Ridlehoover: Accountability Key on Action Steps in Equity Report

SARTELL -- After nearly 8 months of work, the Sartell Education Equity and Student Experience Committee presented their action plans to the school board earlier this week.

The plans were develop by the group of 96-members, who created several action steps for each of the 10 key issues facing the district.

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Superintendent Jeff Ridlehoover says each topic has a specific set of action steps and will be overseen by someone within the district.

One of the things I thought was important in this, was to provide accountability. I designated leads for certain portions of the action steps. Some will involve myself, district level staff, principals, other staff, but the big point was there needs to be accountability to these action steps to make sure they get done.

Ridlehoover says some of these plans are already in motion and others will take some time to develop.

He says he remains committed to updating the board on a monthly on the progress of each step and to ensure efforts are being made to provide the most amazing student experience.

Some changes in leadership are coming to the staff in the Sartell-St. Stephen School District to start the new academic year.

Long time employees Kay Nelson and Jason Mielke are both leaving for new opportunities.

Ridlehoover says the board recently hired for those key positions. He says their K-8 Curriculum Coordinator Megan Rogholt will replace Nelson in a newly created role.

She will oversee instructional work across the district. She and I will work together and create strong ties with our principals, our instructional coaches and technology support staff at our sites. Next year is going to be significant on the instructional front.

Ridlehoover says they also promoted from within at Oak Ridge selecting Julia Bjerke as principal.

As for Activities Director, Ridlehoover says the board hired SCSU Associate Athletics Director Bruce Thompson.

He really blew the committee away. We looked at lot of candidates and his energy, understanding the community, and honestly his background experiences were nothing like we've seen at the high school before.

Ridlehoover says interim Activities Director Nic Peterson will be returning to his old position as assistant principal at the high school. Peterson will work along side new high school principal Shayne Kusler.

He says they are excited about their new staff hires and the ideas and energy they will bring to the district.

All these position changes will take effect on July 1st.