EXEMPT, REGULAR, AND WORK 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 May 6, 2024 for a regular session at the Partnership, Toledo, Iowa at 5:00 p.m. with some members of the community attending electronically through Google Hangouts. This regular session followed an exempt session from 4:45 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
On call of the roll the following were present: Elizabeth Dolezal, Beth Wiese, Jackie Ellenbecker, Rick Hopper, and Megan Thiessen. Absent: None Quorum Present. Also present were: Superintendent John Cain, Board Secretary Katie Mathern, Mary Mixdorf, Allison Graham, Rob Boley, Steve McAdoo, Ben Adams, Paula Graves, Finn Miller, Lilith Duncan, Gustav Ojenholt, Brooks Baier, Emily Carnahan, Mike Carnahan, Patty Kerns, Tim Kerns, and members of the community through Google Hangouts.
Motion by Thiessen, second by Wiese to approve the agenda. All Ayes. The motion carried.
Motion by Wiese, second by Hopper to approve the following consent agenda items: minutes from the April 15, 2024 public hearing, regular meeting & closed session minute, bills for payment, financials, the Central Rivers MOC Contract, and the following early graduation request: Anthony FlyingHawk (May 2024). All Ayes. The motion carried.
Public Comment - None
The Board recognized the performers who participated in the Iowa High School Music Association State Solo and Ensemble Festival on March 23, 2024 in Grinnell. Out of nine entries, the band came home with seven Division Ones and two Division Twos.
Motion by Thiessen, second by Ellenbecker, to approve the following personnel requests. All Ayes. The motion carried.
Hires: Doug Kaloupek - Maintenance, Rollanda Puentes - K-4 ELL Paraeducator, Leah Fonua - Head 8th Grade Volleyball Coach, Suzanne Lux - Part-time Preschool ELL Paraeducator
Resignations: Michelle Kalinay - Director of Food Service & Nutrition, Rubi Pesina - High School ELL Paraeducator, Jason Castor - Middle School Custodian (12:00-8:00 p.m.), Stephanie Lane - Middle School Art Teacher, Andrea Asmussen - Middle School Kitchen Staff, Morgan McFate - Basketball Cheerleading Coach, Jeff Niedermann - Industrial Arts Teacher, and Regina Gill - Middle School Special Education Teacher
Officials: Soccer - Danilo Obradovic, Uros Cukic, Luke Fischer, Jesus Castanon; Middle School Softball & Baseball - James Hall; Middle School Softball - Maeley Elsbury and Tiffany Thiessen; and Middle School Baseball - Tyrus Clegg
Transfer: Jason Arp from Girls Varsity Wrestling Co-Head Coach to Girls Head Varsity Wrestling Coach, Danny Elsbury from Girls Varsity Wrestling Co-Head Coach to Girls Assistant Varsity Wrestling Coach, Maci Fritz from 5th Grade Teacher to 6th Grade Literacy Teacher, and Morgan McFate from Assistant Football Cheerleading Coach to Head Football Cheerleading Coach
Motion by Thiessen, second by Hopper to approve adding the stipend for coaches who drive yellow school buses to activities in the handbook. All Ayes. The motion carried.
Motion by Ellenbecker, second by Wiese to approve the 2024-2025 Budget Restructure recommendations of TLC Structure and Building Administrative Assistants. All Ayes. The motion carried.
Motion by Thiessen, second by Ellenbecker to approve either the dollar amount to get to the state minimums or $1,400.00 for certified teaching staff. All Ayes. The motion carried.
Motion by Wiese, second by Hopper to approve $0.60/hour increase for all classified staff, except $0.30/hour increase for bus routes and $1,400.00 increase for Administrative Assistants. All Ayes. The motion carried.
Motion by Thiessen, second by Wiese to approve the increase of $2,000.00 for Administrators & Directors. All Ayes. The motion carried.
Motion by Wiese, second by Hopper to approve the extra duty schedule with possible level movements. All Ayes. The motion carried.
Motion by Thiessen, second by Wiese to approve the resolution approving the participation by the School District in a joint agreement establishing local government risk pools. All Ayes. The motion carried.
Motion by Ellenbecker, second by Wiese to approve the ISG invoice, in the amount of $15,000.00, for construction administration. All Ayes. The motion carried.
Motion by Wiese, second by Thiessen to approve the Schools PLP quote, in the amount of $2,220.00, for six user licenses and setup, training, and support. All Ayes. The motion carried.
Motion by Wiese, second by Hopper to approve the Phillips Floors invoice, in the amount of $6,415.00, for contracted work scheduled for maintenance as per contract dated 2/9/2021. All Ayes. The motion carried.
Motion by Ellenbecker, second by Wiese to approve the CEC invoice, in the amount of $5,123.00, for annual fire protection inspection. All Ayes. The motion carried.
Motion by Ellenbecker, second by Hopper to approve the Garling Construction change order request #0049, in the amount of $5,391.41, to bring the striping and logo on the gym floor up to code. All Ayes. The motion carried.
Motion by Thiessen, second by Wiese to approve the Garling Construction change order request #0044, in the amount of $9,369.10, for capping water service for the tunnel, removing valves, and consolidating to one valve for water service on the east side of the existing building. All Ayes. The motion carried.
Motion by Thiessen, second by Wiese to approve the Garling Construction change order request #0058, in the amount of $16,298.54, for repurposing an area for a teacher/learning space. All Ayes. The motion carried.
Motion by Thiessen, second by Ellenbecker to approve the Garling Construction change order request #0060, in the amount of $5,966.34, for connections to electrical changes. All Ayes. The motion carried.
Motion by Hopper, second by Wiese to approve the Garling Construction change order requests #0061 and #0062, in the amounts of $20,156.73 and $8,742.62 respectively, to add wall furring. All Ayes. The motion carried.
Motion by Wiese, second by Hopper to approve the Garling Construction pay application 08, in the amount of $1,394,435.65, for general construction services. All Ayes. The motion carried.
Motion by Wiese, second by Ellenbecker to approve the Bridges materials order, in the amount of $8,190.00 (plus shipping), for Bridges curriculum material for the 2024-2025 school year. All Ayes. The motion carried.
Motion by Thiessen, second by Ellenbecker to approve the Really Great Reading quote, in the amount of $5,709.00, for student workbooks for the 2024-2025 school year. All Ayes. The motion carried.
Motion by Wiese, second by Hopper to approve the A&E Dairy milk bid. All Ayes. The motion carried.
Motion by Thiessen, second by Hopper to approve the Bond Counsel and Disclosure Counsel Engagement Agreement with Ahlers & Cooney, P.C. All Ayes. The motion carried.
Motion by Wiese, second by Thiessen to approve the SHI pricing proposal, in the amount of $8,598.00, for the iBoss content filter renewal. All Ayes. The motion carried.
Motion by Thiessen, second by Hopper to approve the Software Unlimited invoice, in the amount of $9,150.00, for the District’s annual accounting software. Katie Mathern stated she would ask them to remove the Negotiations Module fee, as it is not utilized. All Ayes. The motion carried.
Motion by Wiese, second by Ellenbecker to approve the Thomas Company proposal, in the amount of $40,568.60, to install Trane HVAC units in the elementary cafeteria area. The 20-ton unit has a leak in stage 2 and they do not make coils for it anymore. All Ayes. The motion carried.
Motion by Hopper, second by Wiese to approve the Key Cooperative sales ticket and worksheet, in the amounts of $5,834.50 and $10,831.08, for dry fertilizer, nitrogen preemerge herbicide, and post herbicide for the FFA farm ground. This will come out of the farm funds. All Ayes. The motion carried.
Motion by Wiese, second by Hopper to set the public hearing date for the certified budget amendment to Wednesday, May 29th, 2024, at the Administration Office, at 7:15 a.m. All Ayes. The motion carried.
The Board held a 5 minute recess.
Motion by Wiese, second by Thiessen to approve the first reading of the following policies: 205 - Board Member Liability (FKA 204.03), 206.01 - President (FKA 203.01), 206.02 - Vice President (FKA 203.02), 206.03 - Secretary (FKA 203.03), 206.04 - Treasurer (FKA 203.02), 207 - Board of Directors’ Legal Counsel (FKA 206.04), 208 - Ad Hoc Committees (206.03), 208 E1 - Ad Hoc Committees - Exhibit (new), 209.1 - Development of Policy (FKA 205.02), 209.02 - Adoption of Policy (FKA 205.03), 209.03 - Dissemination of Policy (FKA 205.05), 209.04 - Suspension of Policy (FKA 205.04), 209.05 - Administration in the Absence of Policy (FKA 205.06), 209.06 - Review and Revision of Policy (FKA 205.07). All Ayes. The motion carried.
Motion by Thiessen, second by Ellenbecker to approve the second reading of the following policies: 200.01 - Organization of the Board of Directors (FKA 201), 200.01 R1 - Organization of the Board of Directors - Organizational Meeting Procedures (FKA 207.02), 200.02 - Powers of the Board of Directors (FKA 201.03), 200.03 - Responsibilities of the Board of Directors (FKA 201.04), 201 - Board of Directors’ Elections (FKA 202), 202.01 - Qualifications (Revised), 202.02 - Oath of Office (FKA 202.03), 202.03 - Term of Office (FKA 202.02), and 202.04 - Vacancies (Revised). All Ayes. The motion carried.
Mr. Cain recognized the Board for Board Appreciation Month with certificates and refreshments.
The Board reviewed the current Iowa Works postings.
Superintendent Cain encouraged the Board to participate in the Iowa Association of School Boards Summit on Student Success on Tuesday, June 11, 2024 at the FFA Enrichment Center in Ankeny.
The 2024-2025 School Board Meeting dates will be on the 2nd and 4th Monday of each month starting in July 2024. In July 2024, there will only be one Board meeting on July 22, 2024.
The Board discussed policy 202.05 - Student School Board Representatives (new) and what that could potentially look like.
Katie Mathern presented the 5-year PPEL/SAVE Plan document to the Board and explained how it worked and would be revisited frequently.
Superintendent Cain reviewed the 2023-2024 handbook language with the Board. “Involuntary absences not provided for in this handbook may be excused by the superintendent. The employee shall make an application to the superintendent through the employee's building administrator immediately to be excused for such an absence. The application needs to be in writing, a simple email outlining the details will work. All unpaid absences may be subject to a “salary freeze” for the following academic school year. Situations will be addressed by the superintendent on a case by case situation. Leave related to FMLA does not apply.”
The Board will have a training session on June 25, 2024.
STC will be having a garage sale on June 6th and 7th, from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the New Middle School wrestling room (701 S. Church Street, Toledo IA) and at the High School, under the home football bleachers. There will be tables, chairs, desks, filing cabinets, etc. for sale.
The Highway 63 closure through October 2024 will impact a couple of bus routes.
Superintendent reviewed the current procedures for school permits for middle school students. School permits will be available for students who complete their 8th grade academic year and meet the qualifications required by the Iowa Department of Transportation.
Superintendent Cain reported the middle school project continues to move along in a good direction.
Superintendent Cain gave a “thank you” to Boosters and Administrators for making Teacher Appreciation Week special. The District was recently asked to write a letter of support for the Tama County Housing Development. Superintendent Cain sees the possibility of the expansion of housing opportunities as a benefit for the District. On May 7th is STC Middle School Band & Choir Night, and on May 8th is the STC High School Band & Choir Night.
Motion by Wiese, second by Thiessen to adjourn the regular meeting at 7:13 p.m.
The Board of Directors then met in a Work Session at 7:20 p.m., following the regular meeting.
On call of the roll the following were present: Elizabeth Dolezal, Beth Wiese, Jackie Ellenbecker, Rick Hopper, and Megan Thiessen. Absent: None. Quorum Present. Also present were: John Cain, Katie Mathern, Rob Boley, and Ben Adams. Jon Huebner, Brad Schweppe, Sam Peska, Scott Bolen, and Janelle Pirkl were present through Google Hangouts.
Each administrator provided a one - two minute overview of their Every Student Succeeds Act Plan for next year, followed by the Board asking follow up questions. The Board also shared their hopes for this work as it relates to student achievement. This set the stage for the August 2024 Board and Administration Retreat.
Motion by Wiese, second by Hopper to adjourn the meeting at 8:19 p.m.
Elizabeth Dolezal, Board President Katie Mathern, Board Secretary