April 17, 2023
The Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont Community School District Board of Directors met at the District Office on Monday, April 17, 2023 at 6:00 pm for a regular board meeting. Visitors in attendance: Nathan Hinton, Richard Lettington III, Janet Brinegar, Wyatt Brinegar, Pat Powers, Ragen & Logan More, Randy Maloy, Amy Spurgeon, Ann Ohms, Tom & Alice Vandello, Carroll & Lenna Bresee, April Glosser, James Fineran, Cathy Williamson, Lori Hugen, Megan Simmons and others not signed in.
Call to Order: President Houk called to order the meeting of the EBF Board of Directors at 6:00 p.m. Roll call: Eric Klyn, present; Rena Shepherd, absent; Lara Vandello, present; Micah Van Mersbergen, present; Doug Brinegar, present; Mark Haselhuhn, absent and Curt Houk, present. Quorum established.
Public Hearing: Superintendent Williamson presented to the public a summary of the proposed 2023-2024 Budget that sets the tax rate at 10.82503. There was one question from the public in regards to other area schools tax rates. With no further questions, the hearing closed at 6:09 pm.
Public Forum: Nathan Hinton and Richard Lettington III both addressed the board with concerns regarding the lack of practice space for the wrestling program. With the addition of girls wrestling now being a state sanctioned sport, the need is even greater for the extra space. Janet Brinegar, Wyatt Brinegar and Pat Powers addressed the board with their concerns with the FFA program not having two teachers when most other subjects taught do have two teachers, such as math, English, social studies. There is also a concern that students are missing out on opportunities because of the current situation.
Correspondence: The board received thank you cards from the family of Larry “Harry” McNeese, Sue Heits, from the EBF band students, and from the announcing crew for EBF.tv of Pat Powers, Mike Lane, Jim McCrea and Jim Jaeger.
Presentation: Abby Jager and Nevaya Vandello both juniors at EBF are members of Legacy Youth Alliance. Legacy Youth Alliance is an organization made up of high school students from Wapello County that are dedicated to volunteering and advocating for our communities. They spoke to the board advocating for sensory spaces be created and available for the students of EBF to go to when they need to step away and have a place to go where they can calm down, relax and reflect for their mental health. They feel these sensory spaces would be beneficial for all students. Studies have shown that 25% of all 11th graders have thought about suicide as well as 20% of all 6th graders. They concluded the presentation asking for support from the board.
Approve Agenda: Brinegar motioned and Van Mersbergen seconded to approve the agenda. Motion carried unanimously.
Reports: April Glosser, Curriculum Director, went over the Into Reading Curriculum quotes, the District’s Career and Academic Plan, Sophomore Day at Indian Hills, CASA Mental Health Summit, the potential for a Career Academy Grant, ISASP testing is mostly completed and the open TLC positions for the upcoming school year. James Fineran, principal at Fremont Elementary gave the combined elementary principal’s board report and informed the board of an assembly that grades 2-6 will be attending at the Jr/Sr High school, the number of student teachers we currently have in the district, upcoming field trips and oral hygiene and hearing tests. Cathy Williamson, Director of Special Services, gave updates on the district’s Service Delivery Plan, the GP District Meeting and Women in Leadership conferences she attended, the Stop the Bleed training staff participated in, a second CPI class will be offered April 24th, transition meetings are scheduled, Kourtni Shelquist will be the teacher mentor for the TPRA Grant, the Explore Academy updates and updates on the STOP and COPS grants. EBF was also awarded a Federal Mental Health Grant for approximately 4.2 million dollars over the next 5 years to purchase services, supplies and counselors/therapists. Other reports submitted, but not read were from the Secondary Principal, Activities Director, Childcare Director and Nutrition Director.
Consent Items: Vandello motioned and Klyn seconded to approve the March 20, 2023 board minutes. Motion carried unanimously. Van Mersbergen motioned and Brinegar seconded to approve Consent Items 8b through 8c(iv): Account balances as of March 31, 2023, bills list for April 2023 and school board policies; 537-Student Organizations, 538-Student Publications, 539-Student Publications Code and 540-Student Performances. Motion carried unanimously. Van Mersbergen motioned and Brinegar seconded to approve the first reading of the new board policy 722A-Nutrition Donations. Motion carried unanimously.
Contracts & Agreements: Brinegar motioned and Klyn seconded to approve both of the Operational Sharing Agreements for transportation director and maintenance director with North Mahaska and the FY24 Extension with Opaa! as the district’s food service management company. Discussion held regarding logistics for sharing the transportation director and what staff and parents feel regarding Opaa!. Concerns were brought up regarding the milk that has been served has expired and the number of times chicken is served to students. Van Mersbergen motioned and Brinegar seconded to amend original motion to approve only Di(1&2) the sharing of transportation director and maintenance director. Motion carried unanimously to amend original motion. Amended motion carried unanimously. Van Mersbergen motioned and Brinegar seconded to approve the FY24 Extension with Opaa! for food service. Discussion was held regarding the concern for their animal welfare statement and if the meat purchased was US meat, the milk concerns and the menu having too many chicken items. Brinegar motioned and Van Mersbergen seconded to table the approval for the FY24 Extension until a representative from Opaa! could attend a board meeting and address their concerns. Vandello motioned and Brinegar seconded to approve the following open enrollments in: Noah Waller, 6th Grade, from Oskaloosa to Eddyville, Henry Ratliff, Kindergarten, from Oskaloosa to Fremont Elementary, Kiah Houser, Kindergarten from Oskaloosa to Fremont Elementary, Nataliee Ver Steegh, Kindergarten from Oskaloosa to Eddyville Elementary, Avery Wickenkamp, Kindergarten from Oskaloosa to Eddyville Elementary, Evelyn Lobberecht, Kindergarten from Oskaloosa to Eddyville Elementary, Adalynn Patterson, 1st Grade from Oskaloosa to Eddyville Elementary, Austin Patterson, 4th Grade from Oskaloosa to Eddyville Elementary, and Baylie Patterson, 6th Grade from Oskaloosa to Eddyville Elementary. Motion carried unanimously.
Personnel: Brinegar motioned and Vandello seconded to approve the hires of: Wendy Hatley, Custodian at Eddyville Elementary-2nd Shift; Kierra MacPherson, Jr High Track Coach; Kevin Huck, Jr High Track Coach; Melissa Van Donselaar, Football Cheer Sponsor; Junior High Softball - all pending coaching authorization: Michele Roach, Gladys Genskow – volunteer and Megan Lehman – volunteer; Dustin Snakenberg, Junior High Baseball - pending coaching authorization; Travis Stout, Head Boys Basketball; Jason Leffler, Assistant Boys Basketball; Andy Heinle, 9th Grade Boys Basketball; Tony Fenton, Head Girls Basketball; Mike Haywood, Assistant Girls Basketball, Madysen Wade, 9th Grade Girls Basketball - Madysen Wade; Dimitri Boyer, Head Wrestling Coach and Ryan Jackson, volunteer for Girls Basketball. Motion carried unanimously. Vandello motioned and Brinegar seconded to accept the resignations from Tiffany Roozeboom, 6th Grade Teacher at Fremont Elementary, effective at the end of the 2022-23 school year; Haegen Boyer, Assistant Softball Coach; and Brandy Haines, Jr High Language Arts, effective at the end of the 2022-23 school year. Motion carried unanimously.
Action Items: Brinegar motioned and Van Mersbergen seconded to approve the 2023-2024 Budget. Roll call vote: Klyn, yes; Shepherd, absent; Vandello, yes; Van Mersbergen, yes; Brinegar, yes; Haselhuhn, absent and Houk, yes. Motion carried unanimously. Brinegar motioned and Vandello seconded to set the Amendment hearing for the 2022-2023 budget for May 15, 2023. Motion carried unanimously. Brinegar motioned and Van Mersbergen seconded to approve the In-District Elementary Transfer form for in-district students only. Discussion was held. Brinegar motioned and Van Mersbergen seconded to amend the approval of the In-District Elementary Transfer form to add #6 Anchor would apply for siblings previously approved and add * EBF Board of Directors has the discretion to review and make changes to these procedures. Motion carried unanimously to amend original motion. Amended motion carried unanimously. Brinegar motioned and Vandello seconded to hold the 2023-2024 school calendar hearing with the May 15, 2023 board meeting. Motion carried unanimously. Klyn motioned and Brinegar seconded to approve the Certified Staff Master Agreement with a total package increase of 4.22%; Classified Staff’s MOU increasing hourly employee’s wage by $1/hour and bus driver contracts by $1,000, and Admin/Fiscal/HSAP/Other contracts with a total package increase of 4.22%. Motion carried unanimously. Van Mersbergen motioned and Brinegar seconded to approve the Quote for Into Reading Grades K-6 and Into Reading Grades K-3. Discussion held on this new curriculum and if all elementary buildings now use all the same curriculum for all subjects. Motion carried unanimously. Brinegar motioned and Vandello seconded to approve the quote from Combustion Controls to replace heaters at the Jr/Sr High school. Motion carried unanimously. Superintendent Williamson recommended that the board increase preschool tuition rates and gave the board an analysis of expenditures and revenue for board to make this decision. Lengthy discussion on what to increase rates too. Brinegar motioned and Van Mersbergen seconded to approve a rate increase the Preschool Tuition Rates by $100/month for 3 year olds attending preschool all day and for 4 year olds attending the second half of the day. Motion carried, 5 yes, 1 no. Van Mersbergen motioned and Brinegar seconded to approve the recommended daycare rates of $5.00 per week for all 35 hour contracts, $2.50 per week increase for 10 hours to 25 hour contracts and a $0.50 increase per hour for drop ins. Motion carried unanimously. Brinegar motioned and Van Mersbergen seconded the approval of the draft list of the 2023 EBF Graduates. Motion carried unanimously. Brinegar motioned and Klyn seconded to approve Denovo to begin bid process for the roof repairs to the Jr/Sr High, the addition of a new kitchen at the Blakesburg Elementary and renovations to the current FCS classroom at the Jr/Sr High. Motion carried unanimously.
Discussion Items: Short discussion was held regarding the need for air exchange for the current wrestling room. David Keeton, transportation director, will be bringing a list of surplus vehicles to the board to approve for disposal through the bid process. The board selected the following for the EBF Mission statement that will be brought to the May 15th board for first reading: The mission statement of the Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont Community School District is to provide a quality education which cultivates Iowa students to be collaborative and productive citizens. The following board members have been selected to be on the following committees: Vandello & Houk will be on the Certified Salary Schedule committee; Klyn & Shepherd will be on the Supplemental Salary Schedule & Positions committee; and Klyn and Van Mersbergen will be on the exploration for the need for a second agricultural teacher and/or FFA advisor. Board members are asked to let Superintendent Williamson or Secretary McCrea know if they will be attending the graduation ceremony on Sunday, May 21st. Open positions are: Immediate Openings: Regular Route Driver, Child Care Associates, Substitutes for all positions, Girls Head Golf Coach, 9th Grade Softball Coach and openings for the 2023-2024 School year: 6th Grade Teacher - Fremont Elementary, Social Studies Teacher - Jr/Sr High, Special Education Teacher - Jr/Sr High, Secondary Math Teacher - Jr/Sr High, Assistant Football,
9th Grade Volleyball, Jr High Cross Country, Jr High Volleyball, Jr High Boys Basketball (2), Jr High Girls Basketball (2), Assistant Wrestling, and Jr High Wrestling.
Adjourn: Brinegar motioned and Van Mersbergen seconded to adjourn board meeting. Motion carried unanimously. Meeting adjourned at 8:47 p.m.
Curt Houk Mary McCrea
Board President Board Secretary
