Slotterback Left Off Burnsville's Finalist List for Superintendent Job

Richfield superintendent interviewed for the Burnsville-Eagan-Savage Public Schools' position last week, but was not named as a finalist for the job.

Two of the five candidates for Burnsville-Eagan-Savage Public Schools' next  superintendent have been invited back for the final round—and Richfield's Dr. Robert Slotterback isn't one of them. Slotterback was named a semifinalist for the position April 1 and interviewed for the job Wednesday, April 3. "I was flattered that [the board] wanted to interview me," Slotterback told Richfield Patch last week. "But, I'm at the point in my career where I have to make sure it's a good fit for me, and [the district]." "It’s not that I am in any way unhappy with my situation here at Richfield," he added. "I think we’ve all worked very hard and we've done some great things." The two finalists are Darren Kermes, executive director of two educational …

•  6 Comments
• Photos (1)

Richfield Referendum: A Message From Superintendent Slotterback

Bob Slotterback has been making the rounds around town to talk about the proposed referendum questions.

The following message from Superintendent Bob Slotterback was recently posted on the Richfield Public Schools District website: November 6 is Election Day. On that day voters will address two important questions related to school funding. The first question asks for renewal of an existing levy, which funds approximately $301 per student. Voted in by the public 10 years ago, it must go before the public again for renewal. Renewal of this levy will not change property taxes. The second question on the ballot asks for an increase of $60 per student. A $60 per student increase in revenue raises taxes on the average home (assessed at $167,022) by $1.33 per month or $16.00 per year. It is important to understand that, although the ballot says $…

•  2 Comments
• Photos (1)

Election 2012

A Rundown of the Proposed Richfield Referendum

Richfield Patch breaks down what voters are being asked for on the ballot this fall.

Once again Richfield voters will be charged with voting for or against a proposed referendum, or operating levy, this November. Richfield Public Schools Superintendent Bob Slotterback presented the measure at a recent League of Women Voters of Richfield candidate forum in late September. So, what are voters being asked when they hit the polls on Nov. 6? Here’s the rundown: There will be two ballot questions before voters The existing referendum is set to expire at the end of the 2012-13 school year and there will be two related questions on the ballot. The first question will ask voters if they would like to renew the existing levy. If the renewal passes, there will be no additional property tax increase, as there are no additional funds …

•  1 Comment
• Photos (2)

Presentation By Superintendent; Three Public Hearings: Richfield City Council Agenda

The Richfield City Council will meet for its regular monthly meeting Tuesday night.

The Richfield City Council will convene early Tuesday evening with special sessions beginning at 5:45 p.m. On the regular agenda are three public hearings regarding capital improvements to one of the city's municipal liquor stores, roll weed elimination and fees for false alarm users. In addition, a presentation by Richfield Public Schools Superintendent Bob Slotterback is scheduled for early in the meeting. The full council agenda is attached to this article as a PDF.

• Photos (1)
• Documents (1)

Q&A: Principal Wenschlag Says 'Goodbye' to Richfield, 'Hello' to New Opportunities

Richfield Patch sat down with Sheridan Hills Elementary School's Jason Wenschlag, who is leaving for another position at the end of the school year.

Sheridan Hills Elementary School's Principal Jason Wenschlag recently announced he would be leaving the Richfield School District at the end of the 2010-11 school year to take a position in the Wayzata School District as the principal of Birchview Elementary School. Wenschlag spent five years as assistant principal at Richfield High School (RHS) before being appointed by Superintendent Bob Slotterback to the Sheridan Hills principal position two years ago. Richfield Patch's Caitlin Burgess sat down with Wenschlag to talk about his reasons for leaving, his memorable experiences in Richfield and his last words to his school community. Richfield Patch: Why did you decide to take another position? Principal Jason Wenschlag: It was a really …

• Photos (1)

Richfield School District Starts Replacement Interviews as Three Administrators Announce They're Leaving

As two principals and a supervisor announce their decisions to accept other positions for the next school year, the district quickly moves to fill their vacancies.

In addition to losing Richfield High School's (RHS) Dr. Stephen West and Sheridan Hills Elementary School's Jason Wenschlag at the end of the 2010-11 school year, the Richfield School District will also say goodbye to Alison Nisbet, currently a supervisor for the Richfield Career Education Program. Nisbet is leaving the district to become associate principal at Wayzata High School, where she will be in charge of the alternative school there. "The students and parents and families of Richfield have left an impression on my heart," Nisbet said. "I look forward to coming back for graduation and making sure that all kids have options in the schools." The Richfield School District began a paper screen of applicants for the two open principal …

• Photos (4)

Budgeting for Necessities: Richfield School Board Tries to Stay Within its Budget While Improving Learning

Richfield School Board approves the purchase of technology, reviews budget.

As the school year comes to a close, the Richfield School Board is considering a number of issues intended to improve the district while staying within budget. At this week's Richfield School Board meeting, the board approved the authorization for adjustments in targeted class size ratios for the Richfield Career Education Program (RCEP) from 15 to approximately 20 students. RCEP is Richfield's alternative high school program, serving students who perform substantially below level and those who don't fit into the traditional program for reasons including pregnancy, truancy, speaking English as a second language and those who have been excluded or expelled. However, in order to do this, another full-time teacher would need to be hired, …

• Photos (1)

Richfield Public Schools Embrace Demographic Shifts, Diversity

School administrators confirm what U.S. Census data shows: Richfield is rapidly changing.

Following a trend revealed by data collected for the 2010 U.S. Census, which shows an increasingly diverse population in Richfield, the district’s public schools are diversifying at even more rapid pace. As previously reported by Patch, Census data for Richfield shows that over the past decade the city’s demographics have shifted dramatically, with most non-white race groups increasing in size while the number of white residents in Richfield–measured as a percentage of the city’s overall population–decreasing. Specifically, the white population dropped by more than 10 percent between 2000 and 2010. In addition, the 2010 Census showed that even as Richfield saw a marginal increase of less than 1,000 individuals in its overall population …

• Photos (1)

Richfield School Board Discusses 'Choice' Program

The Richfield School District discusses The Choice is Yours Program and its affect on Minneapolis schools.

It's been 11 years since Minnesota began The Choice is Yours program, which allows Minneapolis families that qualify for free or reduced-price lunches to enroll their child in public schools outside of their resident district. Yet due to changes in student demographics of participating districts and changes within the program since its start, organizers of The Choice is Yours are discussing possible revisions, including whether to continue the program in districts like Richfield, which currently has about 80 Minneapolis students enrolled. At the April 18 regular meeting of the Richfield School Board, the board discussed district participation in the program and whether or not it would take a position with the Joint Powers Board of the West…

• Photos (3)

Richfield School District to Cut Teachers, Increase Class Sizes

Richfield School Board plans to cut teachers and other school workers in order to balance the districts budget.

Due to a loss in state funding, the Richfield Public School District is expecting a $1.1 million reduction in its budget for next year, which will result in a cut in teachers, Superintendent Bob Slotterback announced at the school board's Tuesday night meeting. The district has exhausted other methods of spending reduction, according to Slotterback, and will now need to reduce personnel. "This positions us to be able to effectively bring proposed cuts into next year's spending [so we are] able to balance our budget," Slotterback said. In anticipation of this measure, the school board approved an adjustment in class-size targets, which Slotterback said would give district principals a sense about the number of teachers they will have to …

•  9 Comments
• Photos (2)

Caitlin Burgess

4:44 pm on Sunday, April 1, 2012

@Kristen: I'll take a peek around and see what I find!   more ›