May 16, 2022
The Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont Community School District Board of Directors met at the district office on Monday, May 16, 2022 for a regular board meeting. Visitors in attendance: April Glosser, Jil Nelson, Tammy Davis, James Fineran, Cathy Williamson, Mike & Becky Roe, Travis Johnson, Karen Fairchild, Lillian Fairchild, David Hall, Angie Hall, Stephanie Houk, Cheyenne Houk, Lylah Houk, Cord Houk, Greg Frost, Deb Newell, Burl Newell, Adam Bahr, Megan Bahr, Madison Bahr and others not signed in.
Regular Board Meeting: Call to Order – Establish Quorum: President Brinegar called the regular board meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. Roll call: Eric Klyn, present; Rena Shepherd, absent, Micah Van Mersbergen, present; Curt Houk, present; Mark Haselhuhn, present, Lara Vandello, present via Zoom meeting; and Doug Brinegar, present. Quorum established. Rena Shepherd joined Zoom meeting at 6:01 p.m.
2021-2022 EBF Budget Amendment Hearing: President Brinegar opened the budget hearing at 6:00
p.m. Superintendent Williamson explained how budget amendments are not uncommon especially with the influx of COVID relief funds and went over which funds will be amended. With no comments from the public, hearing closed at 6:03 p.m.
Presentation: Travis Johnson, along with numerous student archers, spoke to the board regarding this year’s season as well as the national tournament in Louisville, Kentucky. EBF had 10 archers attend the national tournament.
Public Forum: none
Correspondence: none.
Approve/Amend Agenda: Houk motioned and Haselhuhn seconded to approve the agenda. Motion carried unanimously.
Reports: Superintendent Williamson went over current financials and the list of summer maintenance projects. April Glosser, Curriculum Director, presented 2022 Spring FAST results, 2022 iReady Math Diagnostic Results, and iReady Reading Diagnostic Results. Tammy Davis, principal of the Blakesburg Elementary gave the combined elementary principal’s board report and updated the board on end of year activities and current hires for next year. Cathy Williamson, Director of Special Services, presented her board report on Special Education billing, hiring of a new special education teacher, a pizza party that students were invited to attend that was held by the Knights of Columbus in Albia and the following para educators have completed the para certification course: Megan Bahr, Theresa DeWitt, Lacy Fowler, Stephanie Houk, Bryanna Lobberecht, Cindy Purdy, Rachel Tague and Shyanne Vanderhyde. Other reports submitted, but not read, were from the Jr/Sr High Principal, and the Childcare & Nutrition directors.
Consent Items: Van Mersbergen motioned and Klyn seconded to approve the Consent Items 8a to 8d: April 1, 2022, April 11, 2022 & April 18, 2022 Board Meeting Minutes; Financial Reports as of April 30, 2022; May’s Bills; the Review of School Board Policies: 400.24 Substitutes for Classified Personnel,
400.25 Public Complaints about Employees, 400.26 Employee Family & Medical Leave and 400.27 Nepotism; Contracts & Agreements: 2022-2023 Iowa Wesleyan University Teacher Cooperative Agreement, 2022-2023 Indian Hills CC Contract for Educational Services, and 2022-2023 Central College Teacher Cooperative Agreement. Motion carried unanimously. Houk motioned and Vandello seconded to approve Open Enrollments for 2022-2023: IN: Kiptyn Ford, Kindergarten from Oskaloosa to
Eddyville Elementary, Easton Barnard, Kindergarten from Pekin to Fremont Elementary, Jordan Day, Kindergarten from Albia to Blakesburg Elementary, Stella Daugherty, Kindergarten from Ottumwa to Blakesburg Elementary and Morgan Simmons, Kindergarten from Albia to Blakesburg Elementary and OUT: Everly Sammons, Kindergarten to Oskaloosa. Motion carried unanimously.
Personnel: Van Mersbergen motioned and Houk seconded to approve for 2021-2022: Elizabeth Overturf, JH Softball Coach, and Randy Malloy & Tyler Ford, JH Baseball coaches, pending completion of transitional coaching license. Motion carried unanimously. Vandello motioned and Houk seconded to approve Rena Whitehall for 1st Grade Teacher at Fremont Elementary. Motion carried unanimously.
Klyn motioned and Van Mersbergen seconded to approve Dimitri Boyer for School within a School Teacher and Head Wrestling Coach. Small discussion. Motion carried unanimously. Vandello motioned and Houk seconded to approve Megan Lehman for Business Teacher at the Jr/Sr High. Small discussion. Motion carried unanimously. Van Mersbergen motioned and Klyn seconded to approve Clayton Hansen for Jr/Sr High Social Studies teacher. Motion carried unanimously. Houk motioned and Van Mersbergen seconded to approve Patricia Ver Ellen for 5th Grade Teacher at Blakesburg Elementary. Motion carried unanimously. Van Mersbergen motioned and Klyn seconded to approve Hailey Gillum for Special Education Teacher at the Jr/Sr High. Motion carried unanimously. Vandello motioned and Van Mersbergen seconded to approve Melissa Van Donselaar as Head Cheerleading Sponsor. Motion carried unanimously. Vandello motioned and Van Mersbergen seconded to approve Barbara Moffit for 5th Grade Teacher at Eddyville Elementary. Small discussion. Motion carried unanimously. Houk motioned and Vandello seconded to approve the resignations of Christopher Purdy, para educator at Fremont Elementary, effective April 14th, Chad Willis, Jr/Sr High Counselor, effective at the end of the 2021-22 school year, Jillian Van Donselaar, 5th Grade Teacher at Eddyville Elementary, effective at the end of the 2021-22 school year, Kaylee Cloyed, 5th Grade Teacher at Blakesburg Elementary, effective at the end of the 2021-22 school year, Shannon Riggenbach, Jr/Sr High Math teacher, effective at the end of the 2021- 22 school year and Elizabeth Overturf, Jr/Sr High Math teacher, effective at the end of the 2021-22 school year. Small discussion held on increasing support for all the new staff for the 2022-23 school year.
Motion carried unanimously.
Action Items: Klyn motioned and Van Mersbergen seconded to approve the 2021-2022 Budget Amendment. Roll Call vote: Klyn, yes; Shepherd, yes; Vandello, yes; Van Mersbergen, yes; Houk, yes; Haselhuhn, yes; and Brinegar, yes. Motion carried unanimously. Secretary McCrea restated the tabled motion from the April 11, 2022 meeting Headstart renting two rooms at the daycare for 3-yr-old preschool for the 2022-2023 school year. Superintendent Williamson’s recommendation is to not approve Headstart renting rooms for a 3-yr old preschool next year. Discussion was held on if the Eddyville Childcare had a 3-yr old program and why we needed to allow 3-yr olds to attend our preschool. Superintendent Williamson stated the revenue from allowing 3-yr olds to attend our preschool program allows the district to continue to offer a 5-day program. State funding is only for half day preschool and the rest of the funding must come from outside the general fund. Motion failed unanimously. Klyn motioned and Van Mersbergen seconded to approve Nolte, Cornman & Johnson P. C’s RFP for auditing services for FY 2022-2025. Motion carried unanimously. Haselhuhn motioned and Vandello seconded to approve the RFP for Food Service Management of Opaa! Discussion was held regarding the need for a food service management company, training before school starts, who is responsible for monitoring family lunch account balances and hiring process for new staff. Motion carried, 4 yes, 2 nays. Van Mersbergen motioned and Haselhuhn seconded to approve the RFP for phone system to American Business Phones. Motion carried unanimously. Vandello motioned and Houk seconded to approve the Access Systems Copier and Printers proposal. Motion carried unanimously. Vandello motioned and Klyn seconded to approve the purchase of 27 Smart TVs and hardware to place a Smart TV in all elementary classrooms ($30,000) and 100 – 2in1 Chromebooks ($40,000). Small discussion. Motion carried unanimously. Van Mersbergen motioned and Houk seconded to approve the early graduation request of Lillian Fairchild. Ms. Fairchild will have enough credits to graduate at the end of her junior year and plans to attend medical school. The board wished Ms. Fairchild success in her academic career. Motion carried unanimously.
Capital Projects: None
Discussion Items: May is School Board Recognition Month and Superintendent Williamson thanked the board for their service to our community. A 360 Survey will be sent out to all staff prior to the end of the school year. Each staff member will evaluate their building administrators. Iowa Association of School Boards also sent out a summary letter from the board workshop held April 18th. Open positons: Immediate Openings: Child Care Associate, 5th Grade Teacher – Blakesburg Elementary, Junior High Generalist Teacher – Jr/Sr High, Senior High Math Teacher – Jr/Sr High, Guidance Counselor – Jr/Sr High, Behavior Interventionist – Explore Academy and the following coaching positons: Junior High Football, Assistant Volleyball, 9th Grade Volleyball, Junior High Volleyball, Junior High Girls Basketball, Assistant Boys Basketball, Junior High Boys Basketball (2), Assistant Wrestling, and Junior High Wrestling.
Adjourn: Houk motioned and Klyn seconded to adjourn board meeting. Motion carried unanimously. Meeting adjourned at 7:55 p.m.
Doug Brinegar Mary McCrea
Board President Board Secretary
