Mid-Prairie Community School District
Kalona, Wellman, West Chester
Mid-Prairie Central Office Community Room, Wellman, IA 52356
October 14, 2024 – 6:15 p.m.
President Jake Snider called the meeting to order.
Board members present: Mary Allred, Randy Billups, Denise Chittick, Gabrielle Frederick, Ryan Schlabaugh, Jed Seward, and Jake Snider.
Board members absent: None.
Also Present: Superintendent Brian Stone, Board Secretary/School Business Official Jeff Swartzentruber.
Pledge of Allegiance
Read the School Mission Statement by Vice-President
Adopt the Agenda
Ryan Schlabaugh moved to adopt the agenda as presented. Seconded by Mary Allred. Motion carried 7-0.
Hawk Highlight – Marci Stanfield, District Nutrition Director, shared about Power Snack from the Hanson Foundation to provide students with opportunity to be fed during holiday breaks. She reached out to the Foundation to see if Mid-Prairie could participate in their program. All of the smaller local grocery stores and Fairway grocery stores are willing to honor the coupons. Each teacher gets a box of coupons and a beef stick for each student. The Board asked questions about the program and other opportunities for the students’ nutrition. The Board thanked Stanfield for her work.
Public Forum
No one spoke.
BUSINESS MEETING
Consent Items
Randy Billups moved to approve the following consent items.
Minutes of Previous Meetings
The minutes of September 9, 2024 and September 23, 2024;
Finance Report
The Finance Report for Year to Date September 2024;
Payment of Bills
The bills as listed for October 14, 2024; Prepaid Bills;
Open Enrollment Requests
Open Enrollment In Requests total 1 students;
Open Enrolled Out Requests total 0 students;
Personnel Items
Work Agreement issued to Tobi Anderson, Middle School General Cook, $15.28 per hour;
Work Agreement issued to Karin Schadle, East Elementary Paraprofessional, $15.29 per hour;
Resignation of Ammie Neal, West Elementary Paraprofessional; $15.80 per hour effective September 28, 2024;
Fundraising Requests
Baseball requests approval to raise funds through annual can recycling drive on October 5th for the Baseball program, equipment and field maintenance;
ALC Graduate – Approval of Ms. Danielle Brown as an October 2024 graduate of the Mid-Prairie Alternative Learning Center.
Mary Allred seconded the consent items. Motion carried 7-0.
Student Learning
Reports
The Board reviewed the Administrators’ written reports to the Board. Time was allotted to ask questions and discuss the reports. No questions were asked. Superintendent Stone shared the Care Solace brochure.
Finance-Long Range Planning
Level 1 Investigators
Superintendent Stone shared that the District needs to appoint Level 1 Investigators per Board Policy 402.3. With changes in Staff it is appropriate to appoint Level 1 Investigators ahead of the normal January timeframe. Principals and Administrators recommended for appointment as Level 1 Investigators are: Jodee Beck, Rachel Kerns, Robin Foster, Greg Jergens, Chuck Banks, Tim Bartels, and Frank Slabaugh with Superintendent Stone appointed as the First Alternate to the Level 1 Investigators. Stone asked for questions and discussion from the Board. The Board asked questions about the role of investigators.
Denise Chittick moved to approve the above list as Level 1 Investigators as recommended. Ryan Schlabaugh seconded the motion. Motion carried 7-0.
Additional Allowable Growth Resolution for Limited English Proficiency Funds
School Business Official Swartzentruber presented the Limited English Proficiency Funds Additional Allowable Growth Resolution #10142401 as required by law. This resolution recognizes the State funding for the District’s Limited English proficiency program is insufficient. The funding requirements are a calculation based upon student served. In the District’s case, the student count is not high enough to pay the compensation and expenses for a full-time teacher, though one is required. Once the District exceeds the funds allocated, the excess costs are tracked in order to receive additional spending authority. The resolution requests $36,944.36 additional spending authority.
Ryan Schlabaugh moved to approve Resolution #10142401 for additional spending authority of $36,944.36. Mary Allred seconded the motion.
Roll Call Vote: Gabrielle Frederick - yes Mary Allred - yes
Jed Seward - yes Ryan Schlabaugh - yes
Randy Billups - yes Jake Snider - yes
Denise Chittick - yes
Motion carried 7-0.
Washington and Johnson County Conference Boards
The board discussed who the representatives for these boards will be for the 2024-2025 School Year. Normally this is completed in the November organizational meeting. However, Washington County has requested the names earlier than November, which can work this year due to no school board elections. Both boards work to approve the County Budget via the Assessor’s Office. It is noted that Gabrielle Frederick is the only Johnson County resident amongst the School Board Members. Gabrielle Frederick represented Mid-Prairie at Johnson County and Jed Seward represented Mid-Prairie at Washington County in the prior fiscal year.
Jed Seward moved to approve Gabrielle Frederick as the Johnson County Representative to the Johnson County Conference Board and Jed Seward as the Washington County Representative to the Washington County Conference Board for the 2024-2025 School Year. Gabrielle Fredrick seconded the motion. The Motions carried 7-0.
Board Development and Inservice Activities
IASB Convention is November 20-22, 2024. Registrations have been completed for all Board members planning to attend and Superintendent Stone covered the details.
Announcements and Suggestions for Next Agenda
The next Work Session Meeting will be on Monday, October 28, 2024, at 6:15 p.m. Agenda items to include: Continued discussion of Cell Phone Policy with Administrators from the Middle School and the High School present; Discussion of Home School Assistance Program Flexibility spending plan and ideas; Discussion of the Board Commitment to Fine Arts on the auditorium; Discussion and general update of the Safety Grants for the four attendance centers; Stone reported the Interest Based Bargaining Committee will kick off on November 11th.
The next business Board meeting will be on Monday, November 11, 2024, at 6:15 p.m. at the Central Office Community Room. This will include the annual organizational meeting of the Board.
Adjournment
The meeting adjourned at 6:50 p.m.