Mid-Prairie Community School District
Kalona, Wellman, West Chester
Mid-Prairie Central Office
Community Room, Wellman, IA 52356
March 11, 2024 – 6:15 p.m.
www.mid-prairie.k12.ia.us
President Jake Snider called the meeting to order.
Board members present: Mary Allred, Denise Chittick, Ryan Schlabaugh, Jed Seward, and Jake Snider.
Board members absent: Randy Billups and Gabrielle Frederick.
Also Present: Superintendent Brian Stone, Board Secretary/School Business Official Jeff Swartzentruber.
Pledge of Allegiance
Read the School Mission Statement by Board Member Mary Allred
Jed Seward moved to adopt the agenda as presented. Seconded by Mary Allred. Motion carried 5-0.
Public Forum
No one registered to speak. No one spoke.
WORK SESSION
The Board reviewed the Administrators’ written reports to the Board. Time was allotted to ask questions and discuss the reports. No questions were asked.
Superintendent Stone reported on the one quote to repair or replace the stadium seating in the Cafeteria. Approximately $148,000 to repair and $238,000 to completely replace the entire seating apparatus. The District is waiting on a second quotation.
BUSINESS MEETING
Consent Items
Denise Chittick moved to approve the following consent items.
Minutes of Previous Meetings
The minutes of February 26, 2024;
Finance Report
The Finance Report for Year to Date February 2024;
Payment of Bills
The bills as listed for March 11, 2024 and Prepaid Bills;
Open Enrollment Requests
Open Enrollment In Requests total 9 students;
Open Enrolled Out Requests total 1 students;
Personnel Items
Contract issued to Matt Freel, Assistant Boys Varsity Soccer Coach, $3,264 per annum;
Contract issued to Mikaela Lunsford, Assistant Girls Varsity Soccer Coach, $2,813 per annum;
Contract issued to Sierra Gillis, Preschool Teacher, $40,310 per annum at 2023-24 Rate;
Contract issued to Brody Channell, English Teacher Grades 9-12, $43,909 per annum at 2023-24 Rate;
Contract issued to Sierra Callie Adkins, Fourth Grade Teacher, $40,310 per annum at 2023-24 Rate;
Resignation of Randy Billups, High School Head Wrestling Coach, $6,608 per season, effective March 4, 2024;
Resignation of Kylie Hanshaw, Third Grade Teacher, $41,700 per annum, effective end of 2023-2024 School Year;
Fundraising Requests –No requests presented for approval;
Ryan Schlabaugh seconded the consent items. Motion carried 5-0.
Student Learning
First Reading of Policy 402.2 Child Abuse Reporting
Superintendent Stone noted the need to review the policy and discussed changes to the policy. There are changes recommended that include all school employees over the age of 18 to be mandatory reporters and to report within 24 hours of becoming aware of an abusive incident. The Board discussed the Policy and asked questions for clarification. The current last paragraph of the policy was a topic of discussion. The Board asked for it to be removed.
Ryan Schlabaugh moved to approve on First Reading Board Policy 402.2 Child Abuse Reporting as presented with the exception to remove the current last paragraph. Jed Seward seconded the motion. Motion carried 5-0.
First Reading of Policy 402.5 Required Professional Development for Employees
Superintendent Stone noted the need for this new policy as it accompanies Policy 402.2 Child Abuse Reporting. The Board discussed the Policy and asked questions for clarification.
Denise Chittick moved to approve on First Reading Board Policy 402.5 Required Professional Development for Employees as presented. Jed Seward seconded the motion. Motion carried 5-0.
Second Reading of Policy 508.8 Parental and Guardian Involvement
Superintendent Stone noted the policy passed on First Reading at the February 26th meeting and asked if there were questions or changes to the policy. The policy is to be reviewed annually per the Iowa Department of Education. There are no changes in this review.
Ryan Schlabaugh moved to approve on Second Reading Board Policy 508.8 Parental and Guardian Involvement as presented. Mary Allred seconded the motion. Motion carried 5-0.
Finance
Public Hearing – 6:30 P.M. – Bus Specifications
Board President Snider opened the Public Hearing for School Bus Specifications. No one spoke. The Public Hearing closed at 6:31 p.m.
Approval of Bus Specifications
Superintendent Stone and Board President Snider asked the Board if there were any questions, clarifications or discussion for the School Bus Specifications as presented for two diesel powered buses.
Jed Seward moved to approve the bus specifications as presented and to put the specifications for 2 School Buses out to bid with a due date of March 21, 2024, at 1 p.m. Mary Allred seconded the motion. Motion carried 5-0.
Request for Proposal – District Financial Audit
SBO Swartzentruber presented the Requests for Proposals (RFP) for the annual audit. The last year under agreement is the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024. This is after a two year extension was requested in the Fall of 2022. The proposal document is seeking a 5-year proposal and relationship with independent audit professionals for Fiscal Year. The proposal follows current practices as presented by Department of Management and other school districts in Iowa. Upon acceptance of the RFP, the proposal will be sent to a number of firms—at least 3 but not more than 10 firms that specialize in school and governmental audits.
Jed Seward moved to approve the Request for Proposal as presented. Mary Allred seconded the motion. Motion carried 5-0.
Board Development and Inservice Activities
Superintendent Stone shared the line to IASB’s The Learning Hub - https://www.ia-sb.org/the-learning-hub/custom-workshops. The Board will continue to review this to determine topics to use in future Work Sessions. Stone suggested that we move soon to schedule IASB to come and this should be taken up at Work Session
Announcements and Suggestions for Next Agenda
The next regular Board meeting will be on Monday, March 25, 2024, at 6:15 p.m. at the Central Office Community Room. There will be two distinctly separate meetings. The first will be the Public Hearing on the Property Tax Notice Document. After the first meeting adjourns, the second meeting will commence at 6:30 p.m. where agenda items are Work Session items and will include: Review of the 200 policies; Discussion of the Community Auditorium; Grade-alike Attendance Centers; and Discuss ways to be assured that policies are enforced and teachers see support from the Board. There is a possible need for the Board to approve the Preliminary Official Statement for the 2024 GO Bond Sale.
Board Highlights
Schlabaugh – Toured the Middle School and East Elementary as part of the building inspections for the City. Looks good.
Seward – Home School Count at 598. 22 above the Certified Count. Encouraged by the news.
Adjournment
The meeting adjourned at 6:53 p.m.
President, Jake Snider
Secretary, Jeffrey C. Swartzentruber
Published in The News, Thursday, March 21, 2024 L-225
