Board Minutes - 2024.03.18 Calendar Public Hearing and Regular

Independence Community School Board Meeting

  Publice Hearing & Regular Meeting

  March 18, 2024           

PUBLIC HEARING

A public hearing for the Proposed 2024-2025 School Calendar started at 5:50 pm at the Administration Office, 1207 1^st St West, Independence, Iowa on March 18, 2024. Board members present: Kim Hansen, Gina Trimble, Charlie McCardle, Audrey Hill and Mitch Barnett.  Also attending: Supt. Phillips, Board Secretary Morine, Principals: Kleman, Hupke, Reed, and Reidy, Directors: Burmeister, Putz and Chesmore, along with some guests.  

No public comments were received.  The public hearing ended at 5:56 pm.

REGULAR MEETING

A regular meeting of the Independence Community School Board was called to order by President Kim Hansen at 6:00 pm at the Administration Office, 1207 1^st St West, Independence, Iowa on March 18, 2024. Board members present:  Kim Hansen, Gina Trimble, Charlie McCardle, Audrey Hill and Mitch Barnett.  Also attending: Supt. Phillips, Board Secretary Morine, Principals: Kleman, Hupke, Reed, and Reidy, Directors: Burmeister, Putz and Chesmore, along with some guests.  

President Hansen requested an amendment to the agenda to include changes to two policies and wave the second reading due to a compliance deadline.  McCardle moved to amend the agenda to add these policy changes:

    505.09 Parent and Family Engagement – change for the committee to review annually.

    501.03 Compulsory Attendance – changed school days to hours.

Trimble second, amendment passed 5-0.

APPROVAL OF AGENDA – Hill moved to approve the amended agenda. Barnett second, motion carried 5-0.

CONSIDERATION OF ACTION ON CONSENT ITEMS - Trimble moved to approve the consent times, McCardle second, motion carried 5-0.

     A. Approval of the minutes of the public hearing and regular meeting on February 20, 2024, the work session on February 26, 2024, the work session on March 8, 2024, and the special meeting on March 12, 2024.

    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)

*Pending 2024-2025 Negotiations

     F. Approval of Financial Reports

         1.  Bills – Director Barnett reviewed the bills – McCardle will review in April

         2.  Budget Report

    G. Cooperative Agreement by and between University of Northern Iowa and Cooperating    Educational Agencies for the 2024-2025 Academic Year

     H. Donations

         1. Ace Hardware - Miscellaneous Items Due to the Transition from Hardware Hank – Thank you Ace Hardware for your donation to the Industrial Tech department as the students will use the donated items.  

ANNOUNCEMENTS, COMMUNICATIONS and PRESENTATIONS

    A. Comments from the Public - None

    B. Comments from the Board/Superintendent – All the board members have been busy attending meetings and activities. Compliments to the students and all involved in the spring musical, Little Women as it was a great production. Congratulations to the students participating in speech contests and to the students that made it to All State Speech. Supt. Phillips highlighted she is still advocating with our legislators to set SSA, increase and fund teacher pay, and the value of our AEAs. The new Facebook page is up and running promoting our district’s happenings and upcoming events. Next month, the new district website should be launched. On Friday, March 22 at 3:00 pm there will be the ribbon cutting for the FFA Chicken Coop. The baseball field project is progressing nicely and currently ahead of schedule. Supt. Phillips is waiting until the upcoming weather passes to announce the adjustments to the year end calendar. Five firms have been invited to review our facilities as the district continues to work on the Facility Master Plan.

REPORTS

    A. Building Administrator Reports

         1.  Junior-Senior High School

         2.  West Elementary

         3.  East Elementary/Early Childhood Center

   B. District Director Reports

        1.  Activities Director Report

        2.  Director of School Improvement Report – Director Burmeister shared that since the first of the year, there have been a number of requests from schools, networks and companies to share our positive experiences, learning and knowledge regarding standards-based grading, math interventions, social emotional learning and the district’s growth with Conditions for Learning Data at West.  Kudos to our hard-working staff.

        3.  Director of Technology Report

        4.  Director of Food Service Report

        5.  Director of Buildings & Grounds Report

        6.  Director of Transportation Report* – Director Chesmore reports on our fleet of vehicles.  One of our buses didn’t pass inspections so it will need to be replaced.  Having another 12-passenger van would help to cover our out of district activities. Director Chesmore is also looking at new software to enhance transporting our students.

NEW BUSINESS

1. Consider Approval of the Proposed 2024-2025 School Calendar – Hill moved to approve the Proposed 2024-2025 School Calendar.  Trimble second, motion carried 5-0.  The new calendar increases the student day by 10 minutes and adds additional full day professional development days to accommodate training with the AEA.

2. Consider Approval of the Agreement of Service with Timberline Billing Service LLC Effective July 1, 2024 Through June 30, 2027 – McCardle moved to approve the Agreement of Service with Timberline Billing Service LLC Effective July 1, 2024 Through June 30, 2027 for Medicaid billing.  Trimble second, motion carried 5-0.

3. Consider Approval of the Frontline Education Renewal Notice Effective July 1, 2024 – Hill moved to approve the Frontline Education Renewal Effective July 1, 2024.  Barnett second, motion carried 5-0.

4. Consider Approval of the AEA Purchasing Agreement for 2024-2025 – Trimble moved to approve the AEA Purchasing Agreement for 2024-2025.  McCardle second, motion carried 5-0.

5. Consider Approval of the Employee Benefit Systems Third Party Administration Service Agreement with TRIG, INC. d/b/a Employee Benefit Systems – McCardle moved to approve the Employee Benefit Systems Third Party Administration Service Agreement with TRIG, INC. d/b/a Employee Benefit Systems for COBRA administration. Barnett second, motion carried 5-0.

6. Consider Approval of the Iowa Local Government Risk Pool Commission Natural Gas Program Participation Agreement for July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025 – Trimble moved to approve the Iowa Local Government Risk Pool Commission Natural Gas Program Participation Agreement for July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025.  McCardle second, motion carried 5-0.  The contract amount is $36,905.98 less than last year.

7. Consider Approval of the Commercial Lease Agreement by and between R & E Real Estate, LLC and Independence Community School District Effective July 1, 2024 Through June 30, 2025 – McCardle moved to approve the Commercial Lease Agreement by and between R & E Real Estate, LLC and Independence Community School District Effective July 1, 2024 Through June 30, 2025.  Barnett second, motion carried 5-0

ADJOURNMENT – McCardle moved to adjourn the meeting, Hill second.  Motion carried 5-0 and the meeting adjourned at 7:00 pm.

A break was taken to clear the board room for an exempt session.

EXEMPT SESSION

Negotiations Strategy Session

The board discussed negotiation strategies and no official action was taken during the session.  The exempt session ended at 8:45 pm.

___________________________________              ___________________________________

Kim Hansen, President                                               Laura Morine, Board Secretary