialed into the meeting via Zoom, was asked if he had any comments on the matter. He did not.

Christensen continued, saying that “staff is overwhelmed.”

Tiemeyer responded, “Overwhelmed, but with what? We haven’t talked to teachers about what their needs are.”

Next, the Board took a vote. Two other positions under consideration, Shared Special Education Director with Van Meter and AEA and Shared Curriculum Director with AEA or neighboring districts, passed unanimously.

The vote for the new AD/DOS position passed by a 3-2 vote. Morrison, Christensen, and Lenze voted in favor. Tiemeyer and Henke voted against.

The creation of this position is a bit of a slippery slope for the Board. Recent statistics show that there are not any more discipline problems in the school than in the past.

Also, much of the discussion seemed to be out of the public eye, leading to speculation that it was merely way to remove Caskey from the AD post for personal reasons while adding an expensive administrator to the staff.

And, creating a new position isn’t typically a function of a school board. In Iowa, local school boards generally have broad authority to manage and control the affairs of their school districts, which can include creating positions at a school, but this power is subject to state law, district policies, and practical constraints like budget. Typically, school boards in Iowa focus on the functions of setting policy and direction, hiring, supervising, and evaluating the Superintendent, and approving the budget.In practice, the Board’s role is strategic, not hands-on—superintendents and staff execute the details.

Start date for the new position is July 1, 2025.

Other business

Funding not to exceed $100,000 was approved for baseball and softball fields and the wrestling practice room.