The Board Report

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.

District Lead Nurse presents updated communicable disease procedures – watch recording
The Marshalltown School Board heard an update on the District’s communicable disease procedures for the 2022-23 school year at the Monday, Aug. 15 regular meeting. The procedures include what students should do when sick, as well as guidance on returning to school after an illness. 

District Lead Nurse Stacey Tool-Crawford, who presented the updated procedures on Monday, also shared information specific to COVID-19. The District will continue to support following CDC and Marshall County Public Health recommendations, including:

• Frequent hand washing and social distancing to the extent possible.
• Staying up to date with COVID-19 vaccines and boosters.
• Getting tested if you have symptoms. If you are at high risk for severe illness, talk to your healthcare provider about other precautions.
• Wearing a mask indoors in public when community COVID transmission levels are high.
• Following CDC recommendations for isolation and masking if you have symptoms or test positive for COVID-19 – MCSD Guidance for COVID-19 isolation.

Tool-Crawford said MCSD will continue to stay up-to-date on guidance from local, state, and CDC public health guidelines going forward.

Board approves updated 2022-23 MHS Student Handbook – watch recording
An updated Marshalltown High School Student Handbook gained board approval on Monday evening. MHS Principal Jacque Wyant said the handbook includes an updated bell schedule to reflect four lunch periods, a closed campus lunch period, and additional narrative regarding search and seizure.

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 on Monday, click here.

Policies:
Initial Review – 

• 501.3 Compulsory Attendance (marked as reviewed)
• 501.3-E1 Attendance Requirements (marked as reviewed)
• 501.3-E2 Attendance Regulations-table (tabled, will come back at a later meeting)
• 501.15 Open Enrollment Transfers-Procedures as a Receiving District (will come back for a first reading)

The next Marshalltown School Board meeting is set for 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2022 (due to Labor Day on Monday, Sept. 5)  at the Central Administration Office, 1002 S. 3rd Ave. The meeting will be available to watch via live stream through the MCSD website, Facebook, and Twitter pages.

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.

Four Student School Board Representatives approved for 2022-23 – watch recording
Four Bobcat high school students were named Student School Board Representatives at Monday’s meeting, including Natalie Andrade, Abraham Madrigal Farias, Jaxson Eisenbarth and Yessenia Alvarez Zamora.

These four student representatives will attend regular Marshalltown School Board meetings throughout the 2022-23 school year, and will provide updates on student life and school events. Congratulations to this year’s student representatives!

New District logo gains board approval – watch recording
The Marshalltown CSD will sport a new, refreshed logo after Marshalltown School Board action at the Monday, Aug. 1 regular meeting. The approval came after the logo (see image below) was presented by Communications Director Adam Sodders in July.

The new logo was created by Juicebox as part of the District’s new website project, and was recommended with input from student, parent, staff, and community branding perspectives. Importantly, the new logo will only replace the logo featuring the District’s name alongside a star – no changes will be made to other MCSD logos, including the Bobcat logo.

RACOM recognized as MCSD Career Readiness Partner – watch recording
For many years, RACOM has been a vital partner in the Marshalltown CSD’s Bobcat Ready efforts, and the company was recognized with an MCSD Career Readiness Partner Award at Monday’s board meeting.

“RACOM has been a long-standing partner in providing human capital and volunteer service, as well as financial support, for many of the different STEM and CTE initiatives that we have going on in the District,” said Superintendent Dr. Theron Schutte.

For the full story on this incredible MCSD partner, click here!

Tech purchase supports high-quality learning – watch recording
The board approved the purchase of Go Guardian Teacher, a premium feature of the District’s filtering software, at Monday’s board meeting. Director of Technology Amy Harmsen said the platform will allow teachers to customize their students’ online browsing environments during class time, including setting parameters specific to the subject being taught in the classroom.

Board sets 2023 legislative priorities – watch recording
Five key 2023 MCSD legislative priorities gained board approval on Monday evening.

The listed priorities emphasize the importance of sufficient, timely, and equitable funding of public schools. Also advocated are comprehensive community mental health systems and additional resources to help address the pandemic-related student achievement gap.

The full, detailed 2023 MCSD Legislative Priorities document can be seen here.

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 on Monday, click here.

Policies:
First reading – 

• 401.13 Staff Technology Use (amended, second reading waived)
• 501.14 Open Enrollment Transfers-Procedures as a Sending District (amended, second reading waived)
• 507.2 Administration of Medication to Students (amended, second reading waived)
• 507.2-E1 Authorization for Asthma or other Airway Constricting Disease Medication or Epinephrine Auto-Injector Self-Administration Consent Form (amended, second reading waived)

Initial Review – 

• 500.1 Student Rights & Responsibilities (marked as reviewed)
• 501.1 Resident Students (marked as reviewed)
• 501.2 Non-Resident Students (marked as reviewed)

The next Marshalltown School Board meeting is set for 5 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 15, 2022 at the Central Administration Office, 1002 S. 3rd Ave. The meeting will be available to watch via live stream through the MCSD website, Facebook, and Twitter pages.