Building Schools, Rebuilding Bridges

Under previous superintendent Jack Ernst, communication between the district and the local construction community had ground to a halt.

Springfield Contractors Association expressed strong concerns about how the district was handling its construction business – from hiring consultants to drafting construction contracts – and SCA members felt those concerns were ignored.

R-XII representatives, on the other hand, felt they were making positive strides in school construction that ultimately would benefit students, and they were put on the defensive when contractors questioned their methods and decisions.

Legal counsel exchanged letters, tensions rose and individuals clashed, with both sides ultimately subsiding into angry silence.

When Ridder came on the scene in mid-2005, he was not interested in revisiting the past, second-guessing his predecessor or assigning blame. Nonetheless, he believed it was possible to fix the situation. His solution was the Continuous Quality Improvement initiative, a management approach based on collaboration, communication and transparency. Click below for related stories.

R-XII, SCA build for future, avoid past

Contractors seek solution to subcontractor blacklisting

Editor’s Note: Springfield Business Journal first explored communication between the school district and area contractors in a story that was published June 24, 2006. “R-XII works to build schools, rebuild communication” can be purchased here.