Mid-Prairie Community School District
Kalona, Wellman, West Chester
Mid-Prairie Central Office Community Room, Wellman, IA 52356
April 28, 2025– 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 (SBO) Jeff Swartzentruber.
Pledge of Allegiance
Read the School Mission Statement by Vice-President
Ryan Schlabaugh moved to adopt the agenda as presented. Seconded by Jed Seward. Motion carried 7-0.
Hawk Highlight – 6th Grade Presentation – The students reported on the Career Fair they attended at the University of Iowa at Carver Hawkeye Arena. They shared about the various careers they observed including Nursing, Landscaping, News and Press, Dining and Food Services, Musical careers, Denistry, Education, Athletic Training. Each student also had a chance to take a photo with Herky. They also toured the Wrestling Facility and learned about some of the business and detail work related to running a Wrestling program. The Board thanked the students for a great presentation.
Business Meeting
Consent Items
Superintendent Stone announced that Josie Bontrager will transfer from Third Grade Teacher to Second Grade Teacher for the 2025-2026 School Year.
Gabrielle Frederick moved to approve the following consent items.
Payment of Bills
The bills as listed for April 29, 2025, and prepaid bills;
Open Enrollment Requests
Open Enrollment In Requests total 7 students;
Open Enrolled Out Requests total 0 students;
Personnel Items
Contract issued to Phoebe Shetler, 7th Grade Girls Track Head Coach, $2,203 per season;
Contract issued to Jenny Hobbs, Varsity Girls Basketball Head Coach, $6,747 per season;
Resignation of Phoebe Shetler, 7th Grade Track Assistant Coach +20, $787 per season, effective April 23, 2025;
Resignation of Kaitlyn Dodds, District Librarian, $53,694 per annum, effective the end of the 2024-2025 School Year;
Fundraising Requests
Purchase of Services Over $25,000 – Approve Proposal for DR and C, Inc. to redo the Middle School Roof entry and two sections for $28,400;
Randy Billups seconded the consent items. Motion carried 7-0.
Business Item
Public Hearing to Amend the 2024-2025 Certified Budget at 6:20 p.m.
Board President Snider Opened the Public Hearing for the 2024-2025 Amended Budget. No one spoke. He closed the Public Hearing at 6:21 p.m.
Approve the Amended 2024-2025 Certified Budget
Board President Snider asked the Board if there were any questions or further discussion.
Ryan Schlabaugh moved to adopt the Amended 2024-2025 Budget as presented. Denise Chittick seconded the motion. Motion carried 7-0.
Public Hearing for the 2025-2026 Certified Budget at 6:40 p.m.
Board President Snider Opened the Public Hearing for the 2025-2026 Amended Budget. No one spoke. He closed the Public Hearing at 6:41 p.m.
Approve the 2025-2026 Certified Budget
SBO Jeff Swartzentruber shared a brief overview of the 2025-2026 Certified Budget. He highlighted the District property Tax Rate will be $13.085 versus $13.10 for the 2024-2025 School Year and $13.15 from the first Public Hearing on March 24th. The Debt Service Levy remains at $2.70 with $0.12 of that going toward the Pre-levy on the 2024 GO Bonds. The Management Levy was lowered by $0.10 for the 2025-2026 School Year. He also highlighted the sources of revenue in the District. Federal sources are 3% of the total $26.9 million. Property Tax is 30%, State Foundation Aid is 34% and Opened Enrolled Tuition and Transportation makes up 15% of the revenue received. Board President Snider asked the Board if there were any questions or further discussion.
Jed Seward moved to adopt the 2025-2026 Certified Budget as presented. Gabriele Frederick seconded the motion. Motion carried 7-0.
Directors and Central Office 2025-2026 Compensation
Superintendent Stone shared the 2025-2026 Compensation Package proposal for Directors and Central Office Staff. The proposal is for a 4% total compensation package increase that includes wages and benefits. This is the same as the Certified Staff group approved at the April 14, 2025 meeting. The Board asked questions for clarification and understanding.
Gabrielle Frederick moved to approve the total compensation package increase of 4% for Directors, and Central Office Staff for the 2025-2026 School Year as presented. Ryan Schlabaugh seconded the motion. Motion carried 7-0.
28E Sharing Agreements for the 2025-2026 School Year Shared Staff
Superintendent Stone presented the four 28E Agreements with Clear Creek Amana School District and the one agreement with the Lone Tree School District. These are a continuation of sharing agreements that have been in place over the past number of years. The District hires and shares the Human Resources Coordinator position and the Social Worker Position with Clear Creek Amana School District. Clear Creek Amana School District hires and shares the Curriculum Director and Buildings and Grounds Director with the District. At Lone Tree we are sharing one position, Transportation Director. There are sharing revenue dollars available to both Districts in this arrangement. It is 16 FTEs in funding received by both Districts that totals $127,725.
Gabrielle Frederick moved to approve the four 28E Agreements with Clear Creek Amana School District for the 2025-2026 School Year – Human Resources Coordinator, Social Worker, Curriculum Director, and Buildings and Grounds Director and the Transportation Director with Lone Tree School District. Randy Billups seconded the motion. Motion carried 7-0.
Scheduling the Superintendent Evaluation
Vice President Schlabaugh noted the need to complete the annual evaluation of Superintendent Stone per Board Policy 302.5. This will be done at the May 12th meeting. Schlabaugh will send the forms to Board Members for evaluation and completion. Completed forms should be returned to Swartzentruber by May 8th at Noon.
Work Session
IT Discussion
IT Coordinator, Jaynie Bontrager, joined the Board for discussion about emails as part of the Electronic Devices Policy that has passed on First Reading for Middle School and High School students. Bontrager noted that no one can email out at the Middle School and email in to students. The High School has an open email for in and out emails due to the described needs. The discussion weighed the pros and cons for Middle School emails. There was agreement to not change anything at the Middle School at this time.
Handbooks/Discipline Consistency
Superintendent Stone (President Snider) discussed the Handbooks for next school year that had been shared with Board Members for their review. Discussion about the handbooks and consistency took place. The Board is interested in knowing the verbiage for the device management policy. It is desired that there be consistency across buildings for the devices. There was additional discussion on consistency of outcomes related to Discipline. Code of discipline was brought into the discussion and the High School in particular. Consistency and expectations were the key words in the discussion. These messages would be communicated both to students and parents.
School Safety Grant Funds
SBO Swartzentruber provided an update of the Grant and its status. The grant that was completed December 31, 2024 included plans for each of the 4 full time student buildings at $50,000 per building, or $200,000 total—the Home School Education Center was not allowed. Of the $200,000 allowed, the District committed to $148,000. At this date, $83,000 has been spent. The remaining 65,000 should be spent before the end of the school year and must be spent by the end of calendar year 2025. Reimbursement can be claimed once the total dollars have been spent. The Board asked question for clarification and understanding.
Board Involvement with the District Strategic Plan
Superintendent Stone reported on the additional work that has been done on the District Strategic Plan. He asked for Board direction on where they would like to focus. Board Member Frederick noted that the values from the Administrators walk around, added some from the session with IASB’s Drawbaugh earlier in the School Year and the outcomes of that meeting were suggested as a direction for Board focus. What are we proud of at Mid-Prairie and what do we want our graduates to take with them? The idea is to put one word or short phrases in the document but not sentences—maybe 4 to 5 words from the Board. A suggestion to ask the class of 2025 was made and a poll will be sent to gather that input.
Coach Contract Renewal Discussion and Past Practice
Superintendent Stone, Activities Director Pete Cavanagh, and SBO Swartzentruber discussed past practice for Coaching Contracts in the District. Discussion of due dates on contracts and holding those pretty solidly for accountability. The conversation expanded into what is presented to the Board for all contracts and work agreements.
Strength and Conditioning Contract
Superintendent Stone and Activities Director Pete Cavanagh discussed the current arrangement with Performance Therapies and the related Performance Health and Fitness LLC entity that provides Strength, Conditioning, and Agility services to the District. There is an expressed interest in additional resources and time to be devoted to the Strength and Conditioning and promote a single voice. Options were discussed. The Board asked Cavanagh to scope out of the options and return with those options to discuss with the Board.
1% Wind and Hail Deductible 28E Arrangement with EMC/Jester Insurance
SBO Swartzentruber discussed the current state of Property Insurance within the School Districts across the state. Since Calendar Year 2019 there has been a significant level of loss and claims in Iowa and across the nation. Insurance carriers have become increasingly hesitant to maintain the status quo. In Fiscal Year 2025-this year—the deductible for Wind and Hail damage for districts was raised to the greater of 1% of the Building Insured value or $50,000. Mid-Prairie’s 4 largest buildings fall under the 1% deductible, ranging from $343,500 per occurrence to 126,000. Next year all 5 education centers will fall into the 1% deductible. The District bought down the deductibles with stop gap coverage product to $50,000 per occurrence for a premium of $62,000 in FY 2024-2025. We have learned that there are additional exposures that fall into the 1% category. Those exposures are for Personal Property and Property in the Open. Jester Insurance and EMC insurance have been working on a pooling arrangement for Iowa public schools. The District has been invited to participate in this sharing arrangement for a first-year annual fee of $36,540, where the deductible is bought down to $10,000 per occurrence for all three categories—not just building. The District is moving toward participation and anticipates a 28E Agreement will be forthcoming in the next 40 to 60 days. The District will need to act expediently to participate effective July 1, 2025. The pool will have a $10 million limit with an additional $5 million stop loss carrier.
Next Meeting and Suggestions for Next Agenda
The next regular Board meeting will be on Monday, May 12, 2028, at 6:15 p.m. at the Central Office Community Room. Agenda items to include: Approval of the 2025 Graduating Classes; 2nd Reading of Board Policy 503.9 Student Use of Personal Electronic Devices, and a closed session for Superintendent Evaluation.
Adjournment
The meeting adjourned at 9:09 p.m.