School board keeps Quist, freezes salary

• Superintendent Terry Quist

Superintendent Terry Quist

Talk about it

Over the past three years, Terry Quist has provided “superior services” to Alexandria School District 206 as the superintendent.

Because of this, school board members at Monday night’s regular board meeting renewed his contract for another three years.

However, because of current economic conditions, the seven-member board also approved putting a freeze on Quist’s salary.

Board member Jim Hafdal, who is on the district’s budget and finance committee, explained that Quist will keep the same salary as last year and that it will remain frozen through 2010.

“Terry was receptive to this and we [the school board] are grateful for that,” said Hafdal, who also noted that the superintendent’s salary could be reviewed at a later date.

Board member Alan Zeithamer said, “As a board, we are very happy with Terry’s services and wish we could do better, but times right now call for this.”

Other board members also praised Quist for his work.

Dave Anderson, vice chair, said, “We commend Terry for a job well done.”

Quist thanked board members for approving his contract, which will run from January 1, 2010 through December 31, 2012.

The superintendent’s previous contract began January 1, 2007 and will run through December 31, 2009. His salary was as follows: $135,000 for 2007, $139,050 for 2008 (a 3 percent increase) and $143,221 for 2009 (another 3 percent increase). Benefits include sick leave, vacation days, health insurance, dental insurance and life insurance.

In other action

•As part of the consent agenda, school board members unanimously approved dissolving the cooperative agreement with New Testament Christian School at the end of the 2008-2009 school year.

By dissolving the cooperative agreement for the girls basketball and girls and boys soccer with New Testament, District 206’s classification would be lowered in each of the three activities.

•The board approved the district’s recommendation of awarding the bid for the re-roofing project at Lincoln Elementary School to Horizon Roofing. The board accepted the low alternate bid, which is for a fully adhered white roof, for $214,580.

The Green Team provided an update with recommendations that the board approved. The Green Team initiative was started by the school board as one of the district’s goals for the 2008-2009 school year. The primary purpose is for students, staff and community members to become better stewards of the environment, create efficiencies and reduce costs.

Since last fall, a district-wide Green Team has been meeting to gather information on current practices and needs, and to set future directions for the district.

Shelli-Kae Foster, one of the Green Team members, presented goals for the upcoming school year: Reducing waste by 10 percent; reducing energy consumption across all utilities by 5 percent; and increasing awareness of sustainable best practices for students, staff, parents and community.

The Green Team is planning events and activities, including a GreenFair, set for the spring of 2010. In addition, the team will come back to the board with a report of district successes.

The board approved the Green Team’s recommendations.

•The board approved the first reading of the revised agriculture curriculum standards and approved the first reading of the revised business curriculum standards.

•The board approved the standards for the Compass Program for school age care as presented by Susan Scarborough, Community Education director.

•The board approved a resolution to change the population estimate used in the community service funding formula. The state demographer estimates the population for District 206 to be 29,436 residents, which is an increase of 511 from the 2007 census figure of 28,925.

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