Board Minutes - 2022.07.18

CONSIDERATION OF ACTION ON CONSENT ITEMS – Bleichner moved to approve the consent items. Trimble second.  Smith requested Policy 505.6 – Graduation Requirements be removed. Hansen requested June 20^th minutes reflect that the replacement costs for the district be corrected to $20,000,000.   Bleichner and Trimble agreed to amend the motion to include those changes. Motion carried 4-0.

        A. Approval of the minutes of the regular meeting on June 20, 2022.

        B. Approval of Board Policies (*changes noted)

Second Readings:

First Readings:

C. Approval of Resignations

D. Approval of Transfers/Reassignments

E. Approval of New Hires (pending acceptable background checks)

F. Approval of Financial Reports

     1.  Bills – Director Bleichner reviewed the bills – Hansen will review in August

     2.  Budget Report

ANNOUNCEMENTS, COMMUNICATIONS and PRESENTATIONS

A. Comments from the Public – John Klotzbach, representing the First Presbyterian Church as they would like to reinstate their “Help Our Teachers” program.  This program would help provide teachers with small items for their classrooms such as Kleenex, crayons, etc.

B. Comments from the Board/Superintendent – Board comments: There is a group of volunteers for a reading buddy program. Supt. Reiter has a meeting set up with this group and the elementary admin team. Some citizens have concerns about the playground equipment.  Supt Reiter and Chad O’Brien will work on the concerns and repairs. Board members congratulated the softball team on a great season and also the baseball team for making it to the state tournament and winning the first round against West Delaware.  Many thanks to the volunteers that have helped with weeding flower beds at Mustang Way Park and additional volunteers are always needed.   The board would like an update when the JSH schedule is ready and also finish up the technology work in the board room. Superintendent comments: Supt Reiter congratulated the baseball team on their win as he had attended the game but left early to make the meeting.  The team will play again on Wednesday at 5 pm. There has been progress made on the Mustang Plaza and he would like to thank the Mustang Foundation for their support. Hopefully the plaza will be done before the first home football game. The work on the West gymnasium floor is taking longer than expected but the JSH gym is about ready to be opened back up.  Summer school has started. Supt. Reiter stated that the week of July 25^th is dead week and there will be no coach contact with students or practices. This dead week is a statewide policy.  

C. Presentations

     1.  Building Safety – Supt Reiter acknowledges the issues with school safety around the nation and stated that our first concern is about safety of students and staff.  A detailed Emergency Plan is in place and he is working with area agencies to update the plan. Smith asked that the board be notified of their roles in the emergency plan.  A bill was signed by Governor Reynolds to provide funding for school safety but no details have been received on how the funds can be spent or when they would be available.  

     2.  K-12 Computer Science Plan – Erin Burmeister reported that all districts are required to have a Computer Science Plan by July 1, 2022.  The district’s plan is completed but it will continue to evolve as time goes on.

7:45 pm.  JSH Principal Kleman joined the meeting at 7:45 pm as he had attended the state baseball game.

     3.  Scheduling – JSH Principal Ian Kleman gave an executive summary of the changes to block and skinny classes in the CTE area. There is a need by area businesses to have more trade workers in the local workforce. The entry level CTE classes will be skinnies to allow more students to experience the CTE classes.  This will cost the district some money to provide lockers and other supplies for the classes. The higher level CTE classes will remain as blocks and paired with other block classes for the schedule to work.

REPORTS

A. District Director Reports

     1.  Activities Director Report – the board would appreciate seeing the open coaching positions on a quarterly basis.

     2.  Director of School Improvement Report

     3.  Director of Technology Report

     4.  Director of Buildings & Grounds Report – there are spots on the trotter trail that had water over them after the rains.

     5.  Director of Transportation Report

OLD BUSINESS

      A. Review East/West Elementary Construction Project – many items from the punch list that   Smith/Hansen put together after the walk thru had been completed.  HSR should be in the district the last week of July.

NEW BUSINESS

1. Consider Approval of the Construction Change Order – Trimble moved to approve the change order.  Bleichner second, motion carried 4-0.

2. Consider Approval of the 2022-2023 Elementary and JSH Student Handbooks.  Smith moved to approve the June 14^th version of the 2022-2023 Elementary and JSH Student Handbooks as searchable PDF documents with the following changes:

In the Elementary Handbook:

1. Description of a Homeless Child Policy 501.7 (page 10) will be updated to match ICSD Policy 501.7 by correctly designating the Director of School Improvement as the local homeless child and youth liaison; and 

2. Section Iowa Code 279.66 (page 17) will be removed and replaced with Board Polity 503.1 Student Conduct to conform to Iowa Code 279.66.

3. Health Services (page 20) will be updated to use gender-neutral terms, replacing "she" with "the nurse".

In the Junior/Senior High Handbook,

1. Bullying and Harassment (Board Policy 106.R1) (page 11-12) will be updated to match ICSD Policy 106.R1 Anti-Bullying Harassment Investigation Procedures in the section for Filing a Complaint

2. Dissemination of Student Information (Board Policy 5062.R1) (page 14) will be corrected to materially match ICSD Policy 506.2R1 Use of Directory Information for parental rights of notification.

3. Acceptable Use Policy Information Technology Resources (Board Policy 605.6) (page 22) will be correctly titled Internet-Appropriate Use per ICSD Policy 605.6.

4. Acceptable Use Policy Information Technology Resources (Board Policy 605.6) (page 23), heading 4 "Respect and practice the principles of community" will be updated to use the term "Student Conduct Policy" in place of "school's code of conduct" to align with the adopted school policy terms.

5. Cafeteria Rules (page 24-25) will be corrected to match ICSD Policy 710.4 Meal Charges for the section "Negative Account Balance" and eliminate the section "Meal Charges''.

6. Throughout the handbook, replace all instances of the compound word "cellphone" with the term "cell phone".

7. Child Custody (page 26) will replace "mom and dad" with "parents" to be inclusive of all family structures.

8. Grading Scale/Reporting (page 31-32) will conclude with "Students are encouraged to review report cards immediately upon receipt to ensure that all courses are reported and the GPA is properly calculated.  Any errors in the student record are to be reported to the Counseling Office for correction."

9. Graduation Credit Requirements will link to the correct 2022-2023 Course Guide that is a published searchable PDF.

10. Graduation Participation (page 32) will delete the National Career Readiness Exam from the list of reasons that the school would decline a student's participation in graduation and to match ICSD policy 505.6 Graduation Requirements.

11. Iowa Code 279.66 (page 35) will be deleted, as Board Polity 503.1 Student Conduct is listed earlier in the handbook, conforming to Iowa Code 279.66.

12. Weapons (page 45) will replace "looka-likes" with "look-alikes."

13. On page 53, delete the four lines "parent(s)/guardians shall be informed ... notified orally, if possible."

3. Bleichner second the motion. Trimble requested that a link to the Standard Referenced Grading reference document be added to the handbook. Motion carried 4-0.

4. Consider Approval of the 2022-2023 Coach-Sponsor Activities Handbook. Smith moved to approve the July 12^th version of the 2022-2023 Coach-Sponsor Activities Handbooks as a searchable PDF document with the changes: 1. Dissemination of Student Information. (Board Policy 5062.R1) (page 13) will be corrected to materially match ICSD Policy 506.2R1 Use of Directory Information for parental rights of notification.  2. The section “Activities Awards (High School only)” from the 2022-2023 Junior/High Handbook be included.  Bleichner second, motion carried 4-0.

5.  Consider Approval of the Tri-County Child and Family Development Council, Inc. 2022-2023 Contracted Services Agreement. Trimble moved to approve the Tri-County Child and Family Development Council, Inc. 2022-2023 Contracted Services Agreement. Bleichner second, motion carried 4-0.

6.  Consider Approval of the Physical Plant and Equipment Levy (PPEL) Resolution of Election.  Trimble moved to approve the Physical Plant and Equipment Levy (PPEL) Resolution of Election.  Bleichner second motion. After board discussions, roll call vote:  Smith – nay, Trimble – aye, Bleichner – aye, Hansen – aye. The resolution passed carried 3-1.

7. Consider Chartering and Designating Members to the ICSD Board of Education Task Force to Address Grade Inflation.  Smith moved to approve Chartering and Designating Members to the ICSD Board of Education Task Force to Address Grade Inflation.  Trimble second.  Trimble felt the time line was too aggressive.  Task Force members will be designated by the August meeting.  Motion carried 4-0.

8.  IASB Legislative Priorities – Board discussed the 2022 Legislative Priorities. Smith moved to approve the following IASB Legislative Proprieties for the district:  Mental Health, Supplemental State Aid, Local Accountability and Decision Making and Teacher Recruitment and Licensure.  Trimble second, motion carried 4-0.

ADJOURNMENT – Bleichner moved to adjourn the meeting.  Trimble second, motion carried 4-0 and the meeting adjourned at 9:20 pm.

_____________________________                 _________________________

Kim Hansen, Vice Chairman                             Laura J. Morine, Board Secretary