School board moves closer to change in graduation requirements

By Rick Morain

Jefferson Herald

Consultants for the Greene County Community School District’s search for a new superintendent met with 69 residents of the district on Feb. 16, and then briefed the school board that evening on their proposed procedure for the search.
Lyle Schwartz and Dennis Bahr of the McPherson & Jacobson firm told the board the application deadline for the position is March 2. They expect between 15 and 20 applicants, which will be trimmed to between five and eight semifinalists after a closed session with the board on March 23. Three finalists will then be chosen from that group and will visit here the week of April 4. The finalists’ names will be made public.

The expectation is that the new superintendent will be selected in April.

Schwartz and Bahr told the board that the groups they met with during the day on Feb. 16 – administrators, support staff, students, teachers, and community representatives – all seemed to be seeking the same qualifications as the board for the choice of a new superintendent.
The consultants’ board briefing came at the end of the Feb. 16 board meeting, following a 20 minute recess of the scheduled agenda of the meeting. One of the actions taken during the meeting was to place on first reading a revised policy for graduation requirements.
At present, the Greene County School District offers two diploma choices for graduating students: a “regular diploma” requiring at least 58 credits, and a “basic diploma” of at least 42 credits. The state of Iowa, however, allows a district to award only one type of diploma, so the Greene County district must select the number of credits for that one diploma.

To make the revision, the board had appointed a committee to study the situation and gather information from district personnel. Board members Cindi Daubendiek and Michelle Fields and teachers Heath Telleen and Darren Jackson all made comments to the board on the subject at the meeting.

The number of credits chosen by the committee for the graduation requirement is 50. Another revision to the policy states that at least five elective credits selected to meet the credit requirements must come from courses other than vocal and instrumental music.
In addition, eighth grade students failing more than one core class will be required, as ninth graders, to register for the ninth grade iJAG program (a career education program). Credit completion through “component based recovery” will be available, and a system will be developed requiring students to identify how they meet “Portrait of a Graduate” attributes, beginning with the Class of 2026.

The board issued the following statement in connection with the proposed graduation requirement changes:

“Per the state of Iowa’s instruction, the Greene County High School needs to change from having two diplomas to just one diploma for all. Currently, students can graduate on a standard diploma with 58 credits or a basic diploma with 42 credits. After a committee of staff and board members gathered, it was recommended to the board to change to one 50 credit diploma.

“The committee met multiple times over a couple of months discussing all the concerns of what it would mean to change the number of credits. The number of credits has to be attainable for all. The district’s expectations remain the same: for each student to be given multiple opportunities to succeed in a caring learning environment to ready them for the real world.

“We, the school as a whole, have to mentor and guide our students to make the best choices for each individual. We will continue to push them to become the best version of themselves. We will continue to show them all the available avenues, including the opportunities through career and technical education (CTE) classes and our many partnerships with Iowa Central, including the career academy, dual credit offerings, and online course opportunities. If a student wants to graduate with honors the number of credits will remain the same at 66.

“As with all decisions made, we will continue to review and evaluate what we put in place to ensure the success of our students. Additions or changes to the requirements will be made as the years go on and we continue to learn what is the best for all our students and improve upon a growing foundation.”

On other matters, Darren Jackson, representing the Greene County Education Association (GCEA, the teachers’ union), presented the group’s initial offer for the 2022-23 negotiated agreement between the GCEA and the board. The association’s asking is for an increase of the base salary from $32,760 to $34,950. (The base is what a beginning teacher with a bachelor’s degree would earn.)

The proposal was later calculated as a 6.7 percent increase, for a total district cost boost of over $547,000, not including the insurance package increase. The board’s negotiating committee will meet and present a counteroffer.
The board approved the following staffing changes:

Resignations: custodian Gene Dillavou, eSports coach Jeff Whyle, fourth grade teacher Megan Carman.

Hirings: Michelle Dolder as assistant middle school football coach, Kyle Staudacher as high school math teacher, Katlyn Ohrt as a kindergarten teacher, and Emily Laudner as assistant girls’ soccer coach.
Transfers: Tiffanie Hupp from first grade to English language learner teacher, and Karen Shannon from middle school counselor to instructional math coach.
Contract changes: Robert Palmer, Josef Miller and Kyle Kinne, increase split of eSports contracts from 25 percent to approximately 30 percent.

The board approved the official school calendar for the 2022-23 year. The district staff was consulted on their preferences for the calendar. The approval followed a public hearing on the proposal, with no oral or written comments presented.

Superintendent Tim Christensen recommended, due to the district being short-staffed and having difficulty hiring new custodial staff, to increase all custodial wages, including hourly rates for substitute custodial personnel, by $1 per hour, effective with February hours paid in March. The increase moves the starting custodial wage to $13.20 per hour, with the substitute rate moving to $13 an hour.

Christensen added that he is working on a plan to increase all classified hourly rates, to be presented after teacher salary negotiations are completed.
The board approved accepting a bid of $16,940 to remove some asbestos prior to new flooring installation at the middle school.

The board also approved two fundraisers: a middle school art show and auction from the middle school student council, and a bracelet fundraiser of St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital from girls of Mrs. Fish’s fourth grade class.
An early graduation request from Benjamin Johnston at the end of the second semester was approved.

The board appointed board member Bonnie Silbaugh as the school board representative on the Bell Tower Foundation Board.

Supt. Christensen notified the board that a new bank and a different insurance agent have asked to be considered for banking and insurance services for the district. The board agreed that he, business manager Brenda Muir, and committee member Steve Fisher would meet with representatives from local banks and insurance agents before making a recommendation at a later meeting. Any changes would be effective with the 2022-23 fiscal year.
After reviewing a policy on board organization, the board approved that policy after removal of a reference to moving to a five-member board (which took place in 2019).
Christensen noted that the Iowa Legislature has approved a 2.5 percent increase in supplemental state aid for Iowa public schools for the next school year.

The board approved a proposal from activities director Todd Gordon to present a grant application to Grow Greene County Gaming Corporation for a video scoreboard at Linduska Field. The total project cost is $147,500, and the grant request is for $110,625. If the grant is approved, the district’s share could be taken from physical plant and equipment (PPEL) funds.

The board voted to hold its regular March board meeting on Wednesday, March 9, due to spring break falling on the third week of the month. The meeting would normally have been scheduled for March 16, the third Wednesday of the month.