Board Minutes 2025.05.12

Regular Meeting

                                                                                                  May 12, 2025

The Board of Directors of the Forest City Community School District met for a regular meeting on May 12, 2025, at 6:32 p.m. at the District Office, Forest City, Iowa. 

After a quorum was established the meeting was called to order by President Troy Thompson. Members present: Beth Clouse, Troy Thompson, Rick Wiley, and Andrew Fedders. Absent: David Reese, Cody Henniger and Kim Severson.  Beth Clouse  moved to approve the agenda, Rick Wiley seconded the motion. Ayes: four.  Nays: none.  Carried.

Administrative Reports:

• Elementary Principal, Brad Jones, presented on elementary concerts, Title I activity night, annual PBIS event, FAST reading tests, curriculum implementation, and preliminary ISASP scores;
• High School Principal, Ken Baker, presented on preliminary ISASP scores, Xello and work based learning, presentation of the 2024-2025 District Career and Academic Plan (DCAP), professional development, SAMI work, scheduling, and upcoming graduation;
• Director of Teaching and Learning, Zach Dillavou, presented on Portrait of a FC Learner partners, preliminary ISASP scores, teacher quality process, curriculum review of next year, computer science updates, attendance data, Danielson framework for teaching, and Invest themes;
• Sec’y Meinders presented monthly financial reports and a summary of the office calendar for May and June.
• Sup’t Lehmann provided an update on facilities projects, student bus conduct and expectations for the 2025-26 school year, vocal music position opening, and Meinders appointment to the IPERS Investment Board.

The following consent agenda items were reviewed: minutes of the April 14, 2025 regular meeting, minutes of the April 21, 2025 special meeting, open enrollments, summer school wages, employee contract adjustments, employee resignations, donations, an early graduation request, financial statements, and invoices for payment.  After discussion, Rick Wiley moved to approve all consent agenda items. Beth Clouse seconded the motion.  Ayes: four.  Nays: none.  Carried.

• Open Enrollment Out (Accepted): Emmet Senne to West Hancock; Raiden Bergland-Laite to Lake Mills; Elena Dakin to North Iowa; Natalie Burns, Abigail Burns, Jade Rollefson, and Aviva Newman to Clear Lake;
• Open Enrollment In (Denied): Michael Lewis and Anthony Lewis from West Hancock
• Employee Contract Adjustments: Lulu Valadez, Adjustment of tuition reimbursement agreement; Rebecca Schnebly, reduction in hours;
• Employee Resignations at the end of the 2024-25 School Year: Jordan Anderson, Paraprofessional;
• Donations: H&R Block, $759.00; Benevity, $14.56;
• Early Graduation Request: Grady Wooge.

In old business, the board reviewed the 2025 legislative priorities.

In new business, Andrew Fedders moved, Rick Wiley seconded to approve the review of the following board policies:605.1, 605.2, 605.3, 605.3R1, 605.3E1, 605.3E2, 605.3E3, 605.3E4, 605.3E5.  Ayes: four. Nays: none. Carried.

Employment sharing agreements for the 2025-26 school year were presented as follows: School  Business Official (financials updated) to North Iowa CSD; English Language Learner (ELL) Teacher to Garner-Hayfield-Ventura CSD; Media Specialist from Garner-Hayfield-Ventura CSD; Social Worker from Central Springs CSD. Andrew Fedders moved, Rick Wiley seconded to approve the sharing agreements as presented.  Ayes: four. Nays: none. Carried.

Rick Wiley moved, Beth Clouse seconded the approval of the graduating class list for 2024-25 pending completion of all graduation requirements.   Ayes: four. Nays: none. Carried.

Secretary Meinders presented the 2025-26 consortium agreement for the North Iowa Therapeutic Instructional Consortium. Rick Wiley moved, Beth Clouse seconded to the agreement as presented. Ayes: four.  Nays: None. Carried.

Rick Wiley moved, Andrew Fedders seconded the 2025-26 consortium agreement for the North Iowa Therapeutic Instructional Consortium as fiscal agent.   Ayes: four. Nays: none. Carried.

Rick Wiley moved, Beth Clouse seconded to approve the payment of the Education Support Personnel Salary Supplement (ESPSS) to all regularly scheduled support staff in the June 2025 payroll based upon employee full-time equivalency (FTE) as presented.   Ayes: four.  Nays: none.  Carried.

Beth Clouse moved, Rick Wiley seconded the approval of nomination from the Forest City Education Hall of Fame committee to recognize Julie Jefson, Arlyn Mitgaard, and Lary Vold into the Forest City Education Hall of Fame.   Ayes: four. Nays: none. Carried.

Andrew Fedders moved, Beth Clouse seconded the approval of the 2024-2025 District Career and Academic Plan (DCAP) as presented.   Ayes: four. Nays: none. Carried.

Andrew Fedders moved, Beth Clouse seconded the approval of student fees and lunch prices for the 2025-26 academic school year.   Ayes: four. Nays: none. Carried. School fees remain unchanged with nutrition prices increasing between $0.05 and $0.25 per meal and/or item depending upon the category and the building.

Rick Wiley moved, Andrew Fedders seconded the approval of change orders to the High School Site Improvement Project. Change Order #1 totaling $3,163 for an added and revised storm structure and Change Order #2 totaling $3,550 to demo concrete stoop outside door #18 and replace the frost stoop.   Ayes: four. Nays: none. Carried.

Sup’t Lehmann and Sec’y Meinders (on behalf of the entire Forest City Community School Community) expressed a thank you to all school board members for their service to the district in honor of May being School Board Recognition month.

Sup’t Lehmann informed the Board of Directors on the changes required for the evaluation of the Superintendent and School Business Official due to the Iowa Court of Appeals decision for Teig v. Loeffler as well as the guidance from Iowa Association of School Boards regarding Conducting evaluations in closed session.

June 9, 2025 meeting topics were discussed. Rick Wiley motioned to adjourn the regular meeting. Andrew Fedders seconded the motion.  Ayes: four.  Nays: none.  Carried.  The meeting adjourned at 8:12 p.m.

 

 _______________________                                       _____________________________             

Troy Thompson, President                                             Sara Meinders, Board Secretary