The Lenox and Griswold School District Boards of Education held a Special Joint Board Meeting Wednesday evening, to discuss and act on a continuation of the shared Superintendent Agreement, and for Lenox, an individual contract. Shared Superintendent Dave Henrichs told KJAN News both Boards unanimously approved having Henrichs as their shared Superintendent for a fifth year, with no changes.

The Lenox Board then addressed Henrichs’ individual contract. The only change was with regard to an increase in the health insurance premium package. Since the district has not received the renewal rates yet, it’s not clear what that the amount of increase will be. Griswold did not vote on the matter, because the individual contract only pertains to the Lenox District. Henrichs said the Griswold Board, fully supported the contract renewal, and provided that input to the Lenox School Board.

Henrichs said the biggest thing for him, with regard to the shared superintendent agreement, is the quality of people who make up the administrative team. He says “I have great people in both districts that support me greatly. Without that, I couldn’t do it…I’m very fortunate to have people that I have at both schools.”

Henrichs said it’s important for people to understand why the districts are sharing a superintendent. He says both districts benefit financially. The agreement qualifies for Operation Sharing dollars, which means both districts get an additional eight students worth of funding, or about $56,000 each, per year. Salary and benefits cost are split between the districts. The cost savings for each district each year, amounts to about $110,000, or one-half million dollars altogether, by the end of year number five.