2024/04/22 Regular Board Meeting Agenda (Updated-Contracts)

Interstate 35 Community School District

Board of Directors Meeting

Monday, April 22, 2024–UPDATED CONTRACTS

Regular Board Meeting 6:00 pm

High School Media Center

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

Tentative Agenda

REGULAR BOARD MEETING

1. Opening
   1. Call to Order--Welcome--Roll Call
   2. Pledge of Allegiance
   3. 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. Public Hearing on Proposed Property Tax Levy
   1. Opening Statement – Board President
   2. Receive Public Comment 
   3. Closing of Public Hearing
4. 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.”

5. Student Representative Report
6. Principal Reports
   1. Mrs. Woods
   2. Mr. Weber
   3. Ms. Whitson
   4. Mr. Beckel
7. Superintendent Report
   1. Celebrating the Class of 2024
      1. 4/24: Baccalaureate hosted by MStM
      2. 5/10: Senior Signing Breakfast (families welcome to attend)
      3. 5/14: Fine Arts Night
      4. 5/15: Senior Awards Night and Senior Check Out Day
      5. 5/17: Graduation Practice Walk Through with Seniors
      6. 5/19: Graduation 
   2. Standing Agenda Items
      1. SRG- Over the past several months, the teacher committee on grading has been modifying the handbook to represent the concerns of the teachers, students and community to reflect the direction for SRG.  Those changes are represented in the proposed student handbook.  These will go into effect in the 2024-2025 school year.  As with any implementation process, we will continue to modify our policies in order to meet the needs of our students and concerns that may arise.
         1. Grading Policies in Handbook
      2. Facilities Update
8. Discuss and/or Approve Consent Items  (Action)
   1. Past Meeting Minutes
   2. Monthly Bills and Financial Statement
   3. Resignations and Contracts
      1. Christy Gurwell hired as a cook.
      2. Jen Offield resigns as head basketball cheer coach.
      3. Jen Offield resigns as co-head football cheer coach.
      4. Nicole Faith assigned to head football cheer coach.
      5. Alex Boyle resigns as head cross country coach.
      6. April Hughes hired as School Business Official and Board Secretary.
      7. Stephanie Good hired as Special Education/Student Services Director.
   4. Open Enrollment
9. Items for Discussion
   1. Board Policy Review (Action)  Third reading of Board Policies 500 series for review in addition to several other policies.  Complete List of Policy recommendations  Recommended Change Board policy 405.2 now includes the language “The board will consider/vote to employ licensed employees after receiving a recommendation from the superintendent.”
      1. 100 Series
      2. 200 Series
      3. 400 Series
      4. 500 Series
      5. 600 Series
      6. 700 Series
      7. 800 Series
   2. Board Policy Review (Action) Second reading of Board Policies for federal funding and therapy animals (dog). Edits 606.03E1 is changed to reflect that the certification needs to be sent to the superintendent . . . and updated the 5 way vaccine to be accurate.
   3. Adoption of FY25 Certified Budget  (Action) The proposed certified budget was published on April 10, 2024. The proposed budget was published at $18.67340. 
   4. Redemption of GO Bonds (Action) Resolution Authorizing the Redemption of General Obligation School Bonds, Series 2017, Dated July 25, 2017, and Levying a Tax for Fiscal Year 2025 and Authorizing the Expenditure of Debt Service Cash on Hand for the Redemption of General Obligation School Bonds, Series 2017, Dated July 25, 2017
   5. Increase Board Insurance Share (Action) To retain teachers and promote recruitment, we are requesting approval to increase the board share insurance for teachers from $824.72 to 855.80 (This action will change the teacher insurance payment from $0 per month to $25 per month.)  For support staff we are suggesting an increase of board share from $824.72 to 855.80 (This action will change the support staff cost from $24 per month to $40 per month.  It is recommended that certified family plan the board increase from $1059.72 to $1149.87 and a $50/ month increase per staff member.  It is recommended we increase the support staff family plan from $867.72 per month to $957.87 per month per plan which is a $50 increase to support staff.  We currently have 99 single plans in the district and 31 family plans.
   6. Budget Guarantee Resolution (Action) RESOLVED, that the Board of Directors of INTERSTATE 35 Community School District, will levy property taxes for fiscal year 2024-2025 for the regular program budget adjustment as allowed under section 257.14, Code of Iowa.
   7. 2024-2025 Academic Calendar (For Information Only–we will add as an action item on April 30) 
      1. Change the start time on Fridays to 9:00.   Provide services at the school who ride the bus and or are dropped off by parents prior to the 9:00 start time.
      2. We are asking to change the number of instructional hours reported to the state.  We currently have 1140.4 hours of instructional time for the 2024-2025 school year–the proposed change would be @ 1117.4 hours.  (There are options to build the time back into the schedule.  For example, school could start 8 minutes earlier to build in 19 hours of instructional time.
      3. This allows teachers to have an hour a week of collaborative time with colleagues–not outside of the contract day.  
      4. This recommendation does not change the days students attend school or the contract days for staff and teachers.
   8. Superintendent Search Update (For Information Only) The Board president will provide an update on the superintendent search.

Upcoming Dates

Next Board Meeting:  April 30, 2024

Graduation:  Sunday, May 19, 2024 at 2 p.m.

Change of Date: May 20, 2024 at 6 p.m. (tentative)

Adjourn