EACSD Board of Directors approves school calendar for 2023-2024, schedules public hearing for budget

by Susan Cantine-Maxson

The Eastern Allamakee Community School District (EACSD) Board of Directors met at Kee High School in Lansing Monday, March 20 for its regular monthly session. The meeting was called to order by Board President Bobbie Goetzinger, with fellow board members Tony Becker, Melanie Mauss, Kelli Mudderman and Arla Wagner also present, along with EACSD Superintendent Dr. Dale Crozier and Kee High and Middle School Principal Dr. Sarah Murray.

The board held a public hearing on the 2023-2024 school calendar, with no public comments being made or received and the board approving the school calendar as presented. The public hearing for the 2023-2024 budget was scheduled by the board to take place at its April 17 meeting. The board also approved and filed the Fiscal Year 2022 audit report.

Following the adoption of the agenda for the meeting, EACSD Pre-School Teacher Jana Troendle and EACS Kindergarten Teacher Sierra Colsch from the New Albin Elementary School conducted a presentation on the curriculum being used in their classrooms. Troendle  explained the importance of handwriting, phonics and social skills in her classroom to build a foundation for Kindergarten. She noted that State assessment is required in pre-school. Colsch explained that she continues to build on phonics in her classroom along with focusing on memorization, lower case letters and writing skills.

The board  approved the March consent items, minutes of the February meetings, bills for March, Secretary’s Financial Report for February, and the Student Activity and Food Service February Reports.

Under personnel items, the board approved contracts for Jeff Cota as the assistant varsity baseball coach and Shauna Ashbacher as varsity volleyball coach for those upcoming seasons. Additional job description revisions were tabled by the board for a future meeting.

Dr. Murray reported that Kee High School students Cadan Evanson and Izzy Hammell were recognized as Outstanding Individual Speech performers. They were scheduled to perform on the campus of the University of Northern Iowa (UNI) in Cedar Falls for  the Individual All-State Speech Festival March 27.

Kee High School’s Drama Department was scheduled to perform “Be My Ghost” as its spring production April 1-2. Seniors are preparing for the Senior Class Trip that is scheduled for April 28. Dr. Murray said that she and guidance counselor Jeannine Hisel are currently working on next year’s schedule, and she will also continue to work with staff on the Every Student Succeeds Act  process. Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress testing will take place in April.

Dr. Crozier informed the board that the district’s liability insurance will increase for next school year. He said the graduation date for next school year is May 5, 2024. The administration will continue to work on extending the length of the school day at New Albin Elementary School to account for the learning time missed due to snow days in the district this past winter.