Maeder has exciting first week

By KARYN SPORY

Mt. Pleasant News

WINFIELD ? The conversation seems to jump from instructional strategy to football, but Jeff Maeder is learning that?s the life of a superintendent.

Maeder was hired in January as the new superintendent of Winfield-Mt. Union Community School District, but Wednesday night at the school board?s regularly scheduled meeting, he learned just how vast and varying the job of a superintendent could be.

Maeder began his tenure last Wednesday, July 1, and is already starting to settle into the groove of the district. Maeder was previously the high school principal at Columbus Community School District in Columbus Junction.

?This is the meeting I?ve been waiting for, praying for, preparing for,? Maeder joked. ?This has been an exciting first week.?

Maeder said he?s been getting to know the people within the building and the community, but a large bulk of his time has been spent focusing on vacancies and getting them filled.

As of press time, W-MU currently has nine open positions listed on TeachIowa.gov. The positions include a sixth grade math and science teacher, K-12 ELL (English language learner) teacher, K-12 TAG (talented and gifted) teacher, 7-12 agriculture teacher, middle/high school special education teacher, librarian, a preschool paraprofessional, at-risk paraprofessional, and a substitute.

Maeder said he?s checked with a couple area schools, Columbus Junction and New London, about sharing a librarian, but so far he hasn?t heard anything back.

He added the district currently has a few interviews lined up for the open positions.

In other business, the board:

? Approved the 2015-16 W-MU Employee Handbook

? Approved purchase of accounting software from Software Unlimited for $9,652.57

? Approved Anderson-Erickson as the school?s milk distributor

? Approved 2015-16 SIAC goals