Dahlheimer named superintendent of Osakis School District

OSAKIS — Justin Dahlheimer has been named superintendent of the Osakis School District.

The announcement was made at the Osakis School Board's regular meeting on Monday, March 13, when the board accepted Dahlheimer's three-year contract.

Dahlheimer currently serves as the district's business manager.

School board chairperson Michael Collins said the district received 14 applications and performed six interviews.

The superintendent's contract can be no longer than three years in length, so Dahlheimer's contract will be in effect from July 1 through the 2025-26 school year.

Collins said the contract stipulated that Dahlheimer's salary will be $110,000 for the first year, and $114,000 and $118,000 for the second and third years, respectively, including $10,000 for owning a house and living within the city limits.

Current superintendent Randy Bergquist announced his resignation earlier this year, and will assist in making the transition process as smooth as possible, Collins said.

Also at the school board meeting the board adopted a three-year achievement and integration plan.

Bergquist said the plan operates under World's Best Workforce and will result in $60,000-$70,000 in state aid in the form of a levy.

The plan involves three goals, the first of which is adopted by all of the schools that have similar plans.

The first goal is to increase groups of Lake Wobegon collaborative students' cultural competency each year on an average of two percentage points per year, Bergquist said.

The second goal is that 75% of the K-6 students who identified as having free or reduced price lunch, being in special education or having mental health concerns will increase their ability to remain in the general education classroom 80% of the time, Bergquist said.

The third goal is to increase student career and technical electives for all students in grades 9-12, Bergquist said.

Bergquist said the district would like to use the money from the plan to offset the cost of hiring a mental health professional and a new CTE instructor.