Schools: Evaluation on agenda in Carlton

A week after a board training session on school board rights and responsibilities, Carlton school board chair Julianne Emerson expressed regret for suggesting at an earlier meeting that some board members talk more than others.

“One of those people is me,” she admitted during Tuesday’s work session.

“This is by far and away the best group of people that I’ve had to work with,” she added while expressing the desire for participation from all board members.

Having thus cleared the air, the Carlton Board discussed plans for a self evaluation sometime in the spring of 2025. Superintendent Donita Stepan produced a proposed document with which the board could rate itself on ethics, vision and communication.

Stepan cautioned that any evaluation should not focus on individuals.

“You should be evaluated as a board. What are your goals, and are you accomplishing those goals as a board?” she asked.

In turn, the board considered doing a superintendent evaluation. Stepan unveiled another draft document listing goals for herself derived from earlier direction from the school board and from the strategic plan. For instance, under “school district finances,” Stepan wrote that she should, “develop tangible strategies to increase revenue.”

Without taking formal action, the board decided that an evaluation for Stepan should take place in closed session some time in December.

Nearing the end of the meeting, Emerson used about 20 minutes to outline the history of consolidation efforts over the last 12 years, describing hope and failure as several attempts at merger with neighboring Wrenshall came and went.

She concluded by asking the board members to think hard and come to the regular board meeting at 7 p.m. Monday, Oct. 21 prepared to discuss future options.

On a positive note, Stepan pointed to lower absenteeism and an uptick in enrollment as evidence the new four-day week was succeeding.

As of Tuesday, Carlton had 298 students K-12, three over the budgeted estimate of 295. Class sizes ranged from a low of 12 in the eighth grade to a high of 32 students in the fourth. Kindergarten had 23 kids to start this year.