Allamakee Community School District receives PIE Award from State Auditor

ACSD recognized as one of best Class 3A school districts in implementing cost-saving innovations, efficiencies

State of Iowa Auditor Rob Sand launched his 2026 Public Innovations and Efficiencies (PIE) awards tour Thursday, January 29, hand-delivering pies and certificates to four winners in northeast Iowa. Among those winners was the Allamakee Community School District, which shared the honor of Best Performing Class 3A Community School District with South Tama and Okoboji Community School Districts.

Sand presented a requested pumpkin pie and a certificate to Allamakee Community School District officials during his January 29 visiting, cutting and serving the pie before joining those in attendance in eating a slice. Representing the Allamakee Community School District at the presentation were Superintendent Jay Mathis, Waukon High School Principal Jen Garin, and Allamakee Community School District Board of Education members Beth Shafer, John Palmer and Jesse Delaney.

“Congratulations to this year’s PIE winners, and a big thanks to all the participants. You’ve shown that saving taxpayers money can be sweet,” said Sand.  “Recognizing community leaders for their efforts with a pie is just the cherry on top. Taxpayers are the real winners.”

Sand launched the nationally recognized PIE program in 2019. It is designed to help Iowa communities slash waste and save tax dollars by sharing creative, common-sense ideas to improve efficiency. Approximately 500 counties, cities, and school districts across the state submit annual entries referred to as “PIE Recipes.”

“The PIE recipe is simple: small changes can lead to significant savings for local governments, and when they share their ideas statewide, the savings grow, potentially into millions of dollars,” said Sand. “That’s why I’ve proposed legislation to create a state-backed PIE program that would include compiling all of these innovative, money-saving strategies in an annual report.”

In addition to his visit to the Allamakee Community School District January 29, Sand also delivered PIE awards to the cities of Spragueville and Guttenberg, in addition to Clayton County, pies which were reported as being purchased by Sand himself from local bakeries along his traveled route Thursday morning. The “PIE Recipes” for all of those agencies included such cost-saving measures as reducing travel costs by encouraging teleconferencing, creating a food rescue program, purchasing energy-efficient appliances, and repairing broken faucets and toilets to reduce water consumption.

The innovations and efficiencies undertaken by the Allamakee Community School District during the year 2025 were numerous and varied across the entire district. Those measures are listed below under their respective category of recognition:

Energy Efficiency: Designate a team or staff person responsible for energy management; Weekend/Off Day shutdown programs in place; Remove personal heaters and other appliances; Use a heat pump water heater.
Lighting: Assess and implement a lighting upgrade; Lights are off in unoccupied rooms; Natural light is used where possible instead of artificial lighting; Window shades used to regulate light and block excess heat; Appropriate lighting levels are used; 50% of installed bulbs are LED; An additional 25% of installed bulbs are LED (totaling 75%); The final 25% of installed bulbs are LED (totaling 100%); Occupancy sensors (if present) set to short turn-off time; LED “Exit” signs installed; Light fixtures are regularly cleaned (to allow light through).
Paper Consumption: Reduce printing by providing electronic PDFs where possible; Set duplex (two-sided) printing as the default for all printers; Transition into an electronic payroll and disbursement process; Create online access to employee tax documentation, such as employee W2s and parent childcare tax statements; Eliminate paper forms by using electronic tools such as PDF or Adobe Acrobat Standard DC.
Computers, Copiers, and Monitors: ENERGY STAR® qualified computers, monitors, printers, and copiers in use; Computers set to hibernate when not in use; Computers turned off overnight (not just in sleep or screen saver mode); Power save settings activated on computers; Equipment plugged into power strips for easy disconnect from power source; 50% of electronic items are unplugged overnight;
Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC): Ventilation units are not blocked by furniture/books/papers/other materials; Windows and doors are closed when heating/cooling equipment is on; Seal any air leaks in doors, walls, and roofs; Windows and doors have weather stripping to avoid air leaks; Thermostat is set to an appropriate temperature based on season, local weather conditions, humidity, and current occupancy; Using temperature setback policy (more natural temperature set when people are not present; i.e. overnight); Annual maintenance conducted on HVAC equipment.
Water Smart Measures: Fix leaky faucets; Repair running toilets; Sweep instead of hosing off floors.
Other Appliances: Freezers seal tightly when closed. All plugged-in appliances are used regularly; ENERGY STAR® qualified appliances, including kitchen equipment, are in use; Rooms free of duplicate appliances (ex. Mini-fridges or space heaters).
Miscellaneous: Contacted local utility for information/resources about rebates/programs related to efficiency; Participated in local utility’s rebates and energy efficiency programs; Provided easy access to shared, infrequently used equipment such as moving carts, folding tables, and a large water dispenser; Added fuel-efficient vehicles to the fleet.
Transparency: Have a website and social media page; Provide meeting agendas, minutes, and budget information online; Elected officials’ contact information online.
Additional Information: Connected with AmeriCorps; Applied for Clean School Bus Program; Utilizing 28E agreements; Implemented Cyber Security Protocols; Utilized and documented Recovery Fund Dollars.

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