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Schulte proposes axing her old job from budget

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Karen Schulte

JANESVILLE — Karen Schulte has been wearing two hats since she took over as superintendent of the Janesville School District on Feb. 10. She plans to make that permanent.

Schulte had been director of student services—overseeing special education, counselors, social workers, psychologists and other areas—since 2004.

She delegated duties to her staff when the school board asked her to take over as superintendent, but she's still the boss of that department.

Schulte said she would recommend that the board make that change permanent as a way to help balance the district budget.

The savings in salary and benefits is about $148,000.

That's one of many cuts the district will have to make if the school board will succeed in holding down taxes next year. Estimates of cuts needed for a no-tax-increase budget are in the $2 million range.

Cutting Schulte's old job would leave the district with three people who are called "director" and report directly to the superintendent. They are:

-- Director of Administrative and Human Services Steve Salerno, responsible for personnel and payroll and direct supervisor of the principals.

-- Director of Curriculum and Instruction Donna Behn, in charge of anything to do with what gets taught and how it gets taught. She's also principal of the Janesville Virtual Academy and the Academy for International Studies.

-- Director of Business Services Doug Bunton. Bunton retires July 1. This position also is on a list of possible cuts, but Schulte would not say whether she'd recommend that it be eliminated.

Schulte did say she'd love to have a "financial guru" on staff, a chief financial officer who would concentrate on long-range financial planning. That position might be downgraded to the status of "manager," while others would handle other duties Bunton has supervised, such as maintenance, computer systems and transportation.

Schulte said she did not want to diminish the efforts of Bunton or comptroller Lauri Clifton. But a financial expert who knows how to tap new revenue sources would be helpful in difficult economic times, Schulte said, "and I think school districts typically are weak on that."

Schulte has promised school staff that she'll make her full list of recommended cuts public on Friday.

In the meantime, Schulte agreed to talk about cutting the director of student services. She agreed it's a big job, but she thinks she can be both superintendent and oversee her old department.

Schulte said she is up to speed on special education law, a key part of the job.

She also restructured student services this spring. Barb Hilliker, the coordinator of special education, took over more of special education duties, for example. Mat Haeger, the manager of health services, took over school safety duties.

To help Haeger, Schulte hired Doug Reynolds, a retired school safety expert from Beloit, as a consultant.

Schulte said she has stepped away from the district discipline committee, and Behn—whose multiple duties and long hours are well known around the central office—took over the committee.

Schulte also has stopped writing grants, turning that task over to experienced grant writer Marge Hallenbeck, the coordinator of student services.