Marshalltown High School students Eli Thiessen and Carissa King presented “You’re the Top” from Anything Goes to the school board on March 4. This performance helped them reach all-state status at a recent state large group speech contest.
Recognition
MHS students Carissa King and Eli Thiessen performed “You’re the Top” from Anything Goes for the board. This presentation helped land the duo all-state honors in state large group speech. They are the first all-staters in large group speech from MHS in several years.
Personnel items
RESIGNATIONS:
Miriam Rodas, Substitute Bus Driver for Transportation; Effective February 21, 2019
Tesha Ham, Para Educator – Media Specialist at MHS; Effective March 15, 2019
APPOINTMENTS:
Joy Reynolds, Food Service General Worker at Miller Middle School
Replaces: Candice Buckley
Salary: $11.67/hr for 6 hrs/day (Step 1, Grade 2)
Start: February 25, 2019
Morgan Gardalen, Assistant Girls Soccer Coach at MHS
New Position
Salary: $3,569/2018-2019 Season
Start: March 18, 2019
James Khile, Substitute Teacher
Salary: $115/day
Start: February 19, 2019
Susan Pollpeter, Substitute Teacher
Salary: $115/day
Start: February 22, 2019
CHANGE OF CONTRACT:
Briana Riddle, Special Education Teacher Level I at Fisher Elementary School
From: Preschool Teacher at Fisher Elementary School
Elimination of Preschool Position
Start: 2019-2020 School Year
Teresa Bellus, Custodian at Central Office
From: Custodian at Miller Middle School
Replaces: Hester Fisher
Start: February 25, 2019
Leah Barkema, Science Teacher at MHS
From: Science Teacher at Miller Middle School
Salary: BA/6
Start: August 21, 2019
Lilly Robinson, Food Service General Worker at Lenihan Intermediate School
Change of Location, Salary, and Hours
From: Hoglan Elementary: $12.20/hr for 4 hrs/day (Step 2, Grade 2)
Salary: $11.88/hr for 3.75 hrs/day (Step 2, Grade 1)
Start: January 19, 2019
Amanda Zubrod-Torrez, Food Service General Worker at Miller Middle School
Change of Salary
From: $12.52/hr for 6 hrs/day
To: $13.27/hr for 6 hrs/day
Start: January 19, 2019
Public Comment
Two teachers spoke up with concerns on the insurance plan.
Student School Board Representative Update
MHS students America Dominguez and Jane Ragland gave the update at MHS including MVP (Mentors in Violence Prevention), state speech, show choir, Composition II classes, National Honor Society book drive and upcoming events.
Canvas-Learning Management System
Dr. Lisa Stevenson, Director of Instruction, presented this item as a request for approval for us to use with three different groups- licenses for students and staff at MHS and MLA; and Miller courses for high school credit and the third group is all teachers. This program helps “track and monitor learning,” Dr. Stevenson said. Benefits of a Learning Management System.
The board approved the Canvas subscription for $14,600 for year one.
2018-2019 School Calendar & Weather Related Lost Instructional Hours Update
Dr. Theron Schutte, Superintendent, presented on the make up time for the five days missed due to the weather.
The board approved extending the school year for students by three days from Tuesday June 4 to Friday, June 7 and to extend teacher work day and last teacher day will be Monday, June 10.
The teacher contract has been extended 15 minutes from Mondays to Thursdays beginning March 5 for March, April and May.
The district is looking into future professional development for paraprofessionals.
Bus Bids
Transportation Director Rex Kozak recommended purchasing two 77 passenger gas buses and a 35 passenger gas bus from Hoglund Bus Company of Marshalltown in the amount of $233,572.
“As we continue to look at our fleet we are looking to get 15 years of age per bus,” Kozak said “…and we have some buses that are hitting that 15.”
The board approved the purchases.
Request to Publish Copier RFP
Director of Technology Josh Wesley sought board approval to publish an RFP for a new copier lease agreement. Our current agreement expires in July of 2019 with Advanced Systems Incorporated. The intent will be to request additional functionality for color printing, robust print auditing software and functionality to support Chromebooks. The board approved the publishing of an RFP.
E-Rate Update
Josh Wesley provided updates on the received proposals for 27 edge switches and 4 core switches for the e-Rate 2019 funding year. The board approved to award Heartland Business Systems the bid for 4 core switches and 2nd Gear for 27 edge switches. After the E-Rate discount, the cost is $9,439 for the edge switches and $7,263 for the 4 core switches.
The board approved the purchases.
Budget Guarantee Resolution
Paulette Newbold, Director of Business Operations, presented this document.
This is a mechanism to provide cushion for school districts experiencing declining enrollment- which applies to MCSD since enrollment was down 93 students.
Out of 330 school districts in Iowa, 35 percent will be on the budget guarantee next year.
This is will be part of the proposed budget at the March 18 meeting. The board approved the budget guarantee resolution.
Insurance Recommendation
Superintendent Dr. Theron Schutte said this work has been started last fall.
“We knew that there was some rightsizing that needed to be done,” Schutte said.
At the end of the day ultimate goal is to do the most good for the most employees, Schutte said.
Dr. Schutte said we all realize the district needs to do a better job of educating all of our employees on their options.
Director of Business Operations Paulette Newbold and Mark Becker of Becker and Associates also presented.
With claims costs outpacing premium deposits, that is a major concern.
“The trend that we are on is not sustainable,” Newbold said.
Newbold then went in depth going through this presentation on how employees on each plan would be affected by the changes. (We will send the video of the board meeting to all staff of this presentation when it is available.)
“We will be working closely with Mark and his team on helping to educate all of our staff regarding their options and different tools available to help them in making those decisions,” Newbold said.
The board approved the insurance recommendation as presented.
Board Policies
Second Reading
204.10 (new 213-R1) Community Participation in Board Meetings – No changes from last meeting – Approved
First Reading
312.3-E1 Fringe Benefits-Administrators/Supervisors – Updated with changes made two years ago. Approved as amended and waived second reading.
New Policy 400 Role of and Guiding Principles for Employees – IASB policies- Adopt and waived second reading
New Policy 411.4 Classified Employee Licensing/Certification – Tabled
New Policy 508.1 Class or Student Group Gifts- Adopt and waived second reading
706.2 Payroll Deductions – Adopt IASB policy- Approved and waived second reading
New Policy 712 Technology and Data Security – Approved and waived second reading
New Regulation 712-R1 Security Requirements of Third Party Vendors Regulation – Approved and Waived second reading
704.4 Gifts, Grants, and Bequests – Mirrors IASB offering, Approved as amended and waive second reading
704.5 Student Activity Fund- Mirrors IASB offering, Approved and waive second reading
Initial Review
405.2 Licensed Employee Qualifications, Recruitment, Selection – Added sentence from IASB- Will come back
405.5 Licensed Employee Work Day – IASB adjustments – no to master contract- to employee handbook- TO come back
405.6 Licensed Employee Assignment- IASB adjustments – To come back
405.7 Transfers – IASB Adjustments – To come back
405.8 Evaluation – iASB Adjustments – To come back
406.3 (new 408.1) Licensed Employee-Professional Growth – IASB adjustments – To come back
704.5 Tuition Fees – To be deleted
705.3 Requisition and Purchase Order (old) – To be deleted
705.3 Payment for Goods and Services (new) – new policy – IASB policy- To Come back
705-3-R Payments for Goods and Services – Changes to tipping being reimbursed- To Come back
705.4 Receiving Supplies and Equipment – To be deleted
The next regular meeting will be at 5 p.m. on Monday, March 18
From Board Vice President Janelle Carter
“The board meeting kicked off with an energetic performance by Carissa King and Eli Thiessen who performed their All-State Speech number from the musical theater piece “You’re the Top” from “Anything Goes.” This was a wonderful show of talent from our honorees!
The meeting turned back to more serious discussion with the purchase of new buses, requests for copier leases and technology equipment, showing that we still have one foot in the paper world and one in the electronic world yet today. Approved was the Canvas management system for on-line learning, a great new area of learning for our students and staff. Approval for winter complications to the calendar were made for our seemingly never-ending winter of 2019!
The health insurance plan design was approved for the employees of the district following a final in-depth presentation and discussion of the plan adjustments, rates and premium cost sharing. This comes after many months of work to most effectively bring the plan back into solvency and simultaneously have the least negative impact on some and with a positive impact on the majority. The work is not done, as the education will be provided to support this important piece of the benefit package to maintain a strong level of health protection to our staff.
The quote for tonight: “No winter lasts forever; no spring skips it’s turn” by Hal Borland. It has truly been a long arduous winter, but spring will be here soon!” – Janelle Carter
The Board Report 