Archive | June, 2022

June 20, 2022 Board Meeting

21 Jun

To watch the full board meeting discussion of the below items, please click the “watch recording” link next to each item. The links will take you to the start of each of the below agenda items/topics from the board meeting recording.

MHS Activities Director Ryan Isgrig, left, and Director of Technology Amy Harmsen, right, share their recommendation for the purchase of a new display board for the MHS Pool. The board approved the purchase at Monday’s regular meeting.

New MHS aquatics display board purchase approved – watch recording
An exciting upgrade is coming to the MHS Pool! The Marshalltown School Board approved the purchase of a new aquatics display and scoreboard from Daktronics Inc. at the Monday, June 20 regular meeting. 

The new display will enhance the MHS aquatics area for Bobcats Swimming student-athletes and fans alike. MHS Activities Director Ryan Isgrig said the new display installation will follow other improvements to the pool area, including ceiling and lights upgrades, as well as the installation of a new air conditioning unit.

We would like to thank the Booster Club and local donors Brendan & Kristina Dulaney, Colette Lothe, Dr. Thomas Rinehart, Edith Hodges-Cornwell, James & Candy Hunt, Jeff & Ann Isgrig. Joe & Janelle Carter, Katherine Sinning, Madilyn Abernathy, Matt & Kimberle Schryver, Paul & Frances Hermanson, and Ryan & Stephanie Isgrig for their donations to this project!

Students’ National History Day exhibit featured in special showcase in D.C. – watch recording
MHS students Yessenia Alvarez Zamora and Leticia Herrera were recognized on Monday after their 2022 National History Day (NHD) national contest exhibit – “La Huelga: The Struggle That Earned Farm Workers Rights” – was competitively selected and featured in a virtual showcase at The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C.

Congratulations to these incredible students!

Board supports new MHS e-sports program with purchase of computers – watch recording
An exciting new e-sports program is coming to Marshalltown High School next school year, and  the board supported the program by approving the purchase of six gaming computers on Monday. Participating students will be able to use the high-quality computers to practice and compete in e-sports beginning this fall!

Danielson, right, and Johnson, left, share an update on “Scherzo.”

Update shared on “Scherzo” artwork, community invited to unveiling event – watch recording
Marshall County Arts & Culture Alliance Executive Director Amber Danielson and artist Stephen T. Johnson shared an exciting update on Monday – “Scherzo,” a colorful, music-inspired sculpture created by Johnson, has been installed outside of the Marshalltown Performing Arts Center. 

A “Scherzo” Reveal Celebration is scheduled for  5-7 p.m on Thursday, June 30 at the Marshalltown Performing Arts Center (east side of Marshalltown High School, 1602 S. 2nd Ave.). Danielson encouraged community members to join the celebration, which will feature a ribbon-cutting ceremony and live music performed by MHS students and the Marshalltown Municipal Band. More information can be found here.

“Scherzo” stands in front of the Marshalltown Performing Arts Center.

New K-12 music curriculum approved – watch recording
New music curriculum materials for K-6 general music and 5-12 performance music are coming to MCSD after board action on Monday. 

The curriculum approved for K-6 general music was Quaver, while the MusicFirst and SmartMusic platforms were approved for performance music at grades 5-12.Both programs were presented and discussed at the June 6 regular board meeting.

Digital Mapping service agreement moves forward – watch recording
The board approved an agreement with Collaborative Response Graphics (CRGs) to perform site-specific digital mapping of District buildings at Monday’s meeting. 

Superintendent Dr. Theron Schutte said the service will support school safety by enabling better communication in the event of an emergency. Monday’s recommendation came after consulting with Marshalltown Police Department Chief Mike Tupper. 

The MPD paid for digital mapping at MHS to allow school officials to become familiar with the service. MHS was the first building in Iowa to use the CRGs digital mapping services.

District Lead Nurse Stacey Tool-Crawford presents the annual student health report on Monday evening.

Annual student health report presented – watch recording
District Lead Nurse Stacey Tool-Crawford presented the student health report for the 2021-22 school year on Monday evening. 

Tool-Crawford provided an overview of the important role school nurses play at each school building, as well as student health data collected throughout the year. She also discussed the schools’ health plans and state health requirements.

Contractor selected for Fisher Elementary walking path project – watch recording
Another step was taken on the Fisher Elementary walking path project on Monday evening. The board voted to approve a contract with Tim Nichols Construction to install the new path. 

ELPA 21 assessment overview shared – watch recording
MCSD English Language Learner & Migrant Program Coordinator Rachel Inks reported on the 2021 ELPA 21 assessment results at Monday’s meeting. Each year, the ELPA 21 assessment measures English-learning (EL) students’ proficiency in the language, as well as progress toward proficiency.

Employee handbook and appendices approved – watch recording
The board voted to approve the 2022-23 MCSD employee handbook and appendices on Monday. The documents had been presented by Director of Human Resources Dr. Nora Ryan at the June 6 regular meeting. The handbook covers the following groups: 

  • Nutrition professionals
  • Buildings and Grounds staff
  • Paraeducators
  • School bus drivers and monitors
  • 10- and 12-month secretaries, administrative assistants, bilingual attendance specialists, youth counselors, and hourly staff in the Business, HR, and IT departments.
  • Staff who are part of the Marshalltown Education Association (MEA), including teachers, school counselors, librarians, school nurses and special resource personnel.
Manis shares a Ladders to Learning update.

Ladders to Learning program data presented – watch recording
Anson Elementary Principal Ronnie Manis shared updated data from the Ladders to Learning program on Monday evening. Ladders to Learning focuses on helping elementary students fill learning gaps by meeting targeted, individualized goals.

Agreement for financial statement audit services approved – watch recording
A three-year contract with Hogan-Hansen for financial statement audit work gained board approval on Monday. The contract will cover fiscal years 2022-2024.

2022-23 Marshalltown School Board regular meeting schedule set – watch recording

Communications
Communications Director Adam Sodders reviewed the good news from the district by sharing newspaper articles as well as school communications articles. That list can be seen here.

Personnel items
For a list of personnel items approved Tuesday, click here.

Policies:
First reading – 

  • 200.3 Responsibilities of the Board of Directors (adopted, second reading waived)


Initial Review – 

  • 405.5 Licensed Employee Work Day (marked as reviewed)
  • 405.6 Licensed Employee Assignment (marked as reviewed)
  • 405.7 Licensed Employee Transfers (marked as reviewed)
  • 405.8 Licensed Employee Evaluation (marked as reviewed)
  • 804.5 Stock Epinephrine Auto-Injector Supply (marked as reviewed)

The next Marshalltown School Board meeting is set for 5 p.m. on Monday, July 11, 2022 at the Central Administration Office, 1002 S. 3rd Ave. It will be the only regular meeting in the month of July, and available to watch via live stream through the MCSD website, Facebook, and Twitter pages.

June 6, 2022 Board Meeting

7 Jun
Chromebook technician Jose Ramirez (left), MHS Dean of Students Dan Terrones (center), and District Server Specialist Sebastian Ramirez (right) discuss plans for providing e-sports opportunities to high school students.

Board approves exciting new MHS student activities – watch recording
There will be even more unique, high-quality activities available to MHS students starting in the 2022-23 school year after Marshalltown School Board action at the Monday, June 6 regular meeting, including:

  • E-sports (electronic sports): Students will have the opportunity to play video games in a highly competitive, organized environment. E-sports competitions have become very popular, and the activity will grow students’ organization, teamwork, and planning skills, all of which are highly valued in many career paths.
  • Girls wrestling: After being sanctioned by the Iowa Girls Athletic Union recently, girls wrestling is now available separate from boys wrestling. MHS will include girls wrestling starting next school year, and only one team member is required to have the program. MHS Activities Director Ryan Isgrig said three girls went out for wrestling with the boys team last year, and more interest could come now that a girls wrestling team is available.
  • Career Technical Student Organizations (CTSOs): The board approved two new CTSOs to be offered at MHS next school year – Future Farmers of America (FFA) and Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA). Along with offering valuable work-based learning experiences, the organizations will also help foster community partnerships and support the ongoing career and technical education underway at MCSD.

Research shows that students who participate in school activities tend to have improved academic performance and school engagement compared to non-participants. The three activities approved on Monday will add to the great, enriching opportunities available to Bobcat students!

Class of 2022 Seal of Biliteracy earners (from left) Rebekah Stone, Siang Tial, and Miguel Becerra demonstrate their language skills at Monday’s board meeting. They are among the record-breaking 53 graduates who received a Seal of Biliteracy this year.
Click here to see all of this year’s Seal of Biliteracy earners!

Record-breaking 53 Class of 2022 grads earn Seal of Biliteracy – watch recording
A record-breaking 53 graduates from the Class of 2022 earned a Seal of Biliteracy this school year, and three biliterate graduates demonstrated their skills during a board recognition on Monday.

Seal of Biliteracy earners Miguel Becerra (Spanish), Rebekah Stone (French), and Siang Tial (Hakha Chin) each gave an introduction in their languages and shared their future plans with the board. Every year, the Seal is awarded to students for attaining proficiency in English and one or more languages by the time they graduate from high school.

The future of the Seal of Biliteracy at MCSD is bright, with 28 juniors having already qualified to earn the Seal upon graduating as part of the Class of 2023.

New music curricula recommended – watch recording
Director of Instruction Shauna Smith and Curriculum and Professional Development Leader (CDPL) Julie Thede were joined by Miller Middle School Band Instructor Mary Potter and MHS Vocal Music Instructor Amy Ose to recommend new music curriculum materials for K-6 general music and 5-12 performance music on Monday.

The curriculum recommended for K-6 general music was Quaver, while the MusicFirst and SmartMusic platforms were recommended for performance music at grades 5-12.

The board heard a recommendation for new music curricular materials at Monday’s board meeting. Pictured, from left: MHS Vocal Music instructor Amy Ose, Director of Instruction Shauna Smith, Miller Middle School Band instructor Mary Potter, and CDPL Julie Thede.

HumanEx Culture Survey results presented – watch recording
HumanEx CEO Brad Black presented an executive summary of the 2022 District-wide employee culture survey on Monday evening. The summary includes the District’s scores on 15 culture dimensions, a comparison to previous scores, and much more.

The top five scoring dimensions this year were Engage-Inspire, Pride, Continuous Improvement, Innovation, and Quality.

New preschool literacy curriculum approved – watch recording
The board voted to approve a four-year agreement for the Frog Street preschool literacy curriculum at Monday’s meeting. The approval vote came after the curriculum was presented by Director of Instruction Shauna Smith in May.

MCSD receives clean financial statement audit for FY 2021 – watch recording
Kristi Wick of Hogan-Hansen, CPAs and Consultants gave an overview of the MCSD Fiscal Year 2021 financial statement audit at Monday’s board meeting. The independent firm found no issues in their audit of the District’s finances, and the board voted to approve the statement as presented.

2022-23 school meal price changes approved – watch recording
The board approved a set of school meal price changes recommended by Director of Food Service Lynn Large on Monday. Large said the slight price increases were necessary to remain compliant with the USDA’s Paid Lunch Equity Tool and federal regulations, and to keep up with challenges created by supply chain shortages and rising food supply costs.

Employee handbook and appendices discussed – watch recording
The recommended 2022-23 MCSD employee handbook and appendices were presented by Director of Human Resources Dr. Nora Ryan for information and discussion on Monday evening. The handbook covers the following groups: 

  • Nutrition professionals
  • Buildings and Grounds staff
  • Paraeducators
  • School bus drivers and monitors
  • 10- and 12-month secretaries, administrative assistants, bilingual attendance specialists, youth counselors, and hourly staff in the Business, HR, and IT departments.
  • Staff who are part of the Marshalltown Education Association (MEA), including teachers, school counselors, librarians, school nurses and special resource personnel.

No action was taken on the employee handbook and appendices on Monday, and an approval vote is scheduled to take place at a future meeting.

MEA Supplemental Pay schedule, MOA approved – watch recording
The board approved the 2022-23 MEA Supplemental Pay Schedule, as well as a memorandum of agreement regarding Career and Technical Education (CTE) instructors with a limited teaching authorization on the current salary schedule.

Security camera purchase gains approval – watch recording
A set of 10 AVA security cameras will be installed at Miller Middle School after board action on Monday. 

The new cameras can record to the cloud or to a cloud-hybrid system. Secure and Advanced Vision for Education (SAVE) funds will be used for the camera purchase.

Summer projects set to move forward – watch recording
Director of Buildings and Grounds Todd Goulding gained board approval to move forward with planned summer projects on Monday. The projects will take place across the District and will include renovations, replacements, and upgrades both inside of buildings and on outdoor school grounds.

Communications
Communications Director Adam Sodders reviewed the good news from the district by sharing newspaper articles as well as school communications articles. That list can be seen here.

Personnel items
For a list of personnel items approved Tuesday, click here.

Policies:
First reading – 

  • 415.1 Drug and Alcohol Testing Program (amended, second reading waived)
  • 415.1-E1 Drug and Alcohol Testing Program Notice to Employees (amended, second reading waived)
  • New Exhibit 403.6-E3 Drug and Alcohol Program and Pre-Employment Testing Written Consent Information (adopted, second reading waived)

Initial Review – 

  • 415.3 Relations to Pupils and Public (deleted)
  • 415.5 Classified Substitutes (deleted)
  • 200.3 Responsibilities of the Board of Directors (will come back for a first reading)

The next Marshalltown School Board meeting is set for 5 p.m. on Monday, June 20, 2022 at the Central Administration Office, 1002 S. 3rd Ave. The meeting will be available to watch via live stream through the MCSD website, as well as our Facebook, and Twitter pages.