Sonju receives favorable evaluation

The Glencoe-Silver Lake School Board heard a report on the formal evaluation of Superintendent Chris Sonju at the regular meeting Monday night. Personnel Committee Directors and Board Members Anne Twiss and Clark Christianson presented the report.
Twiss said Sonju had good overall job performance and the committee was pleased with the progress he has made in the goals set for the district.
She said the committee felt Sonju made substantial gains in a successful building referendum, maintaining the financial status of the district and focusing on a student-centered culture. They also said he did a good job in connecting the school and community.
In other business, the School Board:
• Heard a summary of the 2015 legislative special session on the E-12 Omnibus Education Bill from Business Manager Michelle Sander.
Updates include additional funding for early learning program, increase to education revenue, repeal of required national college entrance exam for high school students and creation of a long-term facilities maintenance revenue.
• Accepted a bid from McLeod Publishing to be the official newspaper of the district from July 1, 2015 through June 30, 2016.
• Approved the call for fuel bids for the 2015-2016 school year as recommended by Sander. A notice will be placed in the newspaper and letters sent out as well.
• Approved the addition of a  half-time math interventionist position at Lakeside. The position will be combined with a half-time elementary technology teacher position to create a full-time position. The position will be paid for by Title I funds. The new position will allow the elementary to further move toward the STEM (Science, technology, engineering and mathematics) model.

For more from the meeting, see the July 15 print edition of The Chronicle.