Mid-Prairie Community School District
Kalona, Wellman, West Chester
Mid-Prairie Central Office Community Room, Wellman, IA 52356
September 25, 2023– 6:15 p.m.
Vice President Gabrielle Frederick called the meeting to order in the absence of President Jeremy Pickard.
Board members present: Mary Allred, Denise Chittick, Gabrielle Frederick, Marianne Schlabach, Jed Seward, and Jake Snider.
Board members absent: Jeremy Pickard.
Also Present: Brian Stone, Jeff Swartzentruber.
Mary Allred moved to adopt the agenda as presented. Seconded by Denise Chittick. Motion carried 6-0.
Hawk Highlight – Fund for Academic Excellence Report – Superintendent Stone reported on the grants awarded in 2022-2023 for the FAE endowment. 5 projects were funded for a total of $5,175.
- Matt Freel sponsored a grant for $1,000 for students to go on a Service Trip for hurricane relief in Georgia. A report was given to the Board in a Spring 2023 Hawk Highlight.
- Kaitlyn Dodds sponsored a grant for $1,000 to work on a project “Operation Library Class”.
- Sara Puttmann sponsored a grant for $1,533 to purchase mobile outdoors materials so HS Math classes could be held in different settings outside to enhance varied learning opportunities.
- Jennifer Roth sponsored a grant for $1,000 for the Bright Start Book Cart Project that helped East Elementary Students with a set of traveling books.
- Glenda Seward sponsored a grant for $955 to help with the 8th Grade Etiquette Meal experience that impacted the 8th Grade students and the High School Culinary Students.
Glenda Seward, High School FCS Teacher, provided a report on the Etiquette Meal experience. This was the second year for this event as sponsored by Seward and Nathan Carlson. Seward also gave credit to Sarah O’Rourke’s students who provided the decorations and ambiance. The third annual meal will be the third Friday in April.
Public Forum
No one spoke.
Work Session
Administration Reports and Board Dialogue
The Board reviewed the report forms shared by each Administrator about their areas of responsibility.
Superintendent Stone provide a brief update on the Middle School and East Elementary building projects using Revenue Bonds. Middle School is on schedule. East Elementary is 4 weeks ahead of schedule. The Facilities Committee met on Wednesday, September 20th with 25 people in attendance. The next meeting will be October 18th.
Transportation Agreement
Superintendent Stone and Transportation Director Teresa Hartley discussed the Transportation Agreement, shared with the Board, that has been entered into by all Grant Wood AEA Districts and how it was constructed. The Board asked questions to clarify various issues related to exceptions. Hartley discussed the procedure used when questions or issues arise. Jed Seward expressed road-related safety concern on a route. Does it cost the District more dollars? It is requested that this agenda item is added to the Business Meeting at the next Board meeting. Jake Snider also expressed concern and support for an exception given the perceived safety issues. While there is room within the AEA agreement for interpretation, it is acknowledged that Hartley is implementing this in a way that follows the agreement and should not be interpreted outside of the strictness of the AEA agreement.
Business Meeting
Consent Items
Mary Allred moved to approve the following consent items.
Minutes of Previous Meetings
The minutes of September 11, 2023;
Finance Report
None presented at this time;
Payment of Bills
The bills as listed for September 25, 2023, and prepaid bills;
Open Enrollment Requests
Open Enrollment In Requests total 7 students;
Open Enrolled Out Requests totals 1 student;
Personnel Items
Contract issued to Derek Kalm, Middle School 8th Grade Volleyball Assistant Coach, $1,876.60 per season;
Contract issued to Hannah Mougin, Middle School 8th Grade Volleyball Assistant Coach, $1,563.00 per annum;
Fundraising Requests
High School Baseball requests approval to raise funds through a can drive on October 28, 2023 to be used to purchase equipment and for field maintenance costs;
Jed Seward seconded the consent items. Motion carried 6-0.
Student Learning
Concurrent Enrollment
Board Vice-President Frederick led this discussion related to Mid-Prairie current involvement in Concurrent Enrollment classes and practices. Superintendent Stone stated that the Board has been provided a lot of data on concurrent enrollment. While the District is at the State Average, there are districts around us that are higher. It is also acknowledged that there are currently staffing concerns for teachers in the building that would need to be qualified to teach certain concurrent courses within the High School. The Board clarified that we cannot offer any core concurrent courses within the building by our staff. It is also acknowledged that the Masters degree needs to be in the area of core study, not just a Master’s in Education; 18 credit hours must be in the subject matter in order for the teacher to be qualified towards teaching these core courses. Principal Banks also noted that some students are taking these classes in an on-line format. Students need to take 3 blocks of classes to be considered full-time. What is the intended outcome?—to be able to offer more core classes. What can the Board do to help to facilitate this?—incentivize staff in what ways? Could an instructor be brought to the building from the Community College? It is recognized that there is a cost involved to bring in an outside instructor.
Special Education Students Trip to Niabi Zoo
The Special Education Department requests approval to take the Special Education Level 2 and Level 3 students at East Elementary and West Elementary on a field trip to the Niabi Zoo in Coal Valley, Illinois on October 6th. As this is out of state the Board would need to approve this trip.
Mary Allred moved to approve the October 6th field trip for Special Education students to the Niabi Zoo in Coal Valley, Illinois. Denise Chittick seconded the motion. Motion carried 6-0.
Finance
Public Hearing at 6:45pm for the Continuation of the Instructional Support Levy
Board Vice-President Frederick opened the Public Hearing at 6:52 p.m. to allow input from the public for the continuation of the Instructional Support Levy. No one spoke. Frederick closed the Public Hearing at 6:54 p.m.
Instructional Support Levy Resolution on Intent to Continue for Five Years to FY 2029
Business Manager Swartzentruber noted that this resolution signals the intent of the Board to continue the Instructional Support Levy for an additional Five Years. This is the first of two resolutions in this process. The second resolution will be at the October 9, 2023 meeting following a second public hearing. Once the second resolution is passed a 28-day waiting period begins in which any objections can be filed via petition. Should there be no petition, then the District will file the resolutions with the State.
Marianne Schlabach moved to approve Resolution 092523 Resolution Approving the Consideration of Continued Participation in the Instructional Support Program. Jed Seward seconded the motion.
Roll Call Vote: Gabrielle Frederick - yes Mary Allred - yes
Jed Seward - yes Jeremy Pickard - absent
Marianne Schlabach - yes Jake Snider - yes
Denise Chittick - yes
Motion carried 6-0.
Set a Public Hearing for the Continuation of the Instructional Support Levy – Resolution 092523
School Business Official (SBO) Swartzentruber noted the continuation of the process for the five-year extension of the Instructional Support Levy for the District. As noted at the previous meeting, the current levy period will expire at the end of the 2023-2024 School Year. A second Public Hearing is required and will be followed by a Board Resolution. The next Public Hearing is recommended to be set for the next School Board Meeting on October 9, 2023 at 6:45p.m. in the Central Office Community Room. Maximum authorization is 10% of regular program costs; FY2024 amount is $728,450 of which $344,200 is property tax and $384,250 is surtax.
Marianne Schlabach moved to set a Public Hearing for the Instructional Support Program Levy or Monday, October 9, 2023, at 6:45 p.m. in the Community Room at the Mid-Prairie Central Office. Denise Chittick seconded the motion. Motion carried 6-0.
Fiscal Year 2023 Annual Treasurer’s Report
SBO Swartzentruber presented the Fiscal Year 2023 Treasurer’s Report. This is the report that is provided after the Certified Annual Report is submitted to the State Department of Education Portal by the September 15, 2023, due date. Net Operating Fund Balance increased by $396,000, compared to $271,000 for the previous fiscal year. Swartzentruber discussed the reasons for the decrease in Fund Balance for the Activity Fund due to some one time projects related to field maintenance normally paid for out of Operating Fund—the Board requested additional detail of these expenditures. The PPEL Fund also decreased $244,230 due to projects undertaken with COVID ESSER III dollars completed in 2023 where the COVID funds were depleted before the project completion. Swartzentruber noted increases to the Management Fund, SAVE Fund, Debt Service Fund, and Enterprise Fund.
Denise Chittick moved to accept the Fiscal Year 2022-2023 Treasurers Report as presented. Mary Allred seconded the motion. Motion carried 6-0.
Home School Assistance Program 28E Agreement with West Branch Community Schools
Superintendent Stone recommends the approval of the new 28E Agreement to provide Home School Assistance Program (HSAP) services to West Branch Community Schools. The West Branch School Board has already approved the agreement at their board meeting earlier in September. This is the eighth school district we work with for HSAP services in this capacity. Six of the agreements have students working with Mid-Prairie’s HSAP.
Denise Chittick moved to approve the 28E Agreement for Home School Assistance Program services with West Branch Community School District beginning with the 2023-2024 School Year. Mary Allred seconded the motion. Motion carried 6-0.
Special Education Deficit Spending Authority Resolution – Resolution 0925231
SBO Swartzentruber reviewed the SBRC Resolution for Additional Allowable Growth as a result of the Special Education Spending Deficit for the recently completed fiscal year ending on June 30, 2023. The reported deficit was $13,193.16 for last year as compared to $69,462.55 for the previous year. The request is rounded up to $20,000 to allow for any upward adjustment that might be found during the Department of Education’s year-end review. The deficit is lower than last year due to the Tuition-in students being capped the past few years and students graduating out of the District.
Denise Chittick moved to approve Resolution 0925231 to authorize the Superintendent to submit a request to the School Budget Review Committee for additional allowable growth of up to $20,000 to cover the deficit in Special Education funding from the year ending June 30, 2023. Jed Seward seconded the motion.
Roll Call Vote: Gabrielle Frederick - yes Mary Allred - yes
Jed Seward - yes Jeremy Pickard - absent
Marianne Schlabach - yes Jake Snider - yes
Denise Chittick - yes
Motion carried 6-0.
Resolution for Limited English Proficiency Additional Allowable Growth – Resolution 0925232
SBO Swartzentruber reported that the Limited English Proficiency (LEP) Deficit for the 2022-2023 School Year was $26,417.96. These are costs in excess of the Categorical Funding. The LEP filing has been certified as required by the state before the September 15, 2023 deadline. In order to not be impacted by this deficit, a resolution for increased Allowable Growth for a negative LEP Balance is required to be filed with the School Budget Review Committee through the Iowa Department of Education.
Mariann Schlabach moved to approve Resolution 0925232 for additional allowable growth of $26,417.96 to cover the 2022-2023 LEP costs in excess of funding. Jake Snider seconded the motion.
Roll Call Vote: Gabrielle Frederick - yes Mary Allred - yes
Jed Seward - yes Jeremy Pickard - absent
Marianne Schlabach - yes Jake Snider - yes
Denise Chittick - yes
Motion carried 6-0.
Board Development and Inservice Activities
IASB Convention is November 15-17, 2023. All Board Members that requested to be registered are registered.
Announcements and Suggestions for Next Agenda
School Board Election – Five individuals have filed paperwork to be candidates for the November 7, 2023, election. We are currently in the waiting period through this week for challenge or withdrawal. Once the week has passed the names will be official.
The next regular Board meeting will be on Monday, October 9, 2023, at 6:15 p.m. at the Central Office Community Room. Agenda items to include: Transportation Policy discussion in the Business Meeting; and Public at 6:45 p.m on the Instructional Support Levy.
Board Highlights
A. Snider – The collaboration of the Fund for Academic Excellence is fantastic; especially the etiquette meal.
B. Frederick – Fund for Academic Excellence program and the various things that are done.
C. Schlabach – Appreciated the discussion about concurrent enrollment.
D. Seward – Glenda’s culinary students going to Café Dodici for work with appetizers.
Adjournment
The meeting adjourned at 7:36 p.m.