August 27, 2025
To: RSU Board of Directors
From: Mark L. Campbell, Superintendent of Schools
Re: September Board Report
Schools have opened! I was at the front door of Solon Elementary this morning as parents were dropping off their children. As always it is so nice to see the children bust through the doors with new outfits, backpacks and big smiles.
Our buildings are looking great! The cleaning crews had their regular cleaning completed earlier than in the past and were able to do some touch up painting around all schools as well as a few of the classrooms. The flooring projects completed in Anson and Solon provide students and staff with rooms that will be easier to keep floors clean and sanitized! Doing the stair treads at the same time also creates steps easier to clean but equally important eliminated treads that were broken and or curled lessening trip hazards.
Agenda:
Appointments:
This list completes the fall coaching needs as well as adds volunteers who can assist with a couple of our varsity teams.
Resignations: None
Nominations:
I would ask for your support on our nomination for Felicia Schobel to fill an open education technician position for the HS. Felicia was employed here previously as an ed-tech. Her prior work with students demonstrates she has the skill set to provide guidance and support for her high school students.
Action Items:
Item 6: I have engaged in numerous conversations with staff members in Anson as well as Solon over the past three to four months. At one point in these conversations, the idea of a Dean of Students was floated out, and I had been setting it aside as we hadn’t had time to discuss it as a need as we were building the 2025-2026 budget. When I met with Jean and her two lead teachers on August 18 to discuss what needed to be done prior to the opening of school today, the idea was floated out again. At this meeting I am asking for a discussion on the creation of a 1-year Dean of Students position for Anson and Solon schools. Below are things to consider how this position would benefit the students and staff in these buildings:
Factors creating the need:
Behaviors in the K-5 sections have been on the increase
Types of behaviors are trending towards raising safety concerns often warranting a suspension
One person cannot be in both buildings at the same time resulting in lead teachers being out of their classrooms…this loss of time in Anson has been very significant over the past 2-3 years
Benefits of the plan:
Administrative coverage of the buildings at all times.
Lead teachers are not pulled from their classrooms to deal with discipline issues.
Dean of Students can suspend a student
Dean of Students as well as the principal can also support new teachers (all teachers) with classroom management plans
Funding of the position within the existing budget numbers can be met potential by multiple means:
1. We had a carry forward balance in Title I monies which allowed us to move two positions from the regular budget to Title I (pending State approval).
2. We will realize savings from two unfilled teaching positions at the HS (one regular ed and one Special Ed) as we have filled these with Educational Technician certified staff.
3. We also currently have a Special Ed teacher who along with an Ed-tech 3 provide education services to a very small number of students in one of our buildings. If the person selected to fill this position is from within a K-5 classroom, I can transfer the special education teacher to the regular education classroom so no new staff member needs to be hired.
I would ask for your support for this move for the 2025-2026 school year. If we cannot come back to you to show that the additional coverage has had a positive impact on these two buildings, then we would return to the current administrative coverage for Anson and Solon. I do not know to the extent or detail that may exist for prior disciplinary actions/issued in these two buildings but if not available we can solicit input from staff and parents on their beliefs on the differences between this school year versus previous years. If the data is there, we can provide you with that information prior to the building of the 2026-2027 budget.
Item 7: Jean has agreed to return to provide administrative support as the building principal for Anson and Solon. I am requesting that we offer Ms. Butler a contract for the 2025-2026 school year.
Item 8: This executive session will allow me to keep the Board informed on legal matters I have been working with our attorneys on.