Nenana Wellness Coalition
Minutes
February 1st, 2005
Meeting began at 12:31 PM
Meeting officiated by Bud Krause
Prayer was offered by Bonnie Reed followed by the Pledge of Allegiance
Minutes for week of January 18th were approved with one correction offered by Bud Krause. The change will be made before it is emailed out.
Introduction of Guests
Mike Handley from Kipnik and Marlis Luak from Scammon Bay are here as students from the student government at the student living center and we look forward to their involvement in our meetings.
Dan Reed is here visiting with his family (Blaine and Bonnie Reed) to help out for the next week. We were glad to have him with us.
Wayne Walters is visiting today because of his interest in the Snowcross racing course that the NVSA is building across from the A-Frame. Wayne has had some experience with this kind of thing in the past. While in Wisconsin he was involved with his son in snowmobile racing in competitions at the national level and has offered his assistance with getting our program up and running. We’re happy to have him here and look forward to his help and expertise.
New Snowcross Course for Nenana - Paul Verhagen
Yesterday the Nenana Valley Sports Association approved the purchase of property here in Nenana to build a motocross course. NVSA has been working with the city and intends to donate the property to the city with the understanding that it will be dedicated to Parks and Recreation and used specifically for motocross/BMX and similar events. NVSA will develop the property in conjunction with the World Snowmobile Association-Alaska (or some other group), to include a race course, etc.
On Saturday NVSA representatives went to Fairbanks and attended a snowcross (SnowX) race and met with Dave Kapla, the race director. We videotaped the course, got program guides, schedules, etc.
Included in your packets today are 4 items:
1.) A map of Nenana
2.) An aerial photo of the property
3.) A layout of the Fairbanks SnowX course at the Fairgrounds, and
4.) A layout of the proposed course for Nenana.
Please look at the layout of the Fairbanks course and refer to it while we watch a short video. It will help you to follow the person in the video around the course.
[Video was played]
In speaking with Dave we were informed that the Fairbanks course is much more constricted (in order to fit it into the Rodeo arena at the fairgrounds) than they would have liked it to be. He said that ideally the lanes would be much wider and the overall course would be bigger. Josh Verhagen kept this in mind when he drew up the proposed layout that you see on page four of your handout. The area of the proposed course is about 350 feet by 700 feet and the lanes are as wide as a city street.
Dave has offered to help us build our course if we provide two loaders, a bulldozer and 25 volunteers. We will be approaching TCCC and the student living center for help with this project.
In order to build a SnowX course we do not need to disturb the ground beneath it. As a result we are working with the Army Corps of Engineers and DNR right now to verify that we don’t need permits to do this and if they agree we hope to put up the course in February and would like to have races in March and April. In the meantime we will continue working on the permitting process so that we can disturb the ground this spring and will then put in a dirt track for motorcycles and four-wheelers.
We are fortunate in our timing because there are crews here in town right now working on the oil and gas exploration and Jack Coghill has asked for their help and they have agreed to assist us with land clearing.
We are excited to be able to work with Dave Kapla. He has developed quite a program and has expressed mutual interest in working with us - not only with the development of our SnowX course but also with our Junkyard Challenge program which we expect to begin this month.
If you turn to page 7 of the program guide you will notice the 2004/2005 SnowX schedule. It currently alternates between Fairbanks and Big Lake twice a month. We want the schedule to read Fairbanks, Nenana, Big Lake; Fairbanks, Nenana, Big Lake, etc. for next year.
I also bring to your attention a comment Dave made on page 3 of the program guide where he said that they are “seeking to establish a Park X, a facility where extreme athletes go to train in all sorts of sports”. That might fit in with other plans of the NVSA, so perhaps we can work with him on that as well.
We were also excited to learn about Wayne Walter’s experience with SnowX and his interest in working with us. He has done a great job with helping get our ice skating rink built and, compared to that, the SnowX course should be a piece of cake!
Bud Krause suggested that we consider including an oval all the way around the outside of whatever shape course we decide on.
Survey For New Superintendent - Group Discussion
After polling those who regularly attend the wellness meetings it was agreed to appoint Traci Wiggins as our representative to assist in the selection process for a new Superintendent. At last week’s meeting Kevin Miller (who is up here again putting on two more Crucial Conversation classes) offered to assist us by putting together a survey that can be sent to each applicant for the Superintendent position via email. Their answers to those questions could be very helpful in the selection process. However, Kevin can only assist us in putting together the survey if we provide him with the questions to ask. After we have put together some questions the representatives from the other groups involved in the selection process will be given an opportunity to add to the questions before Kevin compiles them.
The floor is now open for suggestions of questions to ask as well as for any other things that our representative should consider as she helps with the selection process.
Kat McElroy - Keri Frazier and I came up with eight questions that we think would be helpful. They are:
1.) Please describe your philosophy regarding student discipline.
2.) What do you believe to be the best means of addressing the needs of special needs students?
3.) What strategies do you suggest regarding discipline issues for I.E.P. students?
4.) To what extent do you believe the community should have access to the school’s facilities (i.e. use of Gym, showers, etc.)?
5.) What attracts you to this position?
6.) Briefly describe your experience in cross-cultural settings.
7.) Briefly describe you experience with rural communities.
8.) If the community wanted you to remain as the Superintendent for more than one term how long would you be willing to remain?
Tim Horn -
9.) Describe your background with fiscal responsibility.
Roy Smart -
10.) Describe your ability to adjust to living in a small rural community.
Roy described his experience in interviewing with two different systems. One where a predetermined point system with scoring sheets was used, and the second where each interviewer had a sheet upon which they assigned an overall score of 1-10 for each person without tying the numbers to any specific scoring system. He found each to have advantages and disadvantages. He felt that perhaps a predetermined scoring system could help with the first phase of the selection process wherein the top six candidates are moved on to the interview phase and perhaps the open scoring sheet method could be used for phase two.
Kat McElroy described her experience with interviewing to hire a director for Fairbanks Native Association several years ago. She explained that they used a predetermined scoring system to make their decision and afterwards were very disappointed with the selection they had made. She then quoted Howard Luke as saying “A person on paper is not the same as a person in the flesh”. She agreed that the point system seems to work better during the first phase and an open scoring system works better during the interview phase.
Paul Verhagen suggested that we use both methods for both phases. This is done by using a point system scoring method followed up by an open scoring system. In other words use the point system all the way through but then, referring to the results, rescore with the overall picture in mind. This is similar to how employee evaluations are often done. It is also done in court cases wherein the judge is expected to make his decision based on the “totality of the circumstances”. He also suggested that we use three types of questions in both the survey and during the interview process. The three types of questions are: Open-ended (so that the person has to answer essay style), Yes/NO questions, and questions answered on a scale. For some things we will just want a Yes/No answer, but for other things we will want more information that you can best get from essay style or scale questions.
Gary Edwin suggested that interview questions can be found on the internet by doing a search on interview questions. He likes the idea of the community being involved and hopes that in the end the input of the representatives will be given serious consideration. Two of his concerns with all new hires are: Showing up for work on time, and being willing to take direction. Perhaps the following questions could be asked:
11.) How would your previous employer describe your habit of showing up for work on time each day?
12.) Give an example of your willingness to take direction from the school board.
Milt Haken suggested that some of the most important characteristics of a Superintendent are their people skills and the diversity of their prior experience.
Perhaps the following questions could be asked:
13) Describe how you have improved your communication skills over the years.
14) Share an example of how the diversity of experiences in your life will make you a more valuable Superintendent for us than another candidate.
Milt then quoted an expression that says “If you shake the milk - the cream will rise”. In other words if we ask enough probing questions the best candidates will make themselves known.
Tim Horn suggested that we check with other districts who recently hired superintendents to see what process they used.
Paul Verhagen agreed that that was a good idea but suggested that we contact districts that hired Superintendents 2 or more years ago and then ask if, with hindsight, they are happy with the method they used.
Tim Horn suggested that we include something in our questions about keeping the public informed about problems at the school. She was not suggesting that they go into the details but when kids are charged with crimes or violations it would be good for the community and parents to hear something official rather than just rumors around town. A question might be:
15) Explain how in the past you have kept the community and parents informed of problems that have occurred at school - such as charges brought against students, etc.
Kat McElroy suggested that we ask about their prior relationship between the school, the courts and police. A possible question might be:
16) Describe a prior relationship between yourself, the courts and the police and what made it work, or what you would change to make it work if it didn’t.
Margaret Sanders suggested that we ask how they would ensure that we not have a crisis each year when it comes to fundraising. Perhaps the question might be:
17) What fundraising methods are you aware of (or have used in the past) that will ensure that Nenana not go through a crisis funding search each year?
Bonnie Reed suggested that we ask about their community involvement in attending such things as potlatches. A question might be:
18) What have you done in the past that has demonstrated ongoing community involvement in such things as traditional cultural events?
Bud Krause suggested we ask how they would get better involvement from the parents. A question might be:
19) If you were informed that significantly increasing parental involvement was a concern how would you help bring it about?
Roy Smart suggested we ask about their experience with maximizing student access to the assets available to them. A question might be:
20) Alaskan children average five influential adults in their lives. How can we best tap these and other community assets for the benefit of our children?
Mike Handley suggested that we ask about ensuring that all of our students end up having an equal opportunity in life. Specifically, how would the candidate ensure that all kids graduate? And how important do they believe the influence of a superintendent to be in ensuring that they graduate? Questions might be:
21) What would you do to help ensure that all kids graduate?
22) If kids of a certain race or cultural background were dropping out, what would you do to ensure that they stick it out in school so that they have an equal opportunity in life with all other students?
23) Assuming that it is important for a superintendent to be a role model for kids, how would you interact with them so that they know you well enough to be a role model?
Kat McElroy suggested that we ask the candidates position on respecting family’s goals for their children. In other words if a particular family didn’t want their child to grow up to be a doctor or lawyer how would the candidate help the child reach the goal the parents have set for the child? A question might be:
24) How would you ascertain what the parents want for their child’s career and what would you to do to help the child achieve it?
Josh Verhagen suggested that it would be important for a superintendent to show enthusiasm and be a motivating influence on the students to strive for excellence. A question might be:
25) How does some know you are enthused about something and how would you use that enthusiasm to motive students to strive for excellence?
Margaret Sanders mentioned that she and others have been impressed with Josh Verhagen and Elijah Verhagen and that she believes their older brother Sam did what Josh just asked about. He was enthusiastic and strove to motive people he worked with. She reported that on one occasion he was asked by a peer why he did the things he did and why he didn’t do things that he stayed away from. Sam answered “Because I always want to be a good example for my younger brothers”. She mentioned this because she believes that being a good example, being enthusiastic and motivating ARE important traits for a superintendent.
Elijah Verhagen felt that it is important that a superintendent encourage students to keep trying even when they become discouraged by something. A question might be:
26) How would a superintendent influence students to persevere when the going gets tough so that they really do stick it out?
Other suggestions were that we ask how they would deal with issues like those at Columbine. What do they believe to be the solution? Questions:
27) What was the real issue at Columbine?
28) Who was to blame?
29) How should it really be dealt with?
30) How could we ensure that such a thing not happen here?
New Business
Paul Verhagen introduced the concept of maintaining a “Parking Lot”. A parking lot is a list of ideas or suggestions that people come up with during the meetings that are worth talking about but that are not on the agenda and would either take too long to address at the time or would be a distraction to address at the time. It was suggested that we appoint someone as a “Parking Lot Attendant”, someone who listens for such ideas and speaks up when they arise and puts them in the parking lot so that they can be put onto the agenda for another meeting. This allows meetings to move smoothly and at the same time recognizes and validates important contributions by getting them onto future agendas. Paul suggested that we think about the idea and that if someone would like volunteer for the position that they let us know.
Meeting Adjourned at 2:21 PM
The next meeting will be held next Thursday night at 6:00 PM at the Senior’s Center just before the regularly scheduled city council meeting.
There were 15 people in attendance from the following organizations (and various interested citizens):
Nenana Visitor’s Center, Railbelt Mental Health and Addictions, LDS Church, Bahai Church, Nenana Environmental Program, Nenana School, Nenana Student Government, Alaska Court System, Nenana Valley Sports Association, Nenana Senior’s Center, various community members.
Bud Krause, Kat McElroy, Wayne Walters, Elijah Verhagen, Josh Verhagen, Dan Reed, Blaine Reed, Bonnie Reed, Gary Edwin, Roy Smart, Marlis Luak, Paul Verhagen, Mike Handley, Milt Haken, Tim Horn.