Community kickoff for third grade reading initiative slated for Jan. 16
A community-wide kickoff for “Spread the Words – Read by Third” is planned for Wednesday, Jan. 16, 5-6:30pm at the Marshalltown Public Library.
Marshalltown was designated an All-America City for its work on the Spread the Words initiative, selected out of 160 communities applying for the distinction.
Work focuses on three areas connected to literacy: chronic absenteeism, summer learning loss and school readiness. Task forces worked in the late summer and early fall to develop action plans focused on the three areas, aligning goals and strategies to the District Strategic Action Plan.
“Our work has just begun,” said Sue Martin, one of the cochairs of the Spread the Words initiate and former director of the Martha-Ellen Tye Foundation. Martin, along with Mid-Iowa Community Action director Arlene McAtee, told the Board about some of the pilot projects and upcoming projects geared toward having 90 percent of third graders proficient in reading by 2016.
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MPD plans summer Kid Career Academy for at-risk youth
Twenty middle school students will participate in a Kid Career Academy next summer, facilitated by members of the Marshalltown Police Department.
Kraig Langeschulte, school resource officer at Marshalltown High School, and Brad Mauseth, MPD community outreach officer, told the Board about their proposed program, which will run July 8-26, 2013, in the Community Y Cultural Center. The program will work with at-risk youth and focus on character education, police education, physical fitness, leadership and community service.
Participants will have guest speakers from different aspects of local law enforcement, including a look at the K9 unit, crime scene investigation, and the Marshalltown Fire Department. There will also be activities about bullying, character building, and leadership.
Each day will also include physical fitness activities and a time for writing and reflection. Meals will be provided through the Marshalltown Schools Summer Meal Program.
At the end of the program students will have a celebration and graduation ceremony with a family potluck and five special awards given out for the five focus areas.
The cost of the program is $4,000, which Langeschulte and Mauseth hope to fund with grants so there is no cost to the students and their families.
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District defines RTI2, continuum of services
District staff and administrators have been working hard to create a comprehensive, well-defined continuum of services for students, as well as a framework for accessing services.
The work has resulted in a common vocabulary and understanding of services in the Response to Instruction and Intervention (RTI2) process.
“This has been a journey for us and we’re going to continue to strengthen this work,” said Dr. Susan Pecinovsky, associate superintendent for student achievement. “This isn’t the end, it’s just the beginning.”
Pecinovsky said previously a lot of the same work was going on around the district, but under different names, with each building having its own labels for teams and processes. Now there are common names and a common understanding across the district, with data teams monitoring the RTI2 process.
The continuum of services has been defined by three areas: universal, targeted and intensive. The goal is for 80 percent of students to have their needs met by services in the “universal” area, which includes work like the Language Literacy Framework, Positive Behavior Intervention Supports and using data to inform instruction.
“It’s going to take time and the resources will shift as the universal gets stronger,” Pecinovsky said.
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31 take early retirement
The final early retirements were approved at Monday’s Board meeting, bringing the total to 31 for 2012-2013.
District staff will leave the district with a combined 791 years of service to Marshalltown Schools. Early retirements approved Monday night are:
- Tim Bell, MHS athletic director, 35 years.
- Marsha Eppert, MHS Special Education, 21 years.
- Molly Ferrin, MHS Special Education, 21 years.
- Mary Fitzgerald, Miller 7/8 Language Arts/Reading/At-Risk, 35 years.
- Carolyn Hanchak, MHS Special Education, 31 years.
- Catherine Hansen, MHS Special Education, 25 years.
- Julie Harvey, Hoglan Grade 2, 30 years.
- Shirley Mann, Franklin Grade 3, 35 years.
- Peggy Niedermann, Lenihan Grade 5/6, 15 years.
- Sally Robertson, Hoglan School Nurse, 18 years.
- Paula Rutherford, Fisher School Nurse, 23.5 years.
- Nancy Van Wyk, Franklin Grade 4, 38.5 years.
- Ellen Youds, Rogers Media Specialist, 32 years.
- Val Strong, MHS 12-Month Secretary, 32 years.
- Brenda Walkup, Rogers 12-Month Secretary, 33 years.
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Notes from the School Board
By Sherm Welker, Board President
Tonight we had the final numbers presented for those long term district employees choosing the early retirement package for this year. We had 31 employees with 791 years of experience with the district elect retirement. We wish them well on the next adventures in their lives and careers whatever they may be.
We deeply express our gratitude for the lives these educators have touched through the years and know they have added so much to so many. We will greatly miss your experience and devotion to our district, the community, and mainly our children. Thank you for your service and dedication.
The early retirement program accomplished several goals and we estimate (with many assumptions I might add) that the district will save about $600,000 assuming all of the positions are filled for next year. This makes a big dent in the budget shortfall of $1 million that we are projecting for 2013-2014.
We will need to monitor our budget projections while we negotiate contracts with those employee groups that are on single year contracts over the next few weeks and months. We then will determine where additional cuts can be taken to keep our expenses in line with our income. Since salaries are the major piece of our budget at about 70 percent, those costs will have the largest effect on the costs projected for next year.
Thank you for your continued support and dedication to our district.
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Notes from the Superintendent
By Dr. Marvin Wade, Superintendent of Schools
Tonight’s “Spread the Words – Read by 3rd!” and “Student Academy” presentations reminded me of how fortunate our school district is to be located in Marshalltown. A significant number of community members consistently demonstrate their commitment to education by selflessly giving of their time and expertise. As important as these contributions are, perhaps the greatest gift is the fact that these individuals serve as role models for our children and youth. We can never have too many positive role models so, when given the opportunity, please take a few moments to thank others for supporting our mission of “nurturing students to become intellectually and personally empowered for citizenship in a changing world.”
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Policy
First Reading
401.1 Equal Employment Opportunity, update language to say we will conduct a background check before all employments, update to reflect Matt Tullis as equity coordinator, waive second reading.
Initial Review
401.4 Employee Complaints, strike third paragraph
401.5/R Employee Records, mark reviewed
401.8 Recognition for Service of Employees, separate service awards from retirement awards
703.4/E Fiscal Management – Performance Measures, run policy by Mary Gannon
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Personnel – Click Here
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The Board Report 