ACSD Board of Directors discusses variety of items at pair of work sessions, regular monthly meeting

by Brianne Eilers

The Allamakee Community School District (ACSD) Board of Directors held a work session Wednesday, September 26 to discuss funding options for capital improvement projects. Managing Director Travis Squires from Piper Jaffray was there to discuss a capital financing review for ACSD. Squires reviewed taxable valuations and the ACSD tax rate history, as well as funding options for capital projects that would still keep the tax rate fairly low.

ACSD Superintendent Jay Mathis discussed capital projects, including the East Elementary HVAC project and improvements needed at West Elementary to be considered over the next five years. The board decided that another work session was warranted for the HVAC project at East Elementary and that was scheduled for October 2.

The board then met Tuesday, October 2 in another work session. Victor Amoroso, Jr. from A&J Associates was present to discuss more options for the East Elementary HVAC project, as well as to provide the board with examples of similar projects his firm has recently completed. Superintendent Mathis was directed to contact schools that had worked with A&J Associates.

The board held its regular monthly meeting Monday, October 15. Staff for the after school programming was approved and Ken West was approved as a fall driver’s education instructor. Jerry Keenan was approved as assistant varsity baseball coach and Shane Schellsmidt was approved as head varsity baseball coach. Daneshia Snitker was approved as a volunteer girls basketball coach and Randy Nordheim was approved as a substitute bus driver.

Lisa Snitker, Kelly Liddiard, Sara Retallick, Gail Hilleshiem and Mike Shupe were all approved as Model Teachers, as part of the TLC program. The board also accepted the resignation of Barb Winters-Kelly from her position as 21st Century Grant Director.

The board approved a trip for Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) students to attend the Unified FBLA State Fall Leadership Conference. The board also approved the FBLA students cleaning up the middle school gym Sunday, October 28. The board approved an out of state field trip for the music department to see a showing of “Mamma Mia” at Chanhassen Dinner Theatre April 3 of next year.

During the communications time of the meeting, Jennifer Hemann, Sherri Lyons, Kelly Liddiard and Jasmine Christensen gave a presentation for West Elementary. They showed the board and those present the matrix that they put together to help new staff and substitutes understand what the expectations for student behavior are. The material is based off of the “Be the One” book. The main things that students and teachers have focused on are “Be Kind, Be Safe, Be a Good Thinker, Be the One.”

Superintendent Mathis then gave a presentation on the ACSD Financial Health Report, highlighting a few things from the report. He noted that the information was obtained from the Certified Annual Report. In his report, he noted that the financial condition of the school district remained strong during FY 2017-2018. The FY2018 spending authority balance of $6,155,809 carried forward to the FY2019 budget and increased from the prior carryover balance. Certified enrollment was taken October 1 and that number was 1,094.43, with that number being about 0.2 higher than last year’s certified enrollment.

In the High School report, Principal Dr. Mike Hardy noted that Homecoming week went well. Progress continues to be made on the construction house project. Parent/Teacher Conferences are scheduled for October 22 and 23. The fall musical “The Addams Family” will be held November 1, 2 and 3. The FFA has  been busy, with the dairy cattle evaluation team heading to Indianapolis, IN to compete at the National FFA Convention. That team also took 10th place at the World Dairy Expo. The farm business management team will also be competing at the National FFA Convention.

Waukon High School Assistant Principal and Activities Director Brian Hilsabeck noted that regional volleyball will be hosted at Waukon October 17 and Regional Cross Country will be October 18 at Garner-Hayfield-Ventura. Football parents night will be Friday, October 19. Waukon will be hosting the basketball Pride Scrimmage  November 12 against Sumner-Fredericksburg; admission to the event is one canned good.

Hilsabeck noted that if the football team qualifies for play-offs and wins its first-round game October 26, the team would play again November 2. The musical performance scheduled for that evening would have to be moved to November 4.

Waukon Middle School Principal Jennifer Garin reported that sixth and eighth graders will be taking the Iowa Youth Survey and seventh graders will be attending the Youth Frontier Courage retreat November 7. Volleyball and football seasons for the middle school teams have wrapped up, seventh and eighth grade cross country had its conference meet at Waverly October 9, and seventh and eighth grade girls basketball and wrestling seasons are underway. Garin also noted that October is National Anti-Bullying Month and there will be a Unity Day held October 24.

West and East Elementary Schools Principal Joe Griffith noted that a group of teachers from Caledonia, MN will be visiting to observe some of the classes. Teacher Janet Walleser wrote and received a grant from Silos and Smokestacks National Heritage for $350 to help pay for the third grade trip to the Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum. After school elementary programs are doing well, with West averaging 65 students and East averaging 60 students last month.

Griffith noted that West will be changing its concert schedule, with Pre-Kindergarten and first grade having Christmas concerts while Kindergarten and second grade will have a spring concert. He also noted that the shift between funding for the after school programming from 21st Century to At-Risk has been successful and the only real issue they run into is not having enough staff for the program.

In other departments, Gretchen DeVore, ACSD Curriculum head, noted that they are busy working on reports and assessments. Curriculum retreats are starting and they are working with Title I teachers on assessment and program alignment. They also continue to work on “Be the One” programming.

Buildings and Grounds head Bill Hennessy noted that they will be shutting off the irrigation systems for the season and will have to make repairs to the baseball field. Efficiency testing will be done on heating system boilers. He is also working on getting Impact 7 G to East Elementary to test for asbestos for the HVAC project.

Technology Head Shawn Gordon attended a workshop of the new Iowa Assessment. Gordon and nine other staff plan to attend the Google Summit in November. ERATE filing season will be starting soon.

Food Service head Julie Magner reported that October is National Farm to School Month. They have been serving local foods weekly, such as cheese, milk and ice cream from WW Homestead Dairy. Local cattlemen grilled 1,400 burgers for students and staff for Homecoming.

Andrew Eberling, Transportation Director, noted that bus inspections were held October 3. He also noted that the district is looking to purchase two 65-passenger buses.

Under new business, the board approved the specifications for the new school buses, and there are also three old buses that can be traded in. The board also approved the SBRC requests for LEP allowable cost-$28,445.66 and Special Education Deficit-$68,799.92. Superintendent Mathis noted that this is to recoup extra costs and add back into the district’s spending authority. The board approved a consulting/engineering service proposal from A&J Associates to look at East and West Elementary schools.

The board also approved the 2018-2019 District, School Board and Superintendent Goals. The District Goals are: 1) Staff will design instruction to the Iowa Core, including a focus on data and assessment that drives instruction and motivates kids to think at high cognitive levels and perform collaborative, authentic work, and be responsible citizens with a focus on their socio-emotional growth, including mental health; 2) The district will continue and expand existing community partnerships to provide students with enhanced learning opportunities and to become “career and college” ready; and 3) All Allamakee CSD students will receive instruction on problem-solving and questioning skills and technology infusion.

The Board goals include: 1) The Board will support the scope of the District’s curriculum and professional development work; 2) The Board will support efforts to maintain a healthy spending authority and solvency ration through responsible general fund expenditures; and 3) The Board will provide support to the Teacher Leadership and Compensation program, including a robust mentoring program for new teachers.

The Superintendent goals are: 1) Organize presentations and reports to the Board to facilitate its understanding of district initiatives and student learning; 2) Provide leadership in determining facility needs and funding strategies for those needs; 3) Provide leadership in maintaining the District’s general fund spending authority and solvency ratio at healthy levels, while providing appropriate resources to students; and 4) Expand support for students with mental health issues.

The board then reviewed the board committees, which remained the same as last month. The board approved the purchase of a new Dr. Dish shooting machine, which was requested by the boys and girls basketball programs. There are two older machines that can be traded in, and it will also be able to be used by other students, not just high school. The cost is $5,795.00, and will be reimbursed by the Allamakee Athletic Booster Club.