Donald Mueller devoted thirty
years
to the Douglas School District. He was hired in 1958 as School
Center
Principal and continued in that capacity until 1965 when he became the
Director
of Elementary Education. In 1967 he served as Assistant
Superintendent
of Operations. Mr. Mueller took a sabbatical leave in 1968-1969
to
work on his doctorate at the University of South Dakota.
Upon
returning to Douglas he was employed as Assistant Superintendent of
Personnel
from 1969-1971 and as Associate Superintendent from 1971-1973. In
July,
1973, Don Mueller became Superintendent of the Douglas School District
and
served in that capacity for fifteen years until his retirement in 1988.
Donald Mueller received his Doctor of Education in 1976 from the University of South Dakota; his M.S. in Educational Administration from the University of Northern Colorado in 1958; and his B.S. in Elementary/secondary Education from Dickinson State College in 1950. Don began his career in education as a teacher in the Dickinson Public Schools in Dickinson, North Dakota, in 1950 and served as an elementary principal there until 1958.
In his first year as superintendent, Dr. Mueller had to deal with the results of a funding crisis which had closed the school in April, 1973. He managed to restore stability to the district during this difficult time.
Over the next fifteen years he worked continually and diligently to obtain impact aid funding for the district in order for students to receive a comparable education. In May, 1983, the district was unable to issue teacher contracts due to inadequate impact aid funding. Again, Dr. Mueller met the challenge and contracts were issued in July. He strongly believed that Douglas students deserved an education comparable to students in schools with adequate funding. Dr. Mueller laid the ground work for obtaining funding for new facilities. In the interim, the East Nike Site was renovated to house eight first classrooms to alleviate overcrowding in the elementary schools.
Dr. Mueller supported initiating programs which established Douglas as a leader in the state. Some of these programs were Middle School concept, Gifted Education, Special Education, Computer Education, Community Education, Time-Out, Multilingual/Multicultural, Sex Equity, Staff Development, and Area of Specialization Pay for teachers. He established benefits for classified staff, including sick leave and participation in the South Dakota Retirement System. Dr. Mueller utilized the Team Management approach to decision-making. He was instrumental in implementing National School Board Association Policy Development in the district. He developed guidelines for the Douglas Community Partnership Council which received the Air Force Association Hoyt C. Vandenberg Award. Douglas was one of the schools which initially formed the Black Hills Special Services Cooperative.
Donald Mueller was a superintendent who cared about people in the district- staff, students, citizens. His door was always open for a casual comment or a serious discussion.
Donald Mueller received his Doctor of Education in 1976 from the University of South Dakota; his M.S. in Educational Administration from the University of Northern Colorado in 1958; and his B.S. in Elementary/secondary Education from Dickinson State College in 1950. Don began his career in education as a teacher in the Dickinson Public Schools in Dickinson, North Dakota, in 1950 and served as an elementary principal there until 1958.
In his first year as superintendent, Dr. Mueller had to deal with the results of a funding crisis which had closed the school in April, 1973. He managed to restore stability to the district during this difficult time.
Over the next fifteen years he worked continually and diligently to obtain impact aid funding for the district in order for students to receive a comparable education. In May, 1983, the district was unable to issue teacher contracts due to inadequate impact aid funding. Again, Dr. Mueller met the challenge and contracts were issued in July. He strongly believed that Douglas students deserved an education comparable to students in schools with adequate funding. Dr. Mueller laid the ground work for obtaining funding for new facilities. In the interim, the East Nike Site was renovated to house eight first classrooms to alleviate overcrowding in the elementary schools.
Dr. Mueller supported initiating programs which established Douglas as a leader in the state. Some of these programs were Middle School concept, Gifted Education, Special Education, Computer Education, Community Education, Time-Out, Multilingual/Multicultural, Sex Equity, Staff Development, and Area of Specialization Pay for teachers. He established benefits for classified staff, including sick leave and participation in the South Dakota Retirement System. Dr. Mueller utilized the Team Management approach to decision-making. He was instrumental in implementing National School Board Association Policy Development in the district. He developed guidelines for the Douglas Community Partnership Council which received the Air Force Association Hoyt C. Vandenberg Award. Douglas was one of the schools which initially formed the Black Hills Special Services Cooperative.
Donald Mueller was a superintendent who cared about people in the district- staff, students, citizens. His door was always open for a casual comment or a serious discussion.
Donald F. Mueller
Superintendent
1973 - 1988
