September 19, 2022
The Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont Community School District Board of Directors met at the district office on Monday, September 19, 2022 for a regular board meeting following a tour of the Eddyville Elementary & Daycare at 5:00 pm. Visitors in attendance: April Glosser, Tammy Davis, Jil Nelson, Steve Noble, Michele Ratliff, Ann Ohms, Melissa Reed-Appel, Taylor Kerby, Jaylene Vroegh, Mike Connell & Larae Middlesworth.
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, present; Lara Vandello, present; Micah Van Mersbergen, present; Curt Houk, present; Mark Haselhuhn, present; and Doug Brinegar, present. Quorum established.
Presentation: Jaylene Vroegh & Taylor Kerby gave a presentation to the board on how Agri-Power FFA members performed this summer at county fairs, winning Supreme Chapter at the Iowa State Fair and the many activities already that have taken place or are planned for the upcoming school year.
Public Forum: Mike Connell spoke about the cell phone policy at the Jr/Sr High School and Larae Middlesworth spoke about a fence needed at the Fremont Elementary grade school.
Correspondence: Thank you from the family of Max Ohms.
Approve/Amend Agenda: Houk motioned and Shepherd seconded to approve the agenda. Motion carried unanimously.
Reports: Superintendent Williamson gave a summary of current FY23 purchases from PPEL, expected income from PPEL and SAVE for the year, short term capital project purchases and financial buying power for long term financing. April Glosser, Curriculum Director gave comparative test results from Iowa Assessments to ISASP Testing. Steve Noble, principal at the Jr/Sr High school discussed staff awards, learning walks and Rocket Time topics. Tammy Davis, principal at Blakesburg Elementary gave the combined elementary principal’s board report. Cathy Williamson, Director of Special Services, discussed College Transition Day, work experience students, Co-Teaching and an update on the Explore Academy. Other reports submitted, but not read, were from the Childcare Director and the Maintenance Director.
Consent Items: Shepherd motioned and Houk seconded to approve Consent Items 7a through 7c. Van Mersbergen motioned and Vandello seconded to amend motion to approve Consent Items 7a through 7c(iv): August 9, 2022 & August 15, 2022 Board Meeting Minutes; Financial Reports as of August 31, 2022; September’s Bills, STOP Grant approvals; the Review of School Board Policies: 509 Student Absences – Excused, 510 Truancy – Unexcused Absences, 511 Student Release During School Hours and 512 Pregnant Students. Motion carried unanimously. Superintendent Williamson gave a recommendation to the board to review Board Policy 722 Meal Charges. Van Mersbergen motioned and Houk seconded to table first reading to allow time to gather more information. Motion tabled. Vandello motioned and Shepherd seconded to approve Open Enrollments In: Ayden Meyers, 6th grade from Albia to Blakesburg Elementary, Charlotte Van Englehoven, Kindergarten from Oskaloosa to HSAP, Casey Hol, 7th grade from Oskaloosa to Jr/Sr High, Levi Roberts, Kindergarten from Oskaloosa to HSAP, Sophia Dickerson, Kindergarten from Ottumwa to Fremont Elementary, Kate Krause, 8th grade from Ottumwa to Jr/Sr High, Kendra Krause, 8th grade from Ottumwa to Jr/Sr High, Gage Spurgeon, 8th grade from Ottumwa to Jr/Sr High and Open Enrollments Out: Miah Bowen, 10th Grade to Ottumwa, Jayden Brown, 5th Grade to Oskaloosa, Wyatt Starks, 7th Grade to Clayton Ridge, Tate Jones, 4th Grade to Sigourney. Motion carried unanimously.
Personnel: Shepherd motioned and Vandello seconded to approve Roger Kalke, Bus Driver, Jennifer Hageman, 2nd Grade at Blakesburg, Kalie Patterson, Para Educator at Jr/Sr High, Lisa Reinier, Competitive Robotics, Robin Taylor, 9th Grade Volleyball, Tom Hallgren, Rocket Newspaper, Amy Spurgeon, EBF Website, Susan Cenci, HSAP half time to full time, Alex Ashman, Assistant Baseball Coach, Haegen Boyer, Assistant Softball Coach, Tony Fenton, Head Softball Coach, Tyler Ford, Jr High Baseball Coach, Tom Hallgren, Head Baseball Coach, and Donavan Young, 9th Grade Baseball Coach. Motion carried unanimously. Van Mersbergen motioned and Shepherd seconded to accept the resignations of Cami Grubb, Jr/Sr High Para Educator and Sydney Guiter, Fremont Elementary Para Educator. Motion carried unanimously. Board Member Klyn left at 7:27 p.m.
Action Items: Van Mersbergen motioned and Houk seconded to approve the condensed Return to Learn plan. Motion carried unanimously. Shepherd motioned and Van Mersbergen seconded to approve the 2022-2023 Fundraiser list. Motion carried unanimously. Shepherd motioned and Houk seconded to approve the SBRC Request for Supplemental Allowable Growth for Special Education Deficit of $152,123.24. Discussion held on how the deficit occurs and what would happen if this was not approved. Roll Call vote: Klyn, absent, Shepherd, yes; Vandello, yes; Van Mersbergen, yes; Houk, yes; Haselhuhn, yes; and Brinegar, yes. Motion carried. Vandello motioned and Houk seconded to approve the request from Agri-Power FFA to attend the National Convention in Indianapolis, IN on October 26 to October 29. District will provide two school suburbans for travel. Motion carried unanimously. Houk motioned and Shepherd seconded to approve the elementary furniture purchase in the amount of $44,886.80. Small discussion held on what desks and chairs are being purchased. Motion carried unanimously. Haselhuhn motioned and Vandello seconded to approve the purchase of mini split air conditioning for Eddyville Elementary-quote $22,000, playgrounds equipment and installation for the Eddyville and Blakesburg elementary-quote $146,000- EBF went through Sourcewell, a cooperative purchasing program for educational organizations on the playground bids, and purchase of a new wrestling mat-quote $30,000. Discussion held on Fremont Elementary’s current playground and when the need arises they will get a new playground. Motion carried unanimously.
Discussion Items: Discussion was held on having the Capital Projects committee meet to discuss long term goals for the district, the October 17th board meeting will be held in the library at the Fremont Elementary, and that November’s annual and organizational meetings will be held in the library at the Blakesburg Elementary. Board had lengthy discussion regarding the cell phone policy at the Jr/Sr High. Superintendent Williamson read an email regarding the policy from Mr. Brett Nitzschke, district’s attorney as well as gave statistics on the amount of cell phones that have been confiscated by the office. President Brinegar gave the background as to what direction the board had requested Mr. Noble to proceed with the cell phone policy in the Jr/Sr High handbook. The policy is in place to protect the integrity of the learning environment and be a deterrent to keep cell phones out of the classroom. The IASB Annual Convention is Nov 16 –Nov 18, board members that would like to attend should inform Secretary McCrea. Because EBF is a board of director districts, we must at a minimum recertify or redraw existing boundaries. The district will be working with Mapping Solutions to update boundaries. Superintendent Williamson asked if any board members would be willing to be on an Archery committee, Vandello volunteered. Current open positions: Preschool Para Educator - Fremont Elementary, Regular Route Driver, Junior High Generalist - Jr/Sr High, Junior High Language Arts - Jr/Sr High, Substitutes for all positions, Junior High Student Council, 9th Grade Girls Basketball Coach, Junior High Girls Basketball Coach, Assistant Boys Basketball Coach, Junior High Boys Basketball Coach (2), Assistant Wrestling Coach, Junior High Wrestling Coach, Head Golf Coach, Jr High Track Coach (2), 9th Grade Softball Coach, Asst/Jr High Cross Country, Jr High Baseball, 9th Grade Softball, and Jr High Softball (2)
Adjourn: Shepherd motioned and Vandello seconded to adjourn board meeting. Motion carried unanimously. Meeting adjourned at 8:28 p.m.
Doug Brinegar Mary McCrea
Board President Board Secretary
