2022.08.15 Regular Session

 

REGULAR SESSION

OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF THE

SOUTH TAMA COUNTY COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT

 

The Board of Directors of the Community School District of South Tama County met on August 15, 2022 for a Regular Session at the Partnership Center, Tama, Iowa at 5:00 p.m. with members of the community attending electronically through Google Hangouts.

On call of the roll the following were present:  Mandy Lekin, Penny Tyynismaa, Elizabeth Dolezal, and Clint Werner. Absent: Beth Wiese. Quorum Present. Also present were: Superintendent John Cain, Board Secretary Randy Denham, Activities Director Chelsea Ahrens, Buildings & Grounds Director Steve McAdoo, Transportation Director Steve Chyma, and members of the community.

Motion by Tyynismaa, second by Dolezal to approve the agenda as presented. All Ayes. The motion carried. 

Motion by Tyynismaa, second by Dolezal to approve the following consent agenda items: Minutes from the August 1, 2022 regular session and August 9, 2022 work session; bills for payment and financial statements as presented; contract with TFD Photo & Film to provide Activity photos for the 2022-2023 school year; contract with New Century FS for LP Gas for the 2022-2023 year at $1.859 per gallon; MOU with University of Northern Iowa for Teacher/Paraeducator apprenticeship program; and an MOU with Western Governor’s University for Teacher/Paraeducator apprenticeship program. All Ayes. The motion carried. 

Board member Wiese arrived at 5:01 p.m.

Public Comments – None. 

Motion by Tyynismaa, second by Wiese to approve the following personnel requests.  All Ayes. The motion carried. 

Resignations: Mahnaz Shojaie – High School ELL Teacher (Release from Contract); Todd Dale – Middle School Track Coach; Ellen Moran – Special Olympics Sponsor

New Hires: Caitlyn Stochl – Elementary Paraprofessional; Rachel Davis – Individual Speech Coach

Transfers: Allison Brezina – From Sub Bus Driver to Route Bus Driver

Change of Contract: Deb Llewellyn – Elementary Library Paraprofessional change from 5 hours per day to 8 hours per day

Officials: Amy Dolash – Middle School Volleyball; Tiffany Thiessen – Middle School Volleyball

Mr. Cain and Activities Director Chelsea Ahrens presented a plan for the District to provide athletic training services for the 2022-2023 school year. The proposal would include having Jill Kienzle provide before and after school coverage up to 25 hours per month at a pay rate of $22/hour. Home events throughout the year would be covered by a variety of volunteers. Volunteers would be recognized at home events and would receive gate passes for both home and away games for themselves and one additional guest. Motion by Tyynismaa, second by Wiese to approve the 2022-2023 athletic training services proposal as presented. All Ayes. The motion carried.  

Mr. Cain presented bids for the removal of several dead trees at the high school. The first bid was from Schuett Farms for $7,500 and the second bid was from Tender Lawn Care for $8,000. Mr. Cain stated that a third bid had been received from a District employee for $7,400. Mr. McAdoo and Mr. Cain stated that they were not recommending the employee bid due to the employee not having general liability insurance to perform the work needed. Motion by Dolezal, second by Werner to approve the bid from Schuett Farms for the removal of dead trees at the high school for $7,500. All Ayes. The motion carried. 

Mr. Cain presented bids for HVAC work for remodeling at the Administration Office. The first bid was from Scharnweber’s for $11,655 and the second bid was from Thomas Company for $9,966.40. Motion by Dolezal, second by Wiese to accept the bid from Thomas Company for HVAC work at the Administration Office for $9,966.40. All Ayes. The motion carried. 

Mr. Cain presented a purchase agreement with Hoglund Bus Company for a used handicap accessible bus to replace the current bus the District has that needs replaced for $33,500. Motion by Tyynismaa, second by Wiese to approve the purchase of a used handicap accessible bus from Hoglund Bus Company for $33,500. All Ayes. The motion carried. 

Mr. Cain presented the 2022-2023 Certified and Classified Staff Handbooks and reviewed the proposed changes with the Board. Motion by Dolezal, second by Wiese to approve the 2022-2023 Certified and Classified Staff Handbooks with the updates as presented. All Ayes. The motion carried. 

Mr.Cain and Mr. Denham provided historical substitute costs data as well as multiple options for increasing substitute rates of pay. The Board discussed different options and incentives to offer to substitutes. Motion by Tyynismaa, second by Wiese to increase the teacher substitute cost from $130 per day, increase the long-term sub pay to $145 per day after subbing for 10 consecutive days, and to offer 50% reimbursement for sub authorizations to any subs who serve for at least 10 days in the District.  All Ayes. The motion carried. Mr. Cain stated that he would like to look into offering incentives to staff for good attendance at some point in the future. 

Mr. Denham reviewed the guiding parameters for the District’s health insurance plan put together by Gallagher Benefit Consultants after the August 1st work session. Motion by Dolezal, second by Wiese to approve the guiding parameters for the District’s health insurance plan as presented. All Ayes. The motion carried. 

Motion by Tyynismaa, second by Wiese to approve the following Iowa Association of School Boards (IASB) Legislative Priorities: Supporting continued progress in Early Literacy; Support additional resources to school districts identify achievement gaps and provide resources to close that gap; Support providing school districts with incentives and flexibility to pay market competitive wages; and Support a school funding policy that provides sufficient and timely funding to meet education goals.  All Ayes. The motion carried. 

Motion by Tyynismaa, second by Dolezal to approve the first reading of the following Board Policies: 501.14 Open Enrollment Transfers – Procedures as a Sending District and 501.15 Open Enrollment Transfers – Procedures as a Receiving District. All Ayes. The motion carried. 

Motion by Tyynismaa, second by Wiese to approve the second and final reading of the following Board Policies: 203 Board of Directors’ Conflict of Interest; 402.02 Child Abuse Reporting. All Ayes. The motion carried. 

Mr. Cain presented a drawing to the Board that was presented at a previous Toledo City Council Meeting outlining the proposed housing developments at the Iowa Juvenile Home Property.  Mr. Cain stated that there will be a planning meeting on August 22 with Administration, District Architects, and Middle School Staff to get a high level scope of class size for the new Middle School. There will be a trip to a district in the near future that has had similar work done to give District officials an idea of what similar projects look like. Mr. Cain stated that a meeting will occur in September with District, City, and State officials to provide an update on the project.  

The Board reviewed the Rural School Advocacy of Iowa (RSAI) Legislative Issues Survey. Mr. Cain stated that he will take the IASB Legislative priorities that were approved by the Board and use those for completion of the RSAI survey. . 

The Board discussed different committees that they would like to see set up in the future. The Board asked Mr. Cain to take the committees that were discussed and to prepare a formal document outlining what the committees will look like. Committees will be formally approved at a future Board meeting.  

President Lekin reviewed a letter from Lou Ann Gvist at IASB recapping the work session on August 9th. The Board shared their thoughts on the work session and reviewed a document from the work session on Questions for Progress Reports and Presentations at Board Meetings. The Board discussed the importance of making sure to review the District Strategic Plan each year and to update it as needed. Mr. Cain asked the Board to be thinking about “why” they hired him so that it can be discussed at a future evaluation.  

Mr. Cain gave his Superintendent’s Report to the Board on the following items: The Welcome Back for all staff is Wednesday, August 17 at Meskwaki Convention Center. Board members are encouraged to attend if able; Four paraeducators will be starting the paraeducator apprenticeship program this week; Saturday, August 20th is the Booster Club golf outing; New teachers started with the District earlier in the day; Had an ESSA meeting earlier in the day; Registration was on August 4 and went smoothly; Back to School night is Monday, August 22; Looking into potential sharing opportunities for a School Resource Officer. 

The Board took a break at 6:30 prior to entering into closed session. 

Motion by Tyynismaa, second by Dolezal to go into closed session at 6:33 p.m. pursuant to Iowa Code 21.5(1)(j) of the open meeting law to discuss the purchase or sale of particular real estate where premature disclosure could be reasonably expected to increase the price the school district would have to pay or lower the price the board would receive for that property. Motion by Tyynismaa, second by Dolezal to come out of closed session at 6:43 p.m.

Motion by Tyynismaa, second by Wiese to adjourn the meeting at 6:44 p.m.  All Ayes.

Mandy Lekin, Board President                  

Randy Denham, Board Secretary