Greene County school board: Students to build large storage facility for class credit

By Rick Morain
Jefferson Herald

The Greene County Community School Board on Aug. 17 approved a student construction project of a 30 foot by 108 foot storage facility for the school district in the current school year. Twelve students are signed up for the district’s building trades program.

Estimated cost of the project is between $175,000 and $250,000. The board’s motion is for the building not to exceed $250,000. The new facility will provide storage for a number of school departments. It will be located southeast of the high school. Funds will be provided from the school’s physical plant and equipment levy (PPEL) fund.
The storage building will be built instead of a house. The cost of a student-built house would be over $300,000, and no confirmed buyer was found for a house.

In other action, the board selected five priorities for state legislative resolutions, as follows:
    • Continued progress in development of rigorous content standards and benchmarks that reflect real world knowledge and skills students need to graduate and prepare for college or the work force.
    • A preschool funding increase from the current 0.5 weighting to 1.0 weighting, and giving districts maximum flexibility in assigning costs for the program.
    • Establishment of comprehensive community mental health systems to offer preventive and treatment services and comprehensive school mental health programs.
    • Additional tools to attract individuals to the teaching profession, especially in areas of shortage.
    • Setting supplemental state aid at a rate that sufficiently supports local districts’ efforts to plan, create, and sustain world-class schools.

The board approved staff changes as follows:
    • Resignations: home school family liaison Ellen Ritter, and middle school associate Jeanise Pedersen.
    • Hirings: Sarah Schultz as high school science teacher, Wade Adcock as a high school special education associate, Misty Bettey as assistant FFA adviser, Jill Franey as a food service cook, and Mary Rohner as a part-time food service cook.

On recommendation of superintendent Brett Abbotts, the board approved changes to employment contracts for building secretaries and associates. When contracts were issued last April, incentives of 50 cents per hour were offered up to four times per year for participation in professional development. Abbotts’ recommendation was to reissue the contracts for an immediate $2 increase per hour and to require four professional development days throughout the year. Administrative staff will plan those days in partnership with Prairie Lakes Area Education Agency (AEA).

The board reappointed Tracy Deal, Jan Scharingson, and Matt Wetrich as community members serving on the reconsideration of instructional materials committee.
On recommendation of activities director David Wright, the board approved adding an assistant cheerleading sponsor position at seven units on the extracurricular pay schedule, and to hire Shannon Black as head cheerleading sponsor and Debra Wolterman as assistant cheerleading sponsor.

The board appointed superintendent Abbotts as district level one investigator in the event of a sexual harassment or abuse complaint.
Board treasurer Sid Jones presented the 2021-22 annual treasurer’s report, which reconciled with the board secretary’s balance. The board accepted the report.
Board president Steve Fisher then administered the oath of office to treasurer Jones and secretary Brenda Muir. Both had been reappointed to those positions at the July meeting.
The elementary student and parent handbook was approved.

The board placed on second reading and approved the revised board policies on open enrollment transfers as a sending district and as a receiving district. The revisions were necessary due to changes in Iowa open enrollment law.
The board placed on second reading and approved the revised policy on administrative voluntary retirement benefits. The revision defined what positions are covered by the policy.
An agreement with Classroom Clinic for the 2022-23 year for tele-mental health services was approved. The contract, at $13,125, is the same price and services as last year.
Fundraisers were approved as follows: cheerleaders, driveway painting; FFA, fruit, meat, and cheese sales; and after-prom, spirit bracelets and supplemental food items such as ice cream, pizza, and cookies.
The board approved its review of its policy on the role of and guiding principles for employees.

The board placed on first reading a new board policy on employee use of cell phones, as suggested by the Iowa Association of School Boards.
Superintendent Abbotts reported on administrators attending the School Administrators of Iowa annual conference, a federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) grant, the teacher-paraeducator apprenticeship grant, and back-to-school activities. Open houses were underway at the same time as the board meeting, so building principals were not present for the meeting.

 

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