Posted: 5/20/04
By MaryHelen Swanson
A Lester Prairie man, James L. Redfield, has been chosen to lead the Rush City School District as superintendent.
Following a final interview last week, Redfield was offered the position and verbally accepted it. Later, he returned a signed contract indicating his official desire to take the job.
This week, the Rush City School Board will approve the final contract making the hire complete.
Redfield is currently superintendent at Lester Prairie and has been since 1996. Prior to that he was superintendent of schools and elementary principal at Elmore, Minn.
Redfield was also superintendent of Russell, Tyler & Ruthton, Minn., from 1987-1992 and of Russell & Tyler from 1980-1987.
Years ago, he said during a phone conversation this week, he taught junior, senior and college-level classes.
Redfield has a bachelor of science in English, speech and math from Northern State College in Aberdeen, SD, a master of science in school administration from the same college and a doctorate in interpersonal communications, school administration and higher education from Ohio University in Athens. Ohio.
Redfield is married and has four children. His wife, Mary, is the lead employment counselor for Central Minnesota Jobs and Training. Son Lance lives in Shoreview and has a rental property and real estate business. Daughter Kari lives in Tucson, Ariz., and is editor of Fitness Plus Magazine. Son Trent is a U.S. Park Ranger currently at Devils Tower, Wyo. Son Ryan is at home and works at a large supermarket in Waconia, Minn. Redfield originally is from South Dakota.
In his resume, Redfield notes that he has worked to establish guidelines and procedures to develop long-range plans, worked with planning committees to establish new programs in line with each districtís mission statement and vision and is skilled in developing and implementing goal setting for teachers, school community teams and school board members.
Regarding the management of physical buildings, Redfield notes that he has drafted a detailed long-range plan for health and safety improvements for each district, facilitated and began implementation of a handicapped accessibility program, developed and implemented an energy-saving program for the Lester Prairie schools and has developed workspaces as ěproductiveî centers of education for learning
Redfield has been in Rush City on two occasions and has toured the districtís facilities.
ěThe Rush City School District has excellent staff, excellent buildings, has done forward planning and is on the verge of real progress into the future,î he said.
ěI will help do my part, as a team member, to achieve mission goals and forward movement into the future.î
Rush City Superintendent Tim Eklund is retiring at the end of the school year. Redfield starts July 1.
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