Superintendent Messelt resigns

Jean Doran Matua
“My plan was to retire from this job,” said Kimball Schools Superintendent John Messelt at last week’s school board meeting. At that meeting, Messelt announced his resignation from the school district, effective June 30.

“I’m not angry or upset,” Messelt emphasized. “It’s just a good time for change, both for me and for the district.”

Messelt explains that the change in the school board was a factor in his leaving – not because of the board members themselves, but because of a change in direction of the board as a whole. Messelt took last fall’s election – in which three experienced board members were replaced – as an indication that the community was not happy with what the board was doing. The school board hires a superintendent to lead them. So, by extension, if the community is unhappy with the board, they are unhappy with the superintendent. “Now is a good time for the new board to select a superintendent who will work toward their goals and direction,” he added.

Accomplishments

During his four years as superintendent in Kimball, Messelt is proud of two major accomplishments: upgrading the high school facilities (which should be completed by Septe-mber), and establishing a strategic plan for the district. Messelt and the school board introduced a strategic plan for the Kimball school district in August 2000.

The strategic plan is a five-year plan that is updated every year or so. It is responsible for several changes within the schools. Homerooms were introduced in the high school, for 20 minutes a day, allowing teachers to get to know students better. The high school building is being upgraded to create a more nurturing facility. Techno-logy is being incorporated into the curriculum to provide state-of-the-art education for our students. And emphasis is being placed on how we treat students, creating an environment where students feel important.

Change is needed

“This community has to start realizing its potential and what it could be,” says Messelt. “Then our students can realize their potential and what they can be.” He went on to explain that students and their parents need to want an education, not simply to get through school and out the door.

“The community is in charge of our destiny,” explains Messelt. “They have to want it, and then they have to do it – not the superintendent, not the board, but the community.” He added that schools are more often a reflection of the community. When students are negative about school and can’t wait to get out, it reflects the priorities and values of the community.

Messelt advises focusing on the positives. “Kimball has a lot to offer,” he says, specifically mentioning a good location, excellent facilities, great teachers and students. He also advises that we not compare Kimball to other districts, but rather to do what we can to be as good as we can be. “We can either complain about test scores, or commit to making them better,” he says.

Messelt believes that, if more parents understood the process of education, they would be more understanding of discipline and other practices in the schools. The goal of education is to help students reach their potential. No longer is a diploma sufficient – that’s just a piece of paper. Our students need a high-school education, helping them to develop self-discipline, self-expression skills, and the ability to work as a team. This is how the grad standards came about – recognizing a set of basic skills that each student should have at graduation.

State of the district

The Kimball school district is in good shape financially, surprising in light of all the budget problems and cuts being made in districts all around us. Over many years, the district had built up a substantial fund balance that serves as a “cushion” now. Kimball is able to absorb some of the budget shortfalls by spending down this fund balance. Messelt explains that this fund balance has both a good side and bad: the good is that we have that “cushion” today; the bad is that it was built up over the years at the expense of facilities – which is why so much was needed to be done to the building now.

By the time a new superintendent arrives, the next budget will be in place and the books should be closed out for this fiscal year – a clean start for the new leader.

What’s next?

The Kimball school district has initiated a search for superintendent. There will be someone in the superintendent’s office on July 1 – either a permanent replacement or an interim superintendent. Kimball is also in the process of finding a new elementary school principal, to fill the shoes of retiring Gary Lagerstedt.

Messelt has taken a position as Executive Director of CMERDC (the Central Minneso-ta Educational Research and Development Council) in St. Cloud. This is a regional organization of more than 40 school districts in central Minnesota. The “research” and “development” side of CMERDC have pretty much fallen away. It is more a clearinghouse for supplies, equipment and computer services for schools. Messelt will oversee the entire operation, including about 50 employees.

Messelt will remain a part of our community. He and his wive LaVerne plan to stay in their home just north of Kimball.

“I do appreciate the opportunity that this community gave me to work with the schools for four years,” says Messelt. “There are a lot of great teachers and great students. If I miss anything, it’ll be walking up and down the halls seeing students.