WELLMAN

Four of seven board members turned out for Mid-Prairie’s school board meeting Monday night as rain fell and snow threatened, conditions that caused the cancellation of all other school sports and activities. Although the board approved a few agenda items in the business meeting portion, conversation during the work session and in closing comments proved most interesting on Jan. 8, as it suggests the district’s future direction.

After a discussion of how the 2014 bond might be paid off early, by the end of 2025, Business Manager Jeff Swartzentruber told the board that thanks to unused contingencies built into the district’s current construction project, there would be some money available for other projects, about $75,000-$150,000. On top of that, some $335,000 in interest has accrued in the district’s money market and checking accounts. He suggested the board might consider using these funds to address upgrades to the cafetorium, such as replacing damaged and unsafe seating and malfunctioning theater curtains, or to pay off other upcoming expenditures.

The board requested a list of fine arts needs be compiled for consideration.

The board also considered restructuring board meetings during the work session. While board President Jake Snider indicated he would prefer three meetings a month, as opposed to the current two, an idea that gained most favor was separating the work sessions and business meetings. As things are, a work session precedes a business meeting each time the board meets, but this causes the board to feel rushed and truncate their conversation during the work session.

Holding a business meeting during the first meeting of the month and a stand-alone work session during the second meeting of the month was proposed. Making this change would require an update to the board’s policy; a first reading of such may appear on the next agenda.

“I think everyone will like it,” Superintendent Brian Stone said.

At the conclusion of the meeting, board member Jed Seward asked that the district resume safety discussions in light of the school shooting in Perry, just outside of Des Moines, on Jan. 4. Stone said that “those conversations have already been happening,” as the tragedy prompted the district to immediately assess if they could be doing anything better. Snider suggested the district look into any new active-shooter trainings that have been developed in recent years that the schools could incorporate.

Board Action

In the business portion of the meeting, the board revisited the resignation incentives offered to teachers who put in their notice early, thus giving the district ample time to find replacements in the spring. The board approved the first reading of the Licensed Employee Resignation policy in which the notice dates have been moved up two weeks. Under the revised policy, teachers would receive $2,000 for giving their resignation by the first Monday in February and $1,000 by the first Monday in March.

The board approved making a dropout prevention program request to the School Budget Review Committee for $255,275 to implement the 2024 At-Risk and Dropout Prevention program.

The board approved the establishment of the Qualified Education Assistance Plan retroactive to January 2023, in which the district assists in paying actual qualified education expenses each year up to the current IRS maximum of $5,250 for teachers and paraeducators as they earn their teaching credentials while working with the district. Six apprentices currently work with the district in this way.

Finally, the board approved a first reading of the Licensed Employee Qualifications, Recruitment, Selection policy. Instead of job openings being submitted to the Iowa Department of Education for posting on Teach Iowa, they will be posted on Iowa Works, the online state job posting system.

The Mid-Prairie Board of Education will next meet on Jan. 22 at 6:15 p.m. at the Central Office Community Room.