Mid-Prairie Community School District
Kalona, Wellman, West Chester
Mid-Prairie Central Office Community Room, Wellman, IA 52356
November 27, 2023– 6:15 p.m.
President Jeremy Pickard called the meeting to order.
Board members present: Mary Allred, Denise Chittick, Gabrielle Frederick, Jeremy Pickard (retiring), Marianne Schlabach (retiring), Ryan Schlabaugh (new), Jed Seward, and Jake Snider.
Board members absent: Randy Billups (new).
Also Present: Brian Stone, Jeff Swartzentruber, Robin Foster and Greg Jergens.
Marianne Schlabach moved to adopt the agenda as presented. Seconded by Denise Chittick. Motion carried 7-0.
Consent Items
Mary Allred moved to approve the following consent items.
Minutes of Previous Meetings
The minutes of November 13, 2023;
Denise Chittick seconded the consent items. Motion carried 7-0.
Accept Election Results and Recognize Retiring Board Members
The Official Abstract of Votes as canvassed by the three counties on November 21, 2023, for the November 7, 2023, election was presented to the Board for acceptance. A total of 4,343 votes were cast in the election for 4 open seats. The top four candidates receiving votes are the persons to be seated in the seats. These include: Randy Billups with 937 votes, Denise Chittick with 915 votes, Ryan Schlabaugh with 899 votes and Mary Allred with 884 votes. The other candidate and write in candidates received votes ranging in totals from 668 votes to 1 vote.
Jed Seward moved to accept the election results for the November 7, 2023 from the Official Abstract of Votes dated November 21, 2023. Jake Snider seconded the motion. Motion carried 7-0.
The Board also expressed appreciation to retiring School Board Members Jeremy Pickard and Marianne Schlabach. Each 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 2022-2023 Board.
New Board of Education – Organization of the 2023-2024 Board
Board Secretary, Jeff Swartzentruber, called the meeting to order.
The Oath of Office was administered individually to Mary Allred, Denise Chittick, and Ryan Schlabaugh as the newly elected School Board members. Randy Billups took the Oath of Office on November 22, 2023 at 9 a.m.
Next, the floor was opened for discussion for the Nominations for Board President and Vice-President.
Nominations for President of the Board of Directors for the 2023-2024 school year: Denise Chittick nominated Gabrielle Frederick for President of the Board. Seconded by Ryan Schlabaugh. Motion failed 2-3, with the nominee abstaining. Voting against were Seward, Allred, and Snider.
Nominations for President of the Board of Directors for the 2023-2024 school year: Jed Seward nominated Jake Snider for President of the Board. Seconded by Mary Allred. Motion carried 3-2, with the nominee abstaining. Voting against were Chittick and Schlabaugh.
Nominations for Vice-President of the Board of Directors for the 2023-2024 school year: Mary Allred nominated Gabrielle Frederick for Vice-President. Seconded by Jake Snider. Motion carried 5-0, with the nominee abstaining.
The Oath of Office was administered individually to Jake Snider as President and to Gabrielle Frederick as Vice-President.
Appointment of Board Secretary/Treasurer: Gabrielle Frederick nominated Jeffrey Swartzentruber, School Business Official as School Board Secretary and Treasurer. Seconded by Jake Snider. Motion carried 5-0. No oath was administered.
Opening for the New School Board
President Jake Snider called the meeting to order.
Mary Allred moved to adopt the agenda as presented. Seconded by Gabrielle Frederick. Motion carried 6-0.
Hawk Highlight – This agenda item was tabled.
Public Forum
A parent of students in the district again spoke about the Special Education of the District and expressed opinions and concerns. She also provided evidence of the items of concern and requested that these be public record.
A member of the community discussed a personnel issue related to a Special Education teacher that had an end to employment at the end of the last school year. It was a related issue to the first person who shared at this meeting. The member of the community shared their thoughts and opinions on the situation. They also shared emails of the situation with Board Members.
Another parent of students expressed disappointment to the Board about the extended absence of a teacher. He also expressed concern that the communication received from the District was not as detailed as they would have liked.
A parent also stated his experience with Special Education as a positive experience. He also expressed concerns about Special Education retaining teachers and attracting teachers going forward.
Work Session
Administration Reports and Board Dialogue
The Board reviewed the Administrators’ written reports to the Board. Time was allotted to ask questions and discuss the reports. No questions were asked.
Business Meeting
Consent Items
Gabrielle Frederick moved to approve the following consent items.
Finance Report
None presented at this time;
Payment of Bills
The bills as listed for November 13, 2023 and prepaid bills;
Open Enrollment Requests
Open Enrollment In Requests total 0 students;
Open Enrolled Out Requests total 0 students;
Personnel Items
Work Agreement issued to Tobi Anderson, Middle School General Cook, $14.97 per hour;
Work Agreement issued to Sydney Miller, East Elementary Paraprofessional half-time, $14.98 per hour;
Fundraising Requests – None presented for approval
Mary Allred seconded the consent items. Motion carried 6-0.
Student Learning – No Agenda Items
Finance
SBRC Resolution for Additional Allowable Growth for Enrollment and ELL
Business Manager Swartzentruber presented the additional allowable growth resolution for the second time and as amended from October 23, 2023 that, if passed, will allow the District to increase spending authority of $77,708 for Open Enrollment Out and of $6,795 for ELL Beyond 5 Years. These amounts are a result of the Certified Enrollment data from the October 1, 2023, count date.
Jed Seward moved to approve Resolution 112282301 to allow the Superintendent to request increased spending authority of $77,708 on Open Enrollment Out for the 2023-2024 School Year and $6,795 for ELL Beyond 5 Years. Ryan Schlabaugh seconded the motion.
Roll Call Vote: Gabrielle Frederick - yes Mary Allred - yes
Jed Seward - yes Ryan Schlabaugh - yes
Randy Billups - absent Jake Snider - yes
Denise Chittick - yes
Motion carried 6-0.
Short and Long Term Planning
Washington and Johnson County Conference Boards
The board discussed who the representatives for these boards will be for the 2023-2024 School Year. 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 Mary Allred represented Mid-Prairie at Washington County in the prior fiscal year.
Denise Chittick 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 2023-2024 School Year. Mary Allred seconded the motion. The Motions carried 6-0 with Frederick and Seward each abstaining during their respective votes.
Interest Based Bargaining School Board Representative
The board discussed who the representatives from the Board will be for the 2023-24 School Year. Jed Seward and Denise Chittick served in this capacity last couple of years with approximately two meetings per month from November to March or April and scheduled to precede School Board meetings. The first meeting will be prior to the December 11th School Board meeting. Then future meetings will also be prior to the School Board meetings. Mary Allred and Denise Chittick both under consideration to serve for the upcoming year per the November 13, 2023 meeting.
Jed Seward moved to appoint Mary Allred and Denise Chittick as the School Board Representatives to the Mid-Prairie School District Interest Based Bargaining Committee for 2023-2024 School Year. Gabrielle Frederick seconded the motion. The Motion carried 6-0.
Semi-Annual Superintendent Evaluation – Closed Session
Gabrielle Frederick moved to continue to closed session to evaluate the professional competency of an individual whose hiring, performance, or discharge is being considered when necessary to prevent needless and irreparable injury to that individual’s reputation and that individual request a closed session as provided by 21.5(1)(i), Code of Iowa. Seconded by Mary Allred.
Roll Call Vote: Gabrielle Frederick - yes Mary Allred - yes
Jed Seward - yes Ryan Schlabaugh - yes
Randy Billups - absent Jake Snider - yes
Denise Chittick - yes
Motion carried 6-0.
The Board entered Closed Session at 7:10 p.m.
The Board exited Closed Session at 10:26 p.m.
Board Development and Inservice Activities
Board Member Reported on the IASB Convention from November 15th to 17th. Ryan Schlabaugh reported on the new Board orientation. Jake Snider reported on the comradery of the Board Members in attendance and the interaction with other district’s board members. Jed Seward reported on the break out sessions and enjoyed the one on one question time after the sessions ended. Brian Stone also reported on interactions/ he had with other Board and Superintendents at IASB.
Announcements and Suggestions for Next Agenda
The next regular Board meeting will be on Monday, December 13, 2023, at 6:15 p.m. at the Central Office Community Room. Agenda items to include: Policies 313 and 213.1 on Public Comment needs to be reviewed for Public Forum; General Obligation Bond discussion and timeline
Board Highlights – due to the lateness of the hour this was not undertaken by the Board
Adjournment
The meeting adjourned at 10:34 p.m.