Several Rogers Elementary School staff, students and families are pictured at the school board meeting on April 3. Rogers presented the student/staff showcase at the event.
Donovan Gavagan
Recognition
Marshalltown High School freshman Donovan Gavagan was recognized for being selected to be part of the Congress of Future Science and Technology Leaders, which is this summer in Boston.
He was selected for his outstanding academic record and leadership potential. Donovan is interested in working in the medical field.
Lenihan Intermediate School custodian Roger Johnson, right, presents Superintendent Dr. Theron Schutte with a plaque at the board meeting. Johnson is a veteran and wanted to thank Dr. Schutte for honoring the veterans last fall.
Recognition
Veterans Roger Johnson and Matt Tullis recognized Superintendent Dr. Theron Schutte for recognizing staff who are veterans on Veterans Day last fall. Johnson is custodian at Lenihan and Tullis is a special education teacher. Johnson had a plaque made to honor Dr. Schutte and gave it to the superintendent at the meeting.
Personnel
For personnel items approved by the board, click here.
An addition to the personnel list was the approval of the announcement of the next Fisher Elementary School principal.
That role will go to Mark Lee, who is a current elementary principal in Sitka, Alaska. Lee’s annual salary is $92,000 plus $2,000 in moving expenses if he chooses to reside in district boundaries.
He has a wide rage of previous teaching experience including three years in the Spokane, Washington Public Schools with a background focusing in music, special education and reading.
Mr. Lee holds a bachelor’s degree in music from Concordia University and holds three master’s degrees including one in educational leadership and administration from Western Governors University in Washington.
Student/Staff Showcase- Rogers Elementary School
Rogers Principal Dr. Mick Jurgensen said he brought “12 future star” students to the meeting along with staff members. Chelsea Kasal, Julie Underhill, Erin Faas and Deb Christenson. Several Rogers families were also in attendance as part of the busload Rogers brought to the meeting.
Second graders read biographies on famous people such as Helen Keller and Alexander Graham Bell.
Rogers second graders presented, from left, Sherlyn Gutierrez Arce, Thomas Lian, Van Cin and Alejandra Granados Raya and teacher Julie Underhill and Chelsea Kasal.
Three fourth graders led by Extended Learning Program Teacher Deb Christenson presented a Lego STEM project. They built and programmed a mechanical finish line and race cars.
LEGO STEM presentation by Rogers students, from left, Alexis Garcia Vasquez, Shawn Hagele and Matthew Scharpenter and Rogers Extended Learning Program teacher Deb Christenson.
Erin Faas brought the Battle of the Books team from Rogers, The team answered questions from Superintendent Dr. Theron Schutte, who himself is a former Rogers Elementary School student. The team will compete in the district Battle of the Books on April 20.
Rogers Battle of the Books team with Rogers teacher librarian Erin Faas.
2017 Bus Bids
Director of Business Operations Brian Bartz presented bus bids. The board approved the purchase of two 77-passenger buses and one 65-passenger bus from Hoglund Bus Company of Marshalltown. The district also traded in three buses.
“This is our normal trade-in procedure,” Bartz said.
Total cost was $228,341
Ratification of Salary Settlement for Buildings and Grounds for 2017-18
The wage increase is at 2.77 percent with a total package increase 1.65 percent, as the district is contributing less to insurance on their plan than previously. It was approved by the board
Certified Budget 2017-18
A public hearing for budget for the 2017-18 fiscal year was held. The 2017-18 budget sets the levy rate at $17.9493 per thousand assessed valuation. The levy rate lowered three cents from the current year.
Bartz said this levy rate puts the district in good shape going forward. The board approved certified budget.
Board Policies
Second Reading
314.1 Administrator Voluntary Early Retirement Incentive Program – Adjusted date to Oct. 30 – Approved
401.12 Employee Use of Cell Phones – adjusted to correlate with current practice – Approved
401.12-R Employee Use of Cell Phones – Administrative Regulation – Approved
402.2 Child Abuse Reporting – Adjusted to coincide with IASB policy – Approved
402.2-R Child Abuse Reporting – Regulation – Approved
407.6 Licensed Teaching Staff Voluntary Early Retirement Incentive Program – Adjusted date to Oct. 30 – Approved
413.7 Twelve-Month Secretary Voluntary Early Retirement Incentive Program – Adjusted date to Oct. 30 – Approved
First reading
501.10 Open Enrollment – Receiving District – In line with IASB – Approved waived second reading
501.10-R Open Enrollment – Receiving District Regulation – In line with IASB – Approved, Waived second reading
501.11 Transfers In – In line with IASB – Approved, approved waived second reading
501.16 Old Homeless Children and Youth – Dropping policy
501.16 New Homeless Children and Youth – To come back
502.2 Old Search and Seizure – Dropping policy
502.2 New Search and Seizure – To come back
Initial reading
402.6- R- Employee Social Media Expectations and Guidelines – Working on new policy table
402.6-R-1- Employee Social Media Expectations and Guidelines – Working on new policy – table
403.1 – Employee Physical Examinations- Marked as reviewed
403.3 – Communicable Diseases – Mark as reviewed
403.4- Hazardous Chemicals to Know – Marked as reviewed
The board then went into an exempt session for negotiations.
The board will meet on Wednesday, April 12 at 5 p.m. for a work session on standards based grading.
The next regular board meeting will be at 5 p.m. on April 17
From School Board President Bea Niblock
“Spring brings budget work. Budget work brings discussion of property taxes. And discussion of property taxes brings discussion of the certified budget for the 2017-18 school year.
Yesterday’s board meeting was preceded by a public hearing for the 2017-18 budget. Hearing no remarks from the community, the board approved the certified budget as presented by district Finance Director, Brian Bartz.
That approval is the first step in the process of district administration in determining the line item budget for the next academic year. Soon the budget will be completed in all areas and district directors, building administrators and department chairs can begin the process of creating their own individual budgets within the overall certified budget. A long process has just begun.” – Bea Niblock
The Board Report 