Mid-Prairie Community School District
Kalona, Wellman, West Chester
Mid-Prairie Central Office Community Room, Wellman, IA 52356
November 24, 2025– 6:15 p.m.
President Jake Snider called the meeting to order.
Board members present: Mary Allred, Randy Billups, Denise Chittick, Gabrielle Frederick (retiring), Kirah Johnson (new), Ryan Schlabaugh, Jed Seward, and Jake Snider.
Board members absent: None.
Also Present: Superintendent Brian Stone, Board Secretary/School Business Official Jeff Swartzentruber.
Retiring School Board Annual Meeting
Mary Allred moved to adopt the agenda as presented. Seconded by Ryan Schlabaugh. Motion carried 7-0.
Consent Items
Ryan Schlabaugh moved to approve the following consent items.
Minutes of Previous Meeting
The minutes of November 10, 2025;
Superintendent Statement of Commitment
Subsequent to the Evaluation on November 10th, the Statement of Commitment between the Board and Superintendent Stone to be signed by Board Members and Superintendent Stone;
Chittick seconded the consent items. Motion carried 7-0.
Accept the Election Results and Recognize Retiring Board Member
The Official Abstract of Votes as canvassed by the three counties on November 18, 2025, for the November 4, 2025, election was presented to the Board for acceptance. A total of 3,042 votes were cast in the election for 3 open seats. The top three candidates receiving votes are the persons to be seated in the seats. These include: Jed Seward with 683 votes, Kirah Johnson with 488 votes, Jacob Snider with 454 votes. The other candidates and write in candidates received votes ranging in totals from 424 votes to 1 vote.
Randy Billups moved to accept the election results for the November 4, 2025 from the Official Abstract of Votes dated November 18, 2025. Mary Allred seconded the motion. Motion carried 7-0.
The Board also expressed appreciation to retiring School Board Member Gabrielle Frederick. Frederick was presented a plaque of appreciation by Superintendent Stone and a life-time activities pass. Your service to the District and Community is very much appreciated.
Adjournment (Sine Die) The Board President adjourned “sine die” the final meeting of the 2024-2025 Board.
Frederick left the meeting.
New Board of Education – Organization of the 2025-2026 Board
Board Secretary, Jeff Swartzentruber, called the meeting to order at 6:22 p.m.
The Oath of Office was administered individually to Kirah Johnson, Jed Seward, and Jacob Snider as the newly elected School Board members.
Next, the floor was opened for discussion for the Nominations for Board President and Vice-President.
After the motion below, Seward requested that Board members have an opportunity to express interest in running to be Board President, and if interested provide a synopsis of why. Randy Billups went first and stated interest in the position of President. Jake Snider is interested in continuing as Board President, again. Seward, Johnson, Allred, Schlabaugh, and Chittick stated they are not interested in serving as President at this time.
Nominations for President of the Board of Directors for the 2025-2026 school year: Mary Allred nominated Randy Billups for President of the Board. Seconded by Ryan Schlabaugh. Motion carried 6-0 with the nominee abstaining.
Again, the Board Members stated interest in serving as Vice-President. Schlabaugh stated while he enjoyed serving as Vice-President he would not be opposed to stepping back or serving again. Allred would not decline if nominated. Snider would not decline if nominated. Johnson, Chittick, and Seward stated they are not interested in serving as Vice-President at this time.
Nominations for Vice-President of the Board of Directors for the 2025-2026 school year: Jed Seward nominated Jake Snider for Vice-President of the Board. Seconded by Mary Allred. Motion carried 5-1, with Schlabaugh voting no and with the nominee abstaining.
The Oath of Office was administered individually to Randy Billups as President and to Jake Snider as Vice-President.
Appointment of Board Secretary/Treasurer: Jake Snider nominated Jeffrey Swartzentruber, School Business Official as School Board Secretary and Treasurer. Seconded by Denise Chittick. Motion carried 7-0. No oath was administered.
Opening for the New School Board
President Randy Billups called the meeting to order at 6:40 p.m.
Jed Seward moved to adopt the agenda as presented. Seconded by Denise Chittick. Motion carried 7-0.
Pledge of Allegiance
Read the School Mission Statement by Vice-President
Business Meeting
Consent Items
Mary Allred moved to approve the following consent items.
Payment of Bills
The bills as listed for November 24, 2025 and prepaid bills;
Open Enrollment Requests
Open Enrollment In Requests total 0 students;
Open Enrolled Out Requests total 0 students;
Personnel Items
Approval for East Elementary to hire a full time Special Education Paraprofessional to serve a new IEP student requirement.
Resignation of Dirk Rich, High School Lead Custodian, $18.76 per hour, effective January 15, 2026;
Volunteer Coaches for Winter 2025-2026 Sports Seasons:
Shannon McCain - Wrestling
Fundraising Requests
Girls Wrestling requests approval to raise funds through Snap Mobile and State wrestling t-shirts sponsorships from November 26th to December 25th so that funds are available for hotel rooms for state wrestling, equipment for training and to pay assistant coaches;
Boys Basketball requests approval to raise funds through a donation campaign drive from December 1st to December 31st so that funds will cover volunteer coaches, equipment, and players’ and coaches’ gear.
Ryan Schlabaugh seconded the consent items. Motion carried 7-0.
Business Items
Board Appointment Washington County Assessor Conference Board
School Business Official Swartzentruber reviewed the need to appoint a School Board Member to the Washington County Conference Board. As no Board Members are Johnson County residents, we are not able to appoint a representative for Johnson County. The representative for Washington County last year was Jed Seward. The Board asked Seward if he wanted to continue to for another year.
Mary Allred moved to approve Jed Seward to be the Board Representative for the Washington County Assessor Conference Board for the coming year. Jake Snider seconded the motion. Motion carried 7-0.
Board Appointment IBB Representatives for 2025-2026 School Year
Superintendent Stone reviewed the need to have 2 Board Members serve on the Interest Based Bargaining Committee for the upcoming year. The recertification election held earlier this Fall for the upcoming 3-year period was successful. Representatives for the past 2 years have been Denise Chittick and Mary Allred. Stone would recommend staying with Chittick and Allred for at least one more year to maintain consistency if they are willing to continue. There was discussion amongst Board members with Kirah Johnson expressing interest in being a representative.
Denise Chittick moved to approve Mary Allred and Kirah Johnson as Board representatives to IBB for the 2025-2026 School Year. Mary Allred seconded the motion. Motion carried 7-0.
SBRC Application Resolution Open Enrolled Out Not on Prior Year’s Head Count
SBO Swartzentruber presented the additional allowable growth resolution for Open Enrollment Out. This is an annual resolution to request spending authority from the School Budget Review Committee (SBRC). The new element this year is that instead of one resolution it is now two and could be three. This amount is a result of the Certified Enrollment data from the October 1, 2025, count date. Specific language in Resolution 11242501 is:
The District’s administration is authorized to submit a request to the School Budget Review Committee for a modified supplemental amount of $90,474.00 for Open Enrollment Out students who were not included in the District’s previous year certified head count.
Jed Seward moved to approve Resolution 11242501 to allow the administration to request the modified supplemental amount of $90,474.00 on Open Enrollment Out for the 2025-2026 School Year. Ryan Schlabaugh seconded the motion.
Roll Call Vote: Kirah Johnson - yes Mary Allred - yes
Jed Seward - yes Ryan Schlabaugh - yes
Randy Billups - yes Jake Snider - yes
Denise Chittick - yes
Motion carried 7-0.
SBRC Application Resolution English Language Learners Beyond Five Years
SBO Swartzentruber presented the additional allowable growth resolution for English Language Learners Beyond Five Years. This is an annual resolution to request spending authority from the School Budget Review Committee (SBRC). The new element this year is that instead of one resolution it is now two and could be three. This is the second resolution. This amount is a result of the English Language Learner program students who have exceeded five years of weighting per the October 1, 2025, count date. Specific language in Resolution 11242502 is:
The District’s administration is authorized to submit a request to the School Budget Review Committee for a modified supplemental amount of $7,109.00 related to the English Language Learners Program for students who have exceeded five years of weighting that are included in the Fall 2025 certified head count.
Denise Chittick moved to approve Resolution 11242502 to allow the administration to request the modified supplemental amount of $7,901.00 on for the English Language Learners Program students who have exceeded five years of weighting prior to the 2025-2026 School Year. Jed Seward seconded the motion.
Roll Call Vote: Kirah Johnson - yes Mary Allred - yes
Jed Seward - yes Ryan Schlabaugh - yes
Randy Billups - yes Jake Snider - yes
Denise Chittick - yes
Motion carried 7-0.
Work Session
Ecocene Environmental Group and Survey Work
Ben Curtis from Ecocene led the Board through a series of questions to determine scope of the staff surveys. The Board provided input and discussed the types of groups, subgroups and questions to be asked as well the steps to be taken after the surveys are compiled. Ecocene will work on drafts of the first survey.
New Board of Education Orientation
Superintendent Stone discussed some of the elements of orientation and suggested that a meeting for Johnson and potentially others to discuss the District’s finances. Stone asked Tammi Drawbaugh at IASB if there is a template for orientation. She will work to provide a resource to him. He covered a number of items of current status of various initiatives as a review for all Board members.
Report About the IASB Convention by Board Members
Billups asked if anyone wanted to share impressions of the Conference of November 19th to 21st. The Board shared impressions on various breakout sessions. The impressions of the day(s) was/were extremely positive. It was also the first time that all 7 Board members were able to attend at least the main day of November 20th.
HSAP Flexibility Fund Transfer
SBO Swartzentruber discussed the potential need to do a Flexibility Transfer from the Home School Assistance Program balance into the Flexibility Fund. The balance at June 30, 2025, was $180.892.33. Initial recommendation would be to consider a transfer of $175,000. Swartzentruber reminded the Board that the District holds just over $275,000 in the fund. The current balance is the start for a planned addition at the Home School Education Center. Of the transfer made in this year, it is estimated that approximately $100,000 or more could be added to the balance from last year.
CLOSED SESSION – The Board will enter into a closed session as provided in section 21.5(l)(i) of the open meetings law to discuss the purchase or sale of particular real estate where premature disclosure could be reasonably expected to increase the price the school district would have to pay or lower the price the board would receive for that property.
Jed Seward moved to go into Closed Session reading the above language as to the reason. Mary Allred seconded the motion.
Roll Call Vote: Kirah Johnson - yes Mary Allred - yes
Jed Seward - yes Ryan Schlabaugh - yes
Randy Billups - yes Jake Snider - yes
Denise Chittick - yes
Motion carried 7-0.
The Board went into Closed Session at 7:38 p.m.
The Board returned to Open Session at 7:59 p.m.
Next Meeting and Suggestions for Next Agenda
The next regular Board meeting will be on Monday, December 8, 2025, at 6:15 p.m. at the Central Office Community Room. Agenda items to include: Budget Guarantee Resolution, At-Risk/Drop Out Prevention Plan Approval, At-Risk/Drop Out Prevention MSA Resolution,
Special Board Meeting: Open Meetings Training will be on Thursday, December 4, 2025, at 5:30 p.m. and is provided by IASB per current law. Board Members should receive a Zoom invitation to log in about a week before the event.
Adjournment
The meeting adjourned at 8:05 p.m.