“The big difference in that reduction is in our capital projects because as we are building Klamath Union High School, and we’re using those bond dollars to pay the contractor. Those amounts have been spent down and so we will be budgeting less next year as that project nears completion,” she said.

Baldini will be retiring at the end of April. She enjoys compiling the budget, and especially relishes an outlook where no reductions are needed.

“That’s a wonderful year when you are in a position where you can be adding staff,” Baldini said.

She said there were some reductions made in last year’s budget, with some of them due to “right-sizing” of the district’s financials.

“Our enrollment has actually increased this year and, after having several years of declining enrollment, that is really exciting, because our funding is tied to our enrollment,” Baldini said.

“If your enrollment is increasing and your funding is increasing, you can add more services, so that’s a very positive situation.”

This year, the district has seen a boost of 13 students, according to Daymond Monteith, who is training to fill Baldini’s position as director of operations when she retires April 30. She started in the business office in 1991 and has served as business director since 2004.

“Even though in this position I don’t spend time in the classrooms, I still feel connected that everything that we’re doing in the business office is what makes it possible for those kids that leave home in the morning,” Baldini said.

“… It’s just been a great career to be able to help provide the resources so kids can have those really positive experiences.”

Familiar face in a new place

Monteith, formerly principal of Ponderosa Middle School, will start as operations director for the district in her place on May 1.

The position will replace Baldini but will be restructured to include more overall leadership of sub-departments such as transportation, maintenance, technology and food service, and less of finance.

Monteith has been serving as a teacher or administrator for the district over the last 18 years.

The switch is part of a restructuring of the business department in order to create efficiencies and better coordinate between parts of the department.

Charlene Herron, former Klamath Union co-principal, is serving as interim principal at Ponderosa while the school district searches for a longterm replacement. Monteith has been invited to be on a team interviewing applicants for the position.

“Because of my background, I think I can offer kind of a unique lens at how those operations work to support schools,” Monteith said.

“I will have a pretty unique opportunity to look from a 10,000-foot view of our operations to see how we can better support students,” Monteith said. “I have the opportunity of being able to look at that bigger picture.”

Monteith was in his seventh year as principal of Ponderosa, when Superintendent Paul Hillyer recently told him about the opening position.

“This wasn’t something that I was necessarily thinking about,” Monteith said. “The superintendent came to me and asked if I would be interested. He thought that it was a position that my skill set would offer some opportunities for.

“Professional challenge and professional growth is always exciting to me,” he said. “This certainly has lots of opportunities for growth and challenges.”

“It seems like the timing is not ideal,” Monteith said of his departure from Ponderosa, “but it was critical to make the change when we did so that I had the opportunity to work for Pat (Baldini) as long as possible … in order for me to have the best opportunity to learn the operations of the department.”

While Monteith said he will miss being in a school setting, he expressed excitement about being able to bring his diverse background to the position.

“My own children have never had anyone but me as their middle school principal,” Monteith said. “That change was difficult, too, for all of us.”

“You get into education to make a difference with kids, which is certainly why I started my teaching career. And so to not be around kids is difficult.”

Baldini looks back, forward

Baldini wishes Monteith the best in his new role and encouraged him to utilize the strengths of the office employees, including Jerod Nunn, who will serve as comptroller. The district also plans to add an additional payroll employee.

Overall, Baldini believes the district acted in the best interest of students as it made the changes for better efficiencies.

“We’ve condensed and now we’re full at our locations, but it does create efficiencies in terms of having less maintenance and upkeep as well as the normal operating costs of buildings,” Baldini said.

That’s not to say some decisions she’s seen enacted in her time with the district, such as closing elementary schools due to constraints on the budget, didn’t take an emotional toll.

“It’s an emotional situation for our families and our students and for those of us that have been in the district a long time, when we lose a part of our district. For example, it was sad for a lot of us when Mazama went to the county,” Baldini said.

“School is just such an integral part of family and community lives that it is difficult and sad to see some of those changes take place.”

She’s especially relished seeing the renovations of Klamath Union and working with her team. Baldini is looking forward to joining her husband in retirement, when they can both travel and visit family.

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City Schools Slated to Restructure, Add Employees in 2019-2020 (H&N)