Thursday, January 5, 2012
Here's a look at some of the school news that made headlines in 2011.
It's hard to deny that 2011 was a year of upheaval for the Lakeville Area Public School District. Following the failure of a levy referendum in November of 2010, district officials knew there would be major changes in store for 2011 as the board was tasked with trimming millions of dollars from its budget. Few knew or even expected what the consequences would entail, and a winter packed with meetings, proposals, and tears captivated the community for months. It can also be argued that the budget process wasn't the biggest story of 2011. On March 15, Superintendent Gary Amoroso announced in an email to district staff that he would resign on July 1. The surprise announcement made his January promise of "systemic change" all the more …
Friday, November 4, 2011
The superintendent believes it is important to involve school district staff and stakeholders.
Dr. Lisa Snyder began her duties as superintendent for Lakeville Area Public Schools on Aug. 15. Since then, she has set out on a mission to engage her community in conversation, discussing the school district with everyone from parents to custodians. Snyder is the successor of Dr. Gary Amoroso, who resigned July 1. “The number one most important thing is building trust in the organization,” said Snyder. In order to build that trust, Snyder is taking a collaborative approach to the position. Since assuming the role of superintendent, Snyder has doubled the size of her cabinet from four members to eight. She has also created a shared leadership team of staff members from across the district, which includes everyone from secretaries to …
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Dr. Lisa Snyder's new contract with the Lakeville Area Public School District bucks the norm of traditional superintendent compensation.
The Lakeville School Board approved the contract for Dr. Lisa Snyder, the district’s new superintendent, on Tuesday evening. Snyder, who is coming to Lakeville for the Merrill, WI, school district, was hailed as an innovative leader upon her hiring by the Lakeville School Board in July, and will officially begin her Lakeville duties on Aug. 15 with a contract that bucks the norm of traditional superintendent contracts. The contract (see the document) is markedly different than the contract afforded previous superintendent Dr. Gary Amoroso. That contract allowed Amoroso to retire from the district after 10 years with more than $360,000 in compensation due, a figure that irritated many in the community at the end of a year which saw massive …
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
At its meeting Tuesday night, Lakeville's School Board approved the contract for newly hired Superintendent Lisa Snyder.
Lakeville's School Board on Tuesday night approved the contract for newly hired Superintendent Lisa Snyder. Snyder's contract calls for her to make $169,500 in this fiscal year, though she'll receive a prorated portion of that since there's just 10 months left in the year. Outgoing Superintendent Gary Amoroso was scheduled to make $191,000 a year. Snyder is slated to begin her role with Lakeville schools on Aug. 15. Lakeville Patch will have a more in depth and detailed story soon.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Residents will have a chance to weigh in on the selection process beginning tonight.
Lakeville residents will have a chance to face off with each of the two finalists vying for the school district’s superintendent position today and tomorrow. The public is invited to meet Bob Laney at 5 p.m. tonight in the Lakeville South High School lecture room. Residents will also be able to meet Lisa Snyder on Thursday evening. The two candidates will spend their respective days touring the district and interviewing with staff, teachers and students prior to the public question and answer meetings. A 7:45 p.m. interview with the school board is also scheduled for each evening at the district offices. Those interviews are also open to the public to observe. The decision would seem crucial for a district coming off a stormy year in which…
44.64289
-93.26825
Lakeville South High School
21135 Jacquard Ave, Lakeville, MN
/articles/lakeville-superintendent-finalists-set-to-meet-the-public
990351
/locations/4887651
44.645174
-93.240947
Lakeville Area Public Schools District 194 administrative office
8670 210th St W, Lakeville, MN
/articles/lakeville-superintendent-finalists-set-to-meet-the-public
990367
/locations/4887652
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Snyder, Laney quickly become front-runners for district chief.
Following a full day of initial interviews, the Lakeville School Board has selected Lisa Snyder and Bob Laney as finalists for the district's vacant superintendent position. The board interviewed five candidates out of a total of 29 applicants and quickly settled on Snyder and Laney as the front-runners following an informal straw vote. Snyder currently serves as the Superintendent of the Merrill, WI, school district. Snyder has been in that position since 2009. A Winona native, Snyder was recently a finalist for the Rochester, Minnesota superintendent position, a move she was quoted as saying would help bring her closer to her family still in the area. Ken Dragseth of School Exec Connect (SEC), the company conducting the search for the …
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
State budget standoff costing district dollars and ability to plan. Preliminary budget approved despite uncertainty.
Editor's note: This is the first in a line of stories to publish through Friday discussing how a state shutdown will affect Lakeville and aspects of every day life for many people. While Democrats and Republicans continue their political game of chicken with the state budget, the prospect of a statewide government shutdown is anything but a game for the Lakeville Area Public School District. Despite not knowing when or how much to expect from the state for funding, the School Board voted to approve a preliminary $131 million budget Tuesday evening for the 2011-2012 school year. The budget will certainly have to be revisited once those state figures are determined, but the uncertainty has already forced the district into securing $9 million…
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Lakeville school's director of teaching and learning would serve until Amoroso's official replacement is found.
Barb Knudsen, the Lakeville Area Public School District’s director of teaching and learning, will likely be named as the district’s interim superintendent next week. The School Board held a special work session early Tuesday morning to discuss naming a temporary replacement for Dr. Gary Amoroso who will be retiring from the district effective June 30. School Exec Connect, the firm conducting the search for Amoroso’s official replacement, informed the board a new superintendent must be in place by July 1 according to state law. The district’s current schedule calls for a late July interview and hiring period for potential candidates with a possible August or September start date making the interim superintendent role necessary. Knudsen is …
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Search firm outlines list of attributes it will use to recruit candidates based on community feedback.
If all goes as planned, the Lakeville Area Public School District can look forward to having a new superintendent in place by August. And that superintendent will have high integrity and ethical values, be a strong communicator and have a strong understanding of district finances. Those were some of the highlighted attributes brought out by a variety of area stakeholders during research conducted by recruiting specialists from School Exec Connect (SEC). The firm was selected to lead the search for Dr. Gary Amoroso’s replacement last month and conducted an intensive day-long survey on June 2 in a number of meetings within the community. Amoroso will be retiring from the district on June 30. SEC presented their findings to the school board …
Friday, June 3, 2011
Financial responsibility, accountability, transparency, and a shared vision, were all mentioned by residents as qualities they want to see from the next leader of Lakeville's school district.
Community members shared their concerns and voiced their opinions Thursday evening at a public forum concerning the Lakeville Area Public School District's search for a new superintendent. Ten residents showed up to the forum, which was run by Student Exec Connect (SEC) Associate Dr. Robert Ostlund. SEC was chosen by the Lakeville School Board in early May to conduct the search for outgoing Superintendent Gary Amoroso, who will be leaving his position at the end of June. The School Board was not present at the forum. The input meeting was put together to develop a list of attributes or qualities that the community wishes to see in the new superintendent, Ostlund said. SEC will then take what was shared and compile it to help them in the …
44.66695
-93.26806
Kenwood Trail Middle School
19455 Kenwood Trl, Lakeville, MN
/articles/community-gathers-to-talk-about-lakevilles-superintendent-search
989943
/locations/4505436
CAT@COMCAST
10:49 am on Tuesday, August 16, 2011
I agree with Chris, starting pay is a little high considering the state of affairs our district is in but I feel overall progress was made. This in no way changes my feelings that the current school board needs an over-haul come election time, lets not forget that!! more ›