Area school districts to share administrator
Time to be split 60-40
GOODMAN - Two Northeast Wisconsin school districts have found a unique way to save money: share an administrator.
The Florence County School District and the Goodman-Armstrong Creek School District will share Ben Niehaus as their administrator. Niehaus is currently Goodman-Armstrong Creek's superintendent and principal.
Last week, both districts approved a measure to hire Niehaus as the next administrator for both districts. The Florence County School District's current administrator is leaving.
This isn't the first time the Florence County School District has tried to find ways to deal with a tight budget. Eight years ago, the district considered closing its doors for good.
The move will save both districts tens of thousands of dollars, according to school board members.
The districts are adjacent to each other, but the central offices are about 30 miles apart.
"I have a philosophy: if we have to make these tough decisions, lets make them as far from the classroom as possible," explained Niehaus. "In public education, we're being asked to do a lot more, as we have to find creative and unique ways to meet the demands that are placed upon us and I think this is one way."
Starting in July, Niehaus will spend three days a week running the Florence District and two days a week at the smaller Goodman-Armstrong Creek School District.
Florence will pay 65 percent of the salary, while Goodman-Armstrong Creek will cover the rest.
It's estimated the Goodman-Armstrong Creek School District will save around $39,000 a year and the Florence County School District is expected to see a $30,000 a year savings.
"Do you think this could be too much of a workload for one person? Do you think performance will suffer? I doubt it," answered Florence County School Board President Jim Churchill. "(Of) course he's dealing with two different school boards, and two different communities, two different sets of staff, but I think he'll be able to handle that."
Churchill says he thinks the arraignment will work, especially since Niehaus already wears two hats. He says other area districts have seen success with this method as well.
"White Lake/Elcho has been doing this for five years," Churchill said. "So we realized this can work. And I know it's working in other places in the state I believe."
The current agreement is for one year. Both sides say if all goes well, it may be a permanent move.
Niehaus says Goodman-Armstrong Creek has found someone to fill the principal position.
The city of De Pere, Wisconsin's population is 23,800. Yet they have two separate school districts.
De Pere Unified School District:
Altmayer Elementary School Grades PK-4
Dickinson Elementary School Grades PK-4
Heritage School Grades PK-4
Foxview Intermediate School Grades 5-6
De Pere Middle School Grades 7-8
De Pere High School Grades 9-12
West De Pere School District:
Hemlock Creek Elementary Grades K-5
Westwood Elementary Grades K-5
West De Pere Middle School Grades 6-8
West De Pere High School Grades 9-12
The natural thing to do would be consolidate the two districts. The process is spelled out in the Wisconsin State Statutes, 117.08: http://sms.dpi.wi.gov/sms_rgconsld
