Board Minutes - 2020.09.21

A regular meeting of the Independence Community School Board was called to order at 6:00 p.m. by Chairman Eric Smith at the Jr/Sr High School Auditorium, Independence, Iowa on September 21, 2020.  Board Members present: Eric Smith, Kim Hansen, Matt O’Loughlin, Jennifer Sornson and Gina Trimble, Superintendent Russell Reiter and Board Secretary Laura Morine.  Guests included the building administrators, directors and a newspaper representative.  The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.

APPROVAL OF AGENDA - Sornson moved to approve the agenda. O’Loughlin second, and motion carried 5-0.

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

A. Approval of the minutes of regular meeting on August 17, 2020 and the work session on              August 31, 2020.

B. Approval of Board Policies (*changes noted)

 

Second Readings:

 

POLICY #

POLICY NAME

1.

103, 103.E1*, 103.E2, 103.E3, 103.E4, 103.E5, 103.E6, and 103.R1

Equal Educational Opportunity, Annual Notice of Nondiscrimination, Continuous Notice of Nondiscrimination, Section 504 Student and Parental Rights, Complaint Form, Witness Disclosure Form, Disposition of Complaint Form, and Grievance Procedure

2.

106 (rewrite), 106.E1, 106.E2, 106.E3, 106.R1 (rewrite),

Anti-Bullying/Anti-Harassment Policy, Complaint Form, Witness Disclosure Form, Disposition of Complaint Form, Anti-Bullying/Anti-Harassment Investigation Procedures

3.

108 (new)

Discrimination and Harassment Based on Sex Prohibited

4.

302.4*

Administration and Area Education Agency

5.

303.7*

Superintendent Civic Activities

6.

304.1*

Administrative Positions

7.

304.8*

Administrator Civic Activities

8.

401.2*

Equal Employment Opportunity

9.

402.2*

Child Abuse Reporting

10.

403.7*, 403.7E1*, 403.7E2, 403.7E3,

403.7E4, 403.7E5, 403.7E6 (new), and 403.7R1*

Drug and Alcohol Testing Program, Drug and Alcohol Testing Program Notice to Employees, Certification from Current Employer Participating in Drug and Alcohol Program, Certification of Previous Employers Requiring Commercial Driver’s License Consent to Release Information to Independence Community School District, Drug and Alcohol Testing Program Acknowledgement Form, Drug and Alcohol Reasonable Suspicion Observation Form, Drug and Alcohol Program and Pre-Employment Testing Written Consent to Share Information, and Drug and Alcohol Testing Program

11.

409.1*

Employee Vacation – Holidays

 

12.

409.2 (rewrite), 409.2E1 (new, 409.2E2 (new)

Employee Leave of Absence and Emergency Paid Sick Leave Request Form Under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), and Expanded Family and Medical Leave Request Form Under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), 

13.

409.3* and 409.3E1*

Employee Family and Medical Leave and Leave Notice to Employees

14.

409.4 (rescinded)

Licensed Employee Bereavement Leave

15.

409.5 (rescinded)

Licensed Employee Political Leave

16.

409.6 (rescinded)

Licensed Employee Jury Duty Leave

17.

409.7 (rescinded)

Licensed Employee Military Service Leave

18.

414.1 (rescinded)

Classified Employee Vacations – Holidays – Personal Leave

19.

414.2 (rescinded)

Classified Personal Illness Leave

20.

414.3 and 414.3E1 (rescinded)

Classified Employee Family and Medical Leave and Classified Employee Family and Medical leave Notice to Employees

21.

414.4 (rescinded)

Classified Employee Bereavement Leave

22.

414.5 (rescinded)

Classified Employee Political Leave

23.

414.6 (rescinded)

Classified Employee Jury Duty Leave

24.

414.7 (rescinded)

Classified Employee Military Service Leave

 

First Readings:

 

POLICY #

POLICY NAME

1.

800

Objectives of Buildings & Sites

2.

801.1

Buildings & Sites Long Range Planning

3.

801.2

Buildings & Sites Surveys

4.

801.3

Educational Specifications for Buildings & Sites

5.

801.4

Selection of an Architect

6.

801.5

Site Acquisition

7.

801.7

Financing Sites & Construction

8.

801.8

Supervision of Construction

9.

802.1

Maintenance Schedule

10.

802.2

Requests for Improvements

11.

802.3

Emergency Repairs

12.

802.4, 802.4R1, and 802.4R2

Capital Assets, Capital Assets Regulation, and Capital Assets Management System Definitions

13.

802.5

Buildings & Sites Adaptation for Persons with Disabilities

14.

802.6

Parking

 

 

C. Approval of Resignations

NAME

ASSIGNMENT

DATE

Bob Beatty

JH Football Coach

08/10/2020

Mindy Jenkins

West Elem Sp Ed Teacher

08/17/2020

Junior Rodnez

JSH 8.0 hr Custodian

08/31/2020

 

 

D. Approval of Transfers/Reassignments

NAME

PREVIOUS ASSIGNMENT

NEW ASSIGNMENT

SALARY

DATE

Chad Beatty

.5 FTE JH Football Coach

1.0 FTE JH Football Coach

$1,732

08/10/2020

Gina Homan

.5 FTE HS Play Director

1.0 FTE HS Play Director

$2,078

08/24/2020

 

 

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

NAME

ASSIGNMENT

SALARY

DATE

Emma Boots

JSH 8.0 hr Night Custodian

$11.30/hr + $581 pro-rated night stipend

09/01/2020

Brenda Cashen

JSH 8.0 hr Night Custodian

$13.00/hr + $546 pro-rated night stipend

09/21/2020

Hugh Deberg

Head Girls Basketball Coach

$5,079

11/16/2020

Margaret Hall

Bus Garage 6.5 hr Van Driver

$12.85/hr

08/31/2020

Sandy Hart

East Elem 7.0 hr Sp Ed Para

$10.30/hr

09/03/2020

Charity Houlton-Oien

West Elem Sp Ed Teacher

$45,896

09/02/2020

Richard Morris

Bus Garage 4.0 hr Bus Driver

$17.75/hr

08/24/2020

Kristi Price

East Elem 7.0 hr Sp Ed Para

$10.30/hr

09/10/2020

Kayla Roder

JSH 8.0 hr Night Custodian

$13.20/hr + $560 pro-rated night stipend

09/14/2020

Josh Troutman

.5 FTE JH Football Coach

$802

08/10/2020

Kristy Ward

JSH 7.5 hr Assistant to the Director of Food Service

$15.50/hr

09/21/2020

Rebecca Wearmouth

Bus Garage 3.0 hr Bus Driver

$17.55/hr

08/24/2020

 

F. Approval of Financial Reports

     1.  Bills – Director Smith audited the bills

     2.  Budget Report

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS, COMMUNICATIONS and PRESENTATIO.

  1. Comments from the Public – None
  2. Comments from the Board/Superintendent - Smith reported that he will be the district delegate for the Iowa School Board Convention that is coming up.  Superintendent Reiter has continued discussions with HSR and Point of Beginning on the potential road project at West Elementary.  Bus inspections went well.  Monthly meetings are set up with the teacher’s association.   Information was passed out to the board regarding the renewal of the Instructional Levy. Next month there will be a public hearing on the Instructional Levy before the regular meeting.

C. Presentations

     1.  COVID Funding – Laura Morine reported that she is applying for a FEMA grant. This grant should cover 75% of qualifying expenses, the State Disaster fund will cover 10% and local match for the balancing 15%.  As of September 15th, the qualifying items changed and new orders of PPE and sanitizer will not be covered, but qualifying items could change again.  $114,000 of federal funding was received as well as $61,200 in funding for technology and connectivity expenses.  An additional $13,394 federal funding that is being passed on by the state is expected.  To date the district has had $125,000 in COVID expenses. Additional expenses will include the added shuttle bus route and custodial staff costing the district approximately $53,000 for the year.

 

REPORTS

A. Building Administrator Reports

     1.  Junior-Senior High School Principal - Principal Howard reported his building is still in discussions on how Parent/Teacher Conferences will work.   

     2.  Junior-Senior High School Assistant Principal - Hansen thanked Asst. Principal Hupke for the videos he posts.

     3.  West Elementary Principal and East Elementary/Early Childhood Center Principal – Sub covering has been incredible by the existing staff.

B. District Director Reports

     1.  Activities Director Report

     2.  Director of School Improvement Report

     3.  Director of Technology Report

     4.  Director of Food Service Report

     5.  Director of Buildings & Grounds Report

     6.  Director of Transportation Report

 

OLD BUSINESS

A. Return to Learn Plan Update – Burmeister gave an update to the Return to Learn Plan.  A new hybrid option was added to help with staff shortages and is called Hybrid (Staff Shortages).  The plan has been updated on the district’s website.

 

B. Return to School Update- Superintendent Reiter reported that there is a COVID dashboard on the district’s website that is updated each week day.  Homecoming has been postponed.  Reiter thanked all the staff for doing an amazing job with all the extra work they are doing.

 

NEW BUSINESS

A. Consider Approval of the Contract between Northeast Iowa Community College and Independence Community School District for 2020-2021 Academic Year – Sornson moved to approve the Contract between Northeast Iowa Community College and Independence Community School District for 2020-2021 Academic Year.  O’Loughlin second, motion carried 5-0.

B. Consider Approval of the Agreement with Buchanan County Health Center for Wellness Programming through July 31, 2021 – Trimble moved to approve the Agreement with Buchanan County Health Center for Wellness Programming through July 31, 2021. Sornson second, motion carried 5-0.

C. Consider Approval of the Agreement for Sports Injury Coverage with Buchanan County Health Center through July 31, 2023 – O’Loughlin moved to approve the Agreement for Sports Injury Coverage with Buchanan County Health Center through July 31, 2023.  Sornson second, motion carried 5-0.

D. Consider Approval of the School Improvement Advisory Committee (SIAC) Membership for 2020-2021 – O’Loughlin moved to approve the School Improvement Advisory Committee (SIAC) Membership for 2020-2021.  Trimble second, motion carried 5-0.

E. Consider Approval of Updating COVID Safety Guidelines – Using the language on the current page 15, as of 9/21/2020, of the Independence Jr/Sr High School’s Return to Learn Plan, Hansen made a motion for all district students, staff and visitors to properly wear masks/face shields/face coverings covering their mouth and nose.  The face mask requirement will conclude or sunset when the governor declares the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency. O’Loughlin second.  After board discussion Sornson called the question. Motion carried 4-1, with Trimble voting nay.

 

ADJOURNMENT – Sornson moved to adjourn the meeting.  O’Loughlin second, motion carried.  Meeting was adjourned at 8:25 pm.

 

____________________________________            ____________________________________
Eric B. Smith, Chairperson                                                          Laura Morine, Board Secretary