Mr. Tim Collins

Past Chair - Tim CollinsBlue Earth Area Schools

BEA schools to lose Collins BLUE EARTH -- Tim Collins, superintendent of Blue Earth Area Schools since 1997, informed the district Monday that he will leave to take a job as superintendent in Hastings.Full story.
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Collins to announce decision BLUE EARTH -- Superintendent Tim Collins of the Blue Earth Area School District is expected to announce today whether he will accept the superintendent's position in Hastings.Full story.
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BLUE EARTH -- Blue Earth Area Schools' Superintendent Tim Collins is one of two finalists for the superintendent's job in Hastings.Full story.

Collins is a finalist for Hastings post

Blue Earth council approves VFW pull-tab charity change

Blue Earth's Urbia returns to city after year stint in Navy

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Collins is a finalist for Hastings post

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Blue Earth Area superintendent Tim Collins is a finalist to head the Hastings School District and will undergo a final interview for the position on Thursday.Collins says the decision to apply was difficult, considering he finds his BEA post rewarding, while his family is committed to the area.However, Collins says a search firm contacted him in September, encouraging him to at least submit his resume."I told them, even if I apply and I'm offered the job, I'm not 100 percent sure I'd even accept (the position)," he said.Collins and his wife have since visited Hastings and find the southeast suburban community has similar quality attributes as western Faribault County.Hastings is one of the largest geographic districts in Minnesota, while it has a newly built high school.Meanwhile, the district is about $300,000 in debt with a need for an excess operating levy.Despite applying, Collins says the history of the BEA school district reveals just five or six superintendents have held the position in Blue Earth since the district first began."Without a doubt, people stay here and that's what makes this a hard decision," he says, adding his six years in the area have proven western Faribault County to be a good place to raise a family."If I'm not offered the position, I'm happy with where I'm at."Collins also admits he's not the type of person who likes coming in second place to anyone."This is a tough job to apply for, because it impacts my children's lives and my wife's life," says Collins.When he first arrived in Blue Earth, the superintendent's oldest daughter was in third grade and his two youngest didn't even know what their father did for a living. According to the Hastings Post-Gazette newspaper, the board's more formal interview included 21 general questions and follow-up questions.
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Responsibilities of a superintendent: "One of the most important responsibilities is with the budget - having a firm grasp on where it is and where it will be in five years," Collins said.Philosophy of what a school's team does for its customers: "It is communicate, communicate, communicate," he said."You do what is best for the students."Relationship between the School Board and the superintendent: "The only stress point would be if a member stepped in to micro-manage," he said."The School Board is a sounding board so we can be as well informed as possible.We have open discussion."Superintendent being visible in the community: "That's the most fun and toughest part of the job," he said."I try to attend as many school events as possible, and attend many community activities.To be successful, you build relationships by being out and about."Most effective communication skills: "I have an open door where my office is," he said."It is about telling staff you want to hear from them.E-mail works good, too.After every School Board meeting, I e-mail information to all staff."Collins says he also uses the parent advisory group, which meets three times a year, writing letters to the editor of the newspaper, and being on the local radio station.How to build an administrative team: "Initially, there is a honeymoon period," he said."You just go with the flow.Then, you work with them to improve the team.That begins with an honest, sit-down conversation. Eventually, you want members on your team to have the same values as you."View of athletics and other activities: "I am 110 percent in favor of them," he said."Being involved has tremendous dividends.
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Collins expects the Hastings School Board will not wait too long after the Nov. 14 interviews to make a decision.

Blue Earth council approves VFW pull-tab charity change

Timothy J. Collins

Administrative background

Superintendent, Blue Earth schools, 1997-present

Superintendent, Nicollet schools, 1996-1997

Superintendent/principal, Delavan schools, 1995-1996

The Independent School District 200 Board of Education has offered the vacant superintendent's position to Timothy J. Collins, who is currently serving as the superintendent of Blue Earth schools.

According to Ken LaCroix, a former ISD 200 superintendent who the district hired to assist in the search to replace Wayne Haugen, Collins is expected to make his decision by Monday, Nov. 18.
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The board interviewed Collins for the second time on Thursday, with an advisory committee in attendance.

That left Tim Collins, 39, superintendent of Blue Earth schools, as the last remaining candidate.But Hastings school board members did not treat the Nov. 14 interview as if Collins had won by default, nor did Collins treat his interview as if he had the job.In fact, the board was prepared to start a new search for superintendent candidates.

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"Professionally, (Hastings) is, without a doubt, a great place to be for a superintendent," Collins said before the board held a straw vote."But I don't want to be offered the job if (the straw vote) is 6-1."

Following the interview and a review of reference comments, the board voted 7-0 to instruct Ken LaCroix, consultant in the superintendent search, to formally offer the position to Collins.
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Collins accepted the position on Sunday, contingent on a contract agreement.LaCroix said Collins and the board have agreed on a March 2003 starting date.
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Before the board instructed LaCroix to offer the job to Collins, Beattie told the board how the evening's interview helped ease his mind about Collins being a viable superintendent for the teachers.
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Before the board instructed LaCroix to offer the job to Collins, Beattie told the board how the evening's interview helped ease his mind about Collins being a viable superintendent for the teachers.
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"I'm going on the edge here, but everything I had heard about Tim Collins was not rosy," Beattie said.
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Another key moment of the post-interview occurred when two students who were on the advisory committee spoke of their approval of Collins.
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Collins also had an opportunity to ask the board questions.With a large portion of the interview's discussion and questions related to next year's likely referendum issue, Collins asked the board members if passing the referendum was their No. 1 goal.

Mr. Timothy Collins, Superintendent, Blue Earth Area Schools

The Core-Plus program, which was developed, in part, to help students in the United States get into a comparative realm in math scores with students around the world, was piloted in Michigan schools, and according to the Core-Plus Web site, the results are good, said Blue Earth Area Superintendent Tim Collins.

The only concern brought to his attention is that algebra is not addressed early enough in the Core-Plus program, which is something he wants to address.
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However, one of the big concerns with traditional math classes that led to the development of Core-Plus is the segregation in traditional math classes, Collins said.
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Collins said he has received data from several sources stating the exact opposite of Gray's findings.
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Collins, who noted the difference in opinion between the mathematics education community and the mathematicians community, questioned whether Gray is a strong traditional mathematics advocate.
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It is confusing to try to make the best curriculum decision for students when mathematics education professionals "overwhelmingly" support Core-Plus and Gray and other mathematicians talk about the disadvantages of the Core-Plus program, Collins said.

Collins wanted to know what Gray would do if he were the BEA superintendent.

If he really were the superintendent, then the students would be his first priority, Gray said.

He can't say whether he would choose to implement the Core-Plus program, but he did say it is only fair to offer a choice, at least until the Core-Plus program has been around long enough to offer definitive research results.

One of the major concerns parents have expressed about the Core-Plus classes is not being able to help their children with homework, Collins said.

The Core-Plus program, which was developed, in part, to help students in the United States get into a comparative realm in math scores with students around the world, was piloted in Michigan schools, and according to the Core-Plus Web site, the results are good, said Blue Earth Area Superintendent Tim Collins.

The only concern brought to his attention is that algebra is not addressed early enough in the Core-Plus program, which is something he wants to address.
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However, one of the big concerns with traditional math classes that led to the development of Core-Plus is the segregation in traditional math classes, Collins said.
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Collins said he has received data from several sources stating the exact opposite of Gray's findings.
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Collins, who noted the difference in opinion between the mathematics education community and the mathematicians community, questioned whether Gray is a strong traditional mathematics advocate.
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It is confusing to try to make the best curriculum decision for students when mathematics education professionals "overwhelmingly" support Core-Plus and Gray and other mathematicians talk about the disadvantages of the Core-Plus program, Collins said.

Collins wanted to know what Gray would do if he were the BEA superintendent.

If he really were the superintendent, then the students would be his first priority, Gray said.

He can't say whether he would choose to implement the Core-Plus program, but he did say it is only fair to offer a choice, at least until the Core-Plus program has been around long enough to offer definitive research results.

One of the major concerns parents have expressed about the Core-Plus classes is not being able to help their children with homework, Collins said.

Tim Collins, SuperintendentBlue Earth Area Schools315 East Sixth StreetBlue Earth, MN 56013-2006phone: 507/526-3188fax: 507/526-2432