Board Minutes - 2023.01.17

 

 

Independence Community School Board Meeting

  Regular Meeting

                                                                        January 17, 2023          

 

 

Public Hearing

A public hearing for the Proposed School Board Boundary Redistricting started at 5:50 pm at the Administration Office, 1207 1st St West, Independence, Iowa on January 17, 2023.    Board members present:  Kim Hansen, Charlie McCardle, Mitch Barnett and Gina Trimble. Eric Smith joined virtually.  Also attending:  Supt. Reiter, Board Secretary Morine, administrators and directors.

 

No public comments were received.  The public hearing ended at 5:55 pm.

 

REGULAR MEETING

A regular meeting of the Independence Community School Board was called to order at 6:00 p.m. by President Kim Hansen at the Administration Office, 1207 1st St West, Independence, Iowa on January 17, 2023.  Board members present: Kim Hansen, Charlie McCardle, Mitch Barnett and Gina Trimble. Eric Smith joined virtually.  Also attending:  Supt. Reiter, Board Secretary Morine, administrators and directors.  The Pledge of Allegiance was recited. 

 

APPROVAL OF AGENDA -McCardle moved to approve the agenda.  Barnett second, motion carried

5-0.

 

CONSIDERATION OF ACTION ON CONSENT ITEMS – Trimble moved to approve the consent items 3A-3E. McCardle second, motion carried 5-0.

 

      A. Approval of the minutes of the regular meeting on December 19, 2022 and the special meeting on January 4, 2023.

 

     B. Approval of Board Policies (*changes noted)

 

Second Readings:

 

POLICY #

POLICY NAME

1.

603.1*

Basic Instruction Program

2.

206.1*

President

3.

206.2*

Vice President

4.

604.3*

International Study

5.

604.4*

Program for Talented and Gifted Students

6.

604.5*

Program for At-Risk Students

7.

604.6*

Religious-Based Exclusion from a School Program

8.

604.7*

Instruction at a Post-Secondary Educational Institution

9.

604.8*

Concurrent Enrollment Textbook Fee

10.

604.9

Dual Enrollment

11.

604.10

Foreign Students

12.

604.11*

Online Courses

13.

604.12*

Appropriate Use of Online Learning Platforms

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

First Readings:

 

 

POLICY #

POLICY NAME

1.

605.1* and 605.1R1*

Instructional Materials Selection and Selection of Instructional Materials Regulation

2.

605.2* and 605.2R1*

Instructional and Library Materials Inspection and Display and Instructional and Library Materials Inspection

3.

605.3*, 605.3E1*, 605.3E2*, 605.3E3*, 605.3E4 (new), and 605.3R1 (rewrite)

Objection to Instructional and Library Materials, Instructions to the Reconsideration Committee, Reconsideration of Instructional and Library Materials Request Form, Sample Letter to Individual Challenging Instructional or Library Materials, Request to Prohibit a Student form Checking Out Specific Library Materials, and Reconsideration of Instructional and Library Materials Regulation

4.

605.4*

Technology and Instructional Materials

5.

605.5*

School Library

 

 

 

 

 

C. Approval of Resignations

 

NAME

ASSIGNMENT

DATE

Nick Fuller

JSH Assistant Boys Wrestling Coach

01/05/2023

Trish O’Loughlin

JSH Industrial Technology Teacher

End of 2022-2023 School Year

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

NAME

ASSIGNMENT

SALARY

DATE

Garry Anderson

JSH JH Girls Wrestling Coach

$2,426

01/03/2023

Leah Borgerding

JSH Assist Girls Soccer Coach

$2,695

03/13/2023

Alex Farmer

JSH .5 FTE Assistant Boys Wrestling Coach

$1,348

11/14/2022

Nicholas Holt

JSH .5 FTE Assistant Boys Wrestling Coach

$1,456

11/14/2022

Seth Rupprecht

JH Boys Basketball Coach

$1,820

12/19/2022

 

 

 

 

 

E. Approval of Financial Reports

 

 

     1.  Bills – Director Trimble reviewed the bills. McCardle will review in February.

 

     2.  Budget Report

 

 

 

 

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS, COMMUNICATIONS and PRESENTATIONS

 

 

A. Comments from the Public – no public comments.

 

 

B. Comments from the Board/Superintendent – McCardle has been attending basketball and wrestling events, making sure he hits the Senior Nights.  Hansen will be attending District Speech Contest.   Hansen and Barnett will be attending the IASB “Day on the Hill” February 14th.  Hansen also had a chart from ISFIS that describes the different funds revenues and expenditures. Barnett had attended a City Council Meeting.  He indicated that there may be some changes to Four Oaks population at MHI and a possible increase to our student body.  Smith indicated the Building & Grounds Committee had met.  He will be attending the IASB meeting “Mastering the Media’ on Feb 7th.  Data on grade inflation has been sent to the AEA to analyze. Supt Reiter indicated we will be scheduling a  tour at MHI this spring. The PPEL vote will be on March 7th.  The Calendar meeting will be next Monday night. Supt Reiter and Director of Finance Morine will be attending budget workshops in the next couple of weeks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

C. Presentations

 

  1. Executive Summary of Senior Exit Survey Data Class of 2022 – JSH Principal Kleman

 

 

 

 

REPORTS

 

 

A. Building Administrator Reports

 

 

     1.  Junior-Senior High School Principal

 

 

     2.  Junior-Senior High School Assistant Principal

 

 

     3.  West Elementary Principal

 

     4.   East Elementary/Early Childhood Center Principal

 

 

 

 

 

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. Review East/West Elementary Construction Project – Supt. Reiter reported the carpet was removed and reinstalled over the holiday break. At this point there have not been any issues with it. There are still a few small items left. Smith asked for an updated punch list.   

 

 

 

B. Review the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee – The next meeting will be the middle of February.

 

 

NEW BUSINESS

 

A. Consider Approval of the Resolution of the Proposed Redistricting Plan Redrawing Director District Boundaries of the Independence Community School District – McCardle moved to Approve the Resolution of the Proposed Redistricting Plan Redrawing Director District Boundaries of the Independence Community School District.   Trimble second.  Roll call vote:  Barnett – abstained due to the recent appointment, Hansen – aye, McCardle – aye, Smith – aye, Trimble – aye.  Motion carried 4 ayes and 1 abstained.

 

 

B. Consider Approval of the Course Registration Guide for 2023-2024 – Trimble moved to Approve the Course Registration Guide for 2023-2024.  Barnett second. The board discussed the course guide and commented that the course guide was much cleaner than previous years and they liked that it was available in January. Trimble amended the motion to change credits to course periods for the seniors. Barnett second, motion carried with the amendment 5-0.

 

C. Consider Approval of the Travel Request Form – March 2023: Nancy Scheel to Atlanta, GA for the National Conference on Science Education – Barnett moved to Approve the Travel Request Form – March 2023: Nancy Scheel to Atlanta, GA for the National Conference on Science Education.  Trimble second, motion carried 5-0.  This is a tremendous honor for Ms. Scheel to present at a national conference and the board looks forward to a follow up presentation.

 

 

D.  Consider Approval of the Resolution Ordering Election on the Question of Continuing to Levy a Voter Approved Physical Plant and Equipment Property Tax not to Exceed Sixty-Seven Cents (0.67) per One Thousand Dollars ($1,000) of the Assessed Valuation of the Taxable Property within the School District. Trimble moved to approve the Resolution Ordering Election on the Question of Continuing to Levy a Voter Approved Physical Plant and Equipment Property Tax not to Exceed Sixty-Seven Cents (0.67) per One Thousand Dollars ($1,000) of the Assessed Valuation of the Taxable Property within the School District. McCardle second the motion. During board discussion Trimble indicated the PPEL Committee had met. The gravel road between the JSH and West Elementary has been one of the biggest complaints she has heard. Paving that road in sections over the next few years could be possible with an approved Voter PPEL vote of .67 cents. McCardle said the district also needs to keep up the normal maintenance on all the buildings to current status. During the budget preparation, we will try to decrease the General Fund and/or Management Levy so that there would not be a tax increase this next year to absorb the extra increase to the Voted PPEL rate.   Roll Call Vote:  Barnett – aye, Hansen – aye, McCardle – aye, Smith – aye, Trimble – aye.  Motion carried 5-0.

 

E.  Discussion of On-Going District Initiatives – The board discussed the ongoing projects.  Trimble requested that the items that we are waiting on to receive supplies or for warmer weather be moved to a separate list.  Supt Reiter will update and prioritize the list.

 

 

 

ADJOURNMENT – McCardle moved to adjourn the meeting. Barnett second, motion carried 5-0 and the meeting adjourned at 7:42 pm.

 

 

 

_______________________________________       ______________________________________

Kimberly Hansen, President                                            Laura Morine, Board Secretary