Mid-Prairie Community School District
Kalona, Wellman, West Chester
Mid-Prairie Central Office Community Room, Wellman, IA 52356
June 9, 2025 – 6:15 p.m.
Vice-President Ryan Schlabaugh called the meeting to order at 6:15 p.m.
Board members present: Mary Allred, Randy Billups, Denise Chittick, and Ryan Schlabaugh.
Board members absent: Gabrielle Frederick, Jed Seward, and Jake Snider.
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
Superintendent Stone noted an addition to consent agenda to add the High School Baseball team trip to Omaha, Nebraska for the College World Series.
Mary Allred moved to adopt the agenda as presented. Seconded by Denise Chittick. Motion carried 4-0.
Hawk Highlight – Retiring Staff Recognition for Julie Frieden and Jodi Kahler – The Board and attendees shared memories and expressed appreciation for the work of the two retirees. Julie Frieden was honored first by co-workers and family with memories shared, emotions expressed, and laughter for 29 years of service at Kalona/East Elementary. Jodi Kahler was also honored by co-workers and family for 15 years of service including being a bus riding paraprofessional in the past few years. The care and love each showed to their students and team was noted numerous times and was a common theme for the evening. The Board also expressed their appreciation for going above and beyond with students and co-workers.
Public Forum
No one spoke.
BUSINESS MEETING
Consent Items
Superintendent Stone announced the following transfers for the 2025-2026 School Year—Lexi Edmundson from 3rd Grade to 4th Grade; Josie Bontrager from 3rd Grade to 4th Grade; and Grace Andreassen from 3rd Grade to Early Childhood Special Education.
Randy Billups moved to approve the following consent items.
Minutes of Previous Meetings
The minutes of May 12, 2025 and May 21, 2025;
Finance Report
The Finance Report for Year-to-Date May 2025;
Payment of Bills
The bills as listed for June 9, 2025; Prepaid Bills;
Open Enrollment Requests
Open Enrollment In Requests total 4 students;
Open Enrolled Out Requests total 0 students;
Personnel Items
Contract issued to Kristan Hunter, East Elementary Principal, $105,000 per annum;
Contract issued to Tasha Mumme, Elementary Special Education Teacher, $50,000 per annum;
Contract issued to Cate Burke, District Librarian $50 per annum;
Contract issued to Page Hout, East Elementary Success Coordinator, $50,000 per annum;
Contract issued to John Weller, Middle School Art Teacher, $62,500 per annum;
Contract issued to Madison Ross, High School Assistant Dance Coach, $2,872 per season;
Contract issued to Brad Tornow, High School Assistant Baseball Coach, $2,820 per 2024-2025 season;
Work Agreement issued to Elizabeth Schrock, HSAP Media Secretary, $15.54 per hour;
Resignation of Jodee Beck, Special Education Director, $104,500 per annum, effective End of 2024-2025 School Year;
Resignation of Kristan Hunter, TLC Curriculum Leader, $96,462 per annum, effective End of 2024-2025 School Year;
Resignation of Madigan Young, Middle School Art Teacher, $47,689 per annum, effective End of 2024-2025 School Year;
Resignation of Jennifer Zeglis, Middle School Band Teacher, $60,000 per annum, effective End of 2024-2025 School Year;
Resignation of Jennifer Zeglis, Middle School Instrumental Coach, $2,376 per annum, effective End of 2024-2025 School Year;
Resignation of Emma Baker, East Elementary Paraprofessional, $15.32 per hour, effective End of 2024-2025 School Year;
Resignation of Alyssa Hershberger, East Elementary Paraprofessional, $15.90 per hour, effective End of 2024-2025 School Year;
Spring 2025-2026 Coach Contracts – High School (HS), Middle School (MS)
HS Head Boys Golf – Kelby Bender HS Girls Golf – Tracy McArtor
HS Head Boys Soccer – Wyatt Cady HS Assistant Boys Soccer – Wade Stutzman
HS Head Girls Soccer – Truman Shetler MS Soccer – Sidney Ryan
HS Head Boys Track – Dain Jeppson HS Assistant Boys Track – Jeremy Meyers
HS Head Girls Track – Mark Hostetler HS Assistant Girls Track – Shawna Sieren
HS Assistant Track – Lynette Poll MS 7th Grade Boys Track – Aaron Coghlan
MS 8th Grade Boys Track – Kevin Cortum MS 7th Grade Girls Track – Ryan Cortum
MS 8th Grade Girls Track – Phoebe Shetler
Summer Volunteer Coach Contracts
High School Baseball – Byron Yoder High School Baseball – Caleb Potts
Fundraising Requests – No Fundraising Requests presented for consideration
Baseball Team to Omaha for Travel Out of State – Approve the Out of State Travel to the College World Series on June 13th and 14th.
Denise Chittick seconded the motion. Motion carried 4-0.
Student Learning
Reports
The Board reviewed the Administrators’ written reports to the Board. These were year-end reports. Time was allotted to ask questions and discuss the reports. No questions were asked.
Finance-Long Range Planning
Board Summer Goals
Vice-President Schlabaugh tabled this discussion to help direct the Board in its work over the Summer due to the absence of 3 Board Members. Discussion of Goals will be included in the June 23rd Work Session.
Grant Wood AEA Special Education Funding Agreement
SBO Swartzentruber brought the Contract for Transfer of State Funding Contract between Grant Wood AEA and Mid-Prairie for approval. This agreement will cover the 2025-2026 School Year and allows for 10 payments of $34,408.30 from September 2025 to June 2026. The follows Iowa Code Section 257.10(7) to pay 90% of funds received from the State for Special Education Funding directly to the Area Education Agency. The agreement is a standard agreement used across all districts within the state and AEAs to follow the Iowa Code. The agreement will remain in effect until June 30, 2028. This is state mandated funding to the AEA.
Randy Billups moved to approve the Contract for Transfer of State Funding as presented. Mary Allred seconded the motion. Motion carried 4-0.
Resolution for the Storm Protection Fund Deductible Pool
SBO Swartzentruber reminded the Board of the discussion about the 1% deductible pool concept from the April 28, 2025 work session. The pool is now ready to be activated for the 2025-2026 School Year. There are two steps to this process. The first step is for the Board to consider and pass a resolution to become a participant in the Storm Protection Fund Pool. The second step is that upon passage of the resolution, President Snider will be authorized to sign the Storm Protection Fund Intergovernmental Cooperative Agreement. To be a participant a passed resolution and the signed agreement must be returned by June 10, 2025. Jester Insurance, the organizer of the Pool, has completed the due diligence and actuarial risk calculations prior to the organization of the Pool. The District’s current arrangement to buy down the 1% of building replacement cost to a $50,000 deductible is a premium of $61,845. The pool requires the District to make a contribution of $36,540 to receive a $10,000 deductible. While the latter is not a premium, but a contribution to the pool, the first-year savings is $25,305. If approved, Swartzentruber has been asked to serve on the initial oversight board of 7 as a small school representative. It is the recommendation of Swartzentruber and our agent that we participate in the pool for at least the first year. Swartzentruber asked the Board if they had questions. There were none.
Mary Allred moved to approve the Resolution “To participate in the Storm Protection Fund, an Iowa Code Chapter 28E Entity and Chapter 670 Risk Pool” as stated in the Resolution and as recommended. Denise Chittick seconded the motion.
Roll Call Vote: Gabrielle Frederick - absent Mary Allred - yes
Jed Seward - absent Ryan Schlabaugh - yes
Randy Billups - yes Jake Snider - absent
Denise Chittick - yes
Motion carried 4-0.
Superintendent Compensation and Two-Year Rolling Contract
SBO Swartzentruber noted that subsequent to the annual Superintendent evaluation held in closed session on May 21, 2025, the Board should be ready to act upon the Rolling Two-Year Contract to include Fiscal Years 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 and to recommend an overall compensation package increase of 3% from the 2024-2025 compensation package. This results in a $4,745 wage increase. It is also noted that while other administrators received a 4% compensation package increase, Superintendent Stone has requested the compensation package increase be limited to 3% for 2025-2026. This is not a reflection of performance from the annual evaluation.
Randy Billups moved to approve the 3% total compensation package increase for Superintendent Stone for the 2025-2026 school year and the extension of the rolling two-year contract to include the 2026-2027 School Year. Denise Chittick seconded the motion. Motion carried 4-0.
Board Development and Inservice Activities – Superintendent Stone asked if the Board would like for him to reach out to IASB’s Tammy Drawbaugh. The Board asked for him to check in with her.
Announcements and Suggestions for Next Agenda
SBO Swartzentruber announced that the School Board Election Process has been started for the November 4, 2025, School Board Elections. Candidate Election materials are on the District website with links to the election page on the District Home Page in the top banner. The first day that candidate paperwork an be filed is August 25, 2025, and the last day for candidate paperwork to be filed is September 18, 2025, at 5 p.m. All paperwork needs to be filed with Swartzentruber at the District Central Office.
The next Work Session Meeting will be on Monday, June 23, 2025, at 6:15 p.m. Agenda items to include: Summer Board Goals; Discussion of the Hiring Process for Staff; Stone will share a link of the High School handbook with the Board for discussion
The next regular Board meeting will be on Monday, July 14, 2025, at 6:15 p.m. at the Central Office Community Room.
Adjournment
The meeting adjourned at 7:06 p.m.