2022/12/21 Regular Board Meeting Agenda (updated 12/19/21)

Interstate 35 Community School District

Board of Directors Meeting

Wednesday, December 21, 2022

Regular Board Meeting 5:00 pm

High School Auditorium

The Interstate 35 Community School District exists to develop life-long learners and responsible, productive, successful citizens in an ever changing society.

Regular BOARD MEETING–Tentative Agenda

1. Opening
   1. Call to Order--Welcome--Roll Call--Pledge of Allegiance
   2. Review of I-35 Mission Statement and District Priorities

Mission Statement

“The Interstate 35 Community School District exists to develop life-long learners and responsible, productive, successful citizens in an ever changing society”

District Priorities

1.  Articulate and support a cohesive, student-centered PK-12 vision for continuous school improvement
2. Engage in effective teaching and relevant learning for the 21st Century
3. Operate with fiscal integrity, efficiency and effectiveness

2. Discuss and/or Approve Agenda  (Action) 
3. Open Forum 

“Residents, students, parents/guardians, and staff members of the district may address the Board about relevant topics.  Those who wish to speak must sign up at the beginning of the meeting.  Speaker’s participation is limited to 5 minutes per meeting.  We ask speakers to remember that Iowa law prohibits the Board from discussing specific employees or students or their performance.”

4. Administrative Reports
   1. Mr. Bonte
   2. Ms. Whitson
   3. Mrs. Woods
   4. Mr. Weber
5. Superintendent Report
   1. Conversation with Rep. Sorenson 
   2. Insurance Committee Meeting overview
6. Discuss and/or Approve Consent Items  (Action) 

1. Past Meeting Minutes
2. Monthly Bills and Financial Statement
3. Resignations and Contracts
   1. Lily Houseman resigns as an associate.
   2. Brandon Chapman resigns as high school assistant baseball coach.
   3. Brandon Chapman hired as middle school baseball coach.
   4. Elizabeth Ford voluntarily transferred to secretary.
   5. Maggie Llewellyn resigns from the content coach position and MS Student Council Advisor position.
   6. Brenda Streeter change contract from ⅗ associate to ⅗ associate ⅖ secretary for the remainder of the school year.
   7. Matthew Jorgenson hired as maintenance worker.

7. Items for Discussion
   1. First Reading of 100 and 600 series Board Policy (action) Board policies need to be reviewed every five years.  We have set up a rotation for our board policies and this year we are reviewing the 100 and 600 series.  We will have three readings of the policies before they are adopted.  The grammar changes suggested are not listed below.  
      1. 100 series recommended changes
         1. Code No. 103.1 update our career offerings to include family consumer science, update contact information to include Mr. Bonte
         2. Code No. 103.1(a) update contact information to include Mr. Bonte
      2. 600 series recommended changes
         1. Code No. 601.3 updated elementary to include Preschool
         2. Code No. 603.3 removed, duplicate of Code No 610
         3. Code No. 604.3 changed ELL (English Language Learner to English Learner) to EL (English Learner)
         4. Code No. 605.4 add “or superintendent designee” and eliminated the evaluation of technology in the curriculum 
         5. Code No. 606.1 updated technology coordinator to technology director, added the statement for school use when staff are downloading programs
         6. Code No. 606.1E2 this policy was rewritten to read “Interstate 35 Community School District has committed to a multi-year timeline of issuing a technology device to  every student, a project referred to as the Interstate 35 Student Technology Usage Program. The district believes that technology integrated  into effective instructional practices will support students and staff to grow as creators, contributors, and  empowered, connected learners so that each person is prepared to achieve a lifetime of personal success. Before  being issued a device, students and their families must agree to the terms and conditions of the Technology Usage Agreement issued to students at the beginning of each school year and is also found online at https://www.roadrunnerpride.org/page/technology.   

Student Internet Access

Students may access the Internet while at school. Student

access to the Internet is designed for educational purposes and that theDistrict has taken available precautions to restrict and/or control student access to material on the Internet that is inappropriate, and/or harmful to minors. However, it is impossible for the District to restrict access to all objectionable materials that may be found on the Internet. Parents and guardians will not hold the District (or any of its employees, administrators, or officers) responsible for materials my child may come in contact with while on the Internet. Additionally, parents and guardians accept responsibility for communicating to their child guidance concerning his/her acceptable use of the Internet - i.e., setting and conveying standards for my daughter/son to follow when selecting, sharing, and exploring information and resources on the Internet.

Student Media Release

From time to time, photographs/digital photos are taken in the building for newsletters, class projects, newspaper features, district/classroom social media accounts, etc. Parent permission for media release is given electronically at the time of registration. 

If you have questions or concerns with your child’s use of the

district’s technology, network systems, internet access, and/or media releases please contact the District Technology Director. 

2. Infinite Campus (action) We currently use Power School as our student information system.  While this serves our needs, there are several challenges.  Primarily, each additional service (i.e. online registration) is an additional cost.  In addition, these add ons are often from 3rd party vendors, making compatibility difficult sometimes.  Several users of the system met over the past four months and evaluated the options for schools (in Iowa this is limited to JMC, Power School and Infinite Campus).  The recommendation is we move to Infinite Campus as a student information system provider.  Annual costs will be less; however, the start up cost is significant.  
3. Leave Request (action) Upon request to the Board, an employee may be granted a leave of absence for up to one year (providing suitable replacement is found) and upon return receive full benefits of the ordinary staff member.  Chriss Allen requests a leave of absence for the second semester. We do have a plan to maintain access to the library for high school students during the week as well as keeping the media center open for several periods each day. 
4. Incentive Pay for Timely Resignations (for discussion only)  A few surrounding districts offer incentive pay for early notification of resignations.  The advantage of knowing this information sooner provides the district a greater possibility of hiring early for some hard to fill positions.
5. Air Conditioning Project (for discussion only) We can rebid the entire project as drawn to the project bid in the Spring of 2022.  We can also divide the project up into zones for bidding.  Discuss recommended next steps.
6. At Risk (action)  To serve our at risk students, we provide services beyond the general education program.  At Risk criteria include multiple absences, poor test scores, failing grades, not connected to school (not involved in school activities) etc.  Students who fall in multiple categories are considered at risk.  
7. At Risk Plan-Modified Allowable Growth--(action)  The modified allowable growth is supplemental aid for our at risk program.  Attached you will see the proposed recommendations for the 2023-2024 budget. (updated to correct year)
8. Closed Session (School Safety Plan Review) a closed session under Iowa Code Section 21.5(1)(a) (to review or discuss records which are authorized by state or federal law to be kept confidential) 

Adjourn. Next Meeting: January 24, 2023