NR-S and East Central discus differences in mediation

Representatives from the New Rockford-Sheyenne School District and East Central Special Education Unit (East Central) met in Fargo on Monday, May 23, for mediation.

Last year, deep and long-standing rifts between East Central and NR-S were unearthed when the NR-S School Board considered a proposal to withdraw from East Central and look elsewhere for special education services.

During that process, a plan emerged to have a professional mediator oversee further discussion in the hopes of mending fences, which both sides agreed was in the best interest of them and their students.

Retired magistrate Karen Klein acted as mediator, and began the process at 10:30 a.m. by having both parties separated and placed in different rooms within the Federal Courthouse in Fargo.

Representing East Central were board president Jenna Helseth, Director Ashly Wolsky, Business Manager Renae Duchscherer, and board member Robert Toso. Former business manager Suzette Allmaras also participated.

In attendance from the NR-S school board were Superintendent Jill Louters, Business Manager Dave Skogen, and board members Todd Allmaras, Alyson Myhre and Patti Larson.

What followed was a contentious, and at times emotional, five-hour-long mediation process that revealed diametrically-opposed views on even the most basic facts.

With each party in their separate rooms, Klein began by taking turns asking them a number of questions.

First, both parties were asked if they want to continue their relationship with the other, to which both responded with a definitive “yes.”

NR-S board member Patti Larson said she doesn’t understand the logic of leaving East Central, because NR-S is one of East Central’s largest districts, giving them more influence within the unit. In a different unit, she explained, they may not be among the larger districts, therefore giving them less “clout.”

Wolsky, meanwhile, said an NR-S exit would be financially detrimental to the unit as a whole, particularly because NR-S is their second largest district.

Both sides also recognized the decades-long history that East Central and New Rockford-Sheyenne share.

For the most part, however, that’s where any agreements between the two parties ceased.

Among the specific issues discussed were financial transparency as it relates to East Central’s hiring practices, East Central’s interview process for new employees, Title IX, Director Wolsky’s office location and mileage costs, and allegedly “tedious and repetitive” information requests from Dr. Louters.

As the day progressed, it became clear that both sides had entirely different perceptions.

An accusation or viewpoint would be expressed to Klein in one room, followed by a flat denial when brought up in the other room.

Eventually, after hearing multiple accusations and each side’s various viewpoints all morning, Klein brought both parties together in the same room for face-to-face discussion.

“I’ve discussed, with each group, the issues that you have raised in your communications with me and the issues the other party has raised in their communications with me,” said Klein as she began the joint meeting. “And what I’m hearing is a total disconnect in the responses.

“That the impressions that one of you has and the factual recitations you’ve given me about what happened or didn’t happen, don’t match at all,” she continued. “So I think we should go through them and give each of the parties an opportunity to comment.”

Once again, the major issues were brought up and discussed, this time with the added context gathered that morning. But both sides continued to lock horns, as neither were willing to budge on their respective view of the facts.

Even relatively simple matters to resolve, such as who attended what meetings, turned into points of contention.

After another two hours of face-to-face mediation, animosity between the respective administrators was more than evident, which wasn’t lost on Klein as she shared her closing thoughts.

“I’m going to make one observation,” said Klein. “I think part of the problem is you’re each ascribing motives to the other that are negative, and that’s not helpful here.

“You just have to play nice, basically,” she concluded. “You have to be respectful to one another, you have to want to make this a positive relationship, and I would hope both of the boards and administrators here have that desire ... The issues really are not that insurmountable, but if you let them get in the way, they will.”

Klein added that she’s unsure if there’s truly a desire from everyone among both parties to make the relationship work, and said mediation won’t help unless that mutual desire exists.

Before adjourning the meeting, both sides wanted to assure the public that they have the best interest of their educators and students in mind, and that, no matter what happens moving forward, special education services will always be available to any students who require them.

In the end, some specific recommendations were made by Klein regarding a number of discussion points, though a definitive plan for how to move forward was not established.

Some preliminary discussions were held about coordinating another special meeting, but nothing has been officially scheduled.