Thank you Principals!

Principals were recognized at the board meeting as part of National Principals Month.

The board appointed Ben Fletcher as the new board member to fill a vacancy for the next

Ben Fletcher

year and he was sworn in. Fletcher works as an engineering manager at Emerson/Fisher and has a degree in mechanical engineering from Iowa State University.

“I’m excited to get started and honored they selected me,” Fletcher said.

Seven community members were interviewed by the board for the vacancy last week.

“Thank you to everyone who interviewed and stepped up to volunteer for the position,” said Board Vice President Janelle Carter. “We had really good candidates.”

Fletcher will serve until the next school board election in fall of 2017.

Recognitions
Miller Middle School cross country runners Diana Castro and Ellie Draisey were honored for showing character and great sportsmanship when they helped a runner from an opposing team finish a race at a meet in Indianola recently.

“What you did was truly a great representation of what we want this school district to be like,” said board member Ross Harris.

ABC 5 of Des Moines sent a news reporter to the meeting and the story can be viewed by clicking here.

Principals honored
MCSD principals were honored for their hard work and dedication to the district as part of National Principals Month. Thank you principals!

New staff member introduction
Rod Whitmore introduced himself to the board. He is the new school resource officer at Marshalltown High School. He has more than 20 years of experience with the Marshalltown Police Department.

Personnel
The following items were approved under personnel.

      APPOINTMENTS:

• Dominique Cook, Bus Monitor for Transportation

Start:  September 21, 2016

Salary:  $9.50/hour

• Kurt Reinert, Custodian/Grounds for Buildings & Grounds

Replaces:  Antonio Jaramillo

Start:  August 17, 2016

Salary:  $13.05/hour

• Brittney Spear, General Education Paraeducator

Replaces: Lisa Crouch and Amy Wunschel

Start: October 3, 2016

Salary: $8.77 per hour

• Monte Eaton, Industrial Technology Teacher

Replaces: Robert Weatherly

Start: October 3, 2016

Salary: BA Step 5

• Heather Lee, High School Drama Coach

Start: October 3, 2016

Salary: $5,147

Special education deficit
Director of Special Services Matt Cretsinger said the special education deficit is at $1.2 million.
He said the deficit is an outcome of the services that are required to be provided for students with disabilities. Many school districts throughout the state have a special education deficit.
For more information on this deficit, click here.
Director of Business Operations Brian Bartz requested the board approve the spending authority on the $1.2 million dollars to make up for the deficit. The board approved the measure.

Board Polices
705.9 – Death of a Student, Staff Member or Board Director- To come back for first reading
312.1 – Administrative Personnel Employment- Individual Contracts – To come back for first reading
301.3- Superintendent of Schools- Functions- Asked for adding building principals to supervisory duties and to remove those that are taken care of by Director of Business Operations- Policy to come back for first reading.
401.2 – Employee Conflict of Interest – Marked as reviewed
401.7 – Travel – Marked as reviewed

Superintendent Dr. Theron Schutte presented polices that are specifically part of the upcoming equity review. Many policies change the equity coordinator to Anthony Spurgetis. Many of these will be an adoption of Iowa Association of School board policies. Eric Goslinga has been the point person as far as the equity visit.
“He’s done a fantastic job,” Dr. Schutte said.

This list will be in final form for a first reading next meeting.

The next regular board meeting will be at 5 p.m. October 17 in district offices.

From Board President Bea Niblock
“Each October, the board is faced with the task of looking at the special education deficit and voting to apply for allowable growth and supplemental aid through the state School Budget Review Committee (SBRC).

Director of Special Services, Matt Cretsinger, gave the board pertinent information as to the number of students being served in the district’s continuum of services as well as students who have been open enrolled to other locations to be served and the degree of services provided. The special education deficit was put in perspective when compared to other similar districts and those providing services to similar numbers of students. Marshalltown’s deficit is $1,218,764 for the 2015-16 school year.

The board voted to ask for additional spending authority from the SBRC. The district can then choose to levy additional cash reserves to recover the deficit expenditures.” – Bea Niblock