As part of preparing for possible Y2K problems, the Mid-Prairie Board Monday agreed that extending insurance coverage should be considered. As a result, it reviewed a questionnaire submitted by its insurance carrier, Fisher Insurance Agency, Ltd. of Kalona, that is linked to possible extension of coverage for property and liability items that may result from Y2K malfunctions.

District Business Manager Doug Slaubaugh noted that the district should consider “having a higher overall umbrella for insurance coverage,” suggesting that if the coverage went from $3 to $5 million, the possible Y2K problems would be covered.

Y2K insurance would be just for a year, 2000, since it is assumed that possible problems would be addressed within that time.

Handbook

The board reviewed the middle school and three elementary school student handbooks and accepted the items.

Discussion centered on what would administrators do if someone came into a school “armed and shooting.”

The principals reviewed emergency procedures, including how they have a code system to alert teachers to a potentially dangerous situation and how it would call law enforcement.

Middle School Principal Becky Furlong reported about a meeting she attended last year, dealing with that issue “and this was before what happened in Colorado.”

She said that the session, held late during the final day, “was packed,” a clear indication of the nationwide concern about violence in the schools.

The issue of violence is to be a future board discussion item.

Food service

Following a presentation from Barry Hopkins, representative from Martin Brothers Distribution Company, the board approved joining the Food Service Cooperative for Iowa Schools. The move is geared to joining a co-op that will help Mid-Prairie have the buying power of a large district.

Hopkins noted that Martin Brothers is a major distributor for numerous institutions, including 400 nursing homes and 70 school districts.

Fees

In other business, the board:

•approved student fees for 1999-2000 that raised book fees to $30 for K-12 with a $120 maximum per family; daily lunch charges to $1.45 ($29 monthly) for students and $2 for adults ($40 monthly); breakfast to 60 cents for students and 95 cents for adults (daily only); athletic supplies to $15 for middle school and $20 for high school; $200 for Driver’s Education; $70 for regular tuition for early childhood and $5 per day for Latchkey program.

•learned from Superintendent Gordon Cook that the Maintenance Committee, consisting of Jim Adam, Ed Whetstine, Jack Dillon, Henry Lemke, Barbara Stimmel, Cook and Gerry Beeler has held two meetings, “is gathering information” and had a third meeting planned. Cook said that “there have been frank, open discussions” and that a report is expected to the board later in the summer, noting “we should have it pulled together by the end of summer.”

•following a closed session, tabled action about administrative salaries, including those for principals, the maintenance director and transportation director.

•set July 26 as the next regular meeting at the high school.

•hired Shawna Yoder as the Latchkey Program director at Kalona Elementary School and John Kauffman as custodian for the middle school.

•accepted the resignation of Tim Sauer as a Wellman Elementary School teacher (he has taken a position in Independence) and hired Jill Miller as a 2nd grade teacher at Kalona Elementary School.