Regular Meeting December 9, 2024
The Board of Directors of the Forest City Community School District met for a regular meeting on December 9, 2024, at 6:30 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, Andrew Fedders, and Kim Severson. Absent: David Reese and Cody Hennigar. Rick Wiley moved to approve the agenda. Beth Clouse seconded the motion with the proposed changes. Ayes: five. Nays: none. Carried.
Administrative Reports:
- Middle School Principal Sarah Leichsenring presented on SAMI action plan updates, math training and curriculum needs, upcoming activities and incoming motivational speaker to the middle school building.
- High School Assistant Principal and Activities Director Chad Moore presented track season planning, NCC invitation and planning, cashless gate feedback, Athletics Hall of Fame nominations, trophy cases in the high school and planning for the Booster Club recognitions.
- Director of Teaching & Learning, Zach Dillavou presented on Iowa Statewide Assessment
- of Student Progress (ISASP) including communication of results and action plans.
- Sec’y Meinders presented the monthly financial reports and a proposed calendar for meetings relating to the 2025-26 budget.
- Sup’t Lehmann provided information on communications between the Top of Iowa Conference (TIC) and the North Central Conference (NCC), work experience needs and staff sharing.
In old business, Beth Clouse moved, Rick Wiley seconded to remove the Academic Letter criteria from the table. Ayes: 7. Carried. The board discussed the request from the Forest City Foundation Academic to amend the criteria used to determine qualifications for an academic letter at Forest City High School. Andrew Fedders moved, seconded by Rick Wiley to updated the criteria for the Forest City High School Academic Letter to be the following: A high school student must obtain a minimum core GPA of 3.8 for freshman, 3.7 for sophomores, 3.6 for juniors, and 3.6 for seniors and one of following: 98% Attendance, an ACT score of 27+, or be considered advanced in ISASP.
David Reese and Cody Hennigar entered the meeting at 7:57p.m. The following consent agenda items were reviewed: minutes of the November 11, 2024 regular meeting and the December 2, 2024 special meeting, employee contracts and contract adjustments, employee resignations, donations, sick leave bank request, early graduation request, financial statements, and bills for payment. After discussion, Kim Severson moved to approve all consent agenda items. Beth Clouse seconded the motion. Ayes: seven. Nays: none. Carried.
- Employee Contracts: Brianna Duncan, Paraprofessional; McKenna Espeland and Sydney Olson, Co-Wrestling Cheer Coaches; Michael True, Bowling Coach; Bradley Maass, Evening Custodian; and Teacher Quality Professional Development (TQPD) payments.
- Employee Contract Adjustments: Becca Saarie, Paraprofessional increase in hourly rate.
- Employee Resignations: Sherri Lunning, Wrestling Cheer Coach; Charles Frascht, Bowling Coach;
- Employee Resignations at the end of the 2024-25 school year: Mary Espelien, Paraprofessional; Dan Millard, Director of Maintenance and Operations.
- Donations: Crystal Lake UMC Trustees and Hanson Foundation.
- Early Graduation Request: Kaitlyn Weissenfluh
Rick Wiley moved, Andrew Fedders seconded to adjourn the regular meeting. The time was 8:03 p.m.
Organizational Meeting December 9, 2024
After a quorum was established, the organizational meeting of the Board was called to order by Secretary Meinders at 8:03 p.m. on in the District Office. Members present: David Reese, Cody Hennigar, Beth Clouse, Rick Wiley, Troy Thompson, Andrew Fedders, and Kim Severson.
Troy Thompson moved to approve the agenda. Rick Wiley seconded the motion. Ayes: seven. Nays: none. Carried.
Secretary Meinders called for nominations for President of the Forest City Community School Board of Directors. Beth Clouse nominated Troy Thompson for President. Nominations ceased. Votes were called by Sec’y Meinders for Board President. All seven votes were cast for Troy Thompson to serve as President. Nays: None. Carried.
President Thompson called for nominations for Vice-President of the Forest City Community School Board of Directors. Rick Wiley nominated Beth Clouse for Vice- President. Nominations ceased. Votes were called by President Thompson for Board Vice-President. All seven votes were cast for Beth Clouse to serve as Vice-President. Nays: None. Carried. Sec’y Meinders administered the oath of office to newly appointed Board President Troy Thompson and Board Vice President Beth Clouse.
In new business, Andrew Fedders moved, Kim Severson seconded to appoint Sara Meinders as the Board Secretary. Ayes: seven. Nays: none. Carried. President Troy Thompson administered the oath of office to Secretary Meinders.
David Reese moved, Beth Clouse seconded to hold the regular board meetings on the second Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at the District Office at 145 S. Clark Street in Forest City. Ayes: seven. Nays: none. Carried.
David Reese moved Rick Wiley seconded to appoint the following board members to the 2024 school board committees. Ayes: seven. Nays: none. Carried. Committee members are as follows:
Certified Staff Salary & Benefits – Troy Thompson, Kim Severson, and Beth Clouse
Classified Staff Salary & Benefits – David Reese and Cody Hennigar
Administrative Salary & Benefits – Troy Thompson and Rick Wiley
Calendar Committee – Beth Clouse, Andrew Fedders, and Cody Hennigar
District Advisory Board – David Reese and Troy Thompson
Education Hall of Fame – Kim Severson, Rick Wiley, and Beth Clouse FundRaising – Troy Thompson
IASB Delegate Assembly – Troy Thompson
Wellness Committee – Beth Clouse
County Compensation Board – David Reese (Hancock), Cody Hennigar (Winnebago), Kim Severson (Worth)
Boman Fine Arts Center – Kim Severson
Employee Benefits Committee – Cody Hennigar, Kim Severson, and Beth Clouse
Athletic Hall of Fame – David Reese
Administrative Hiring Committee – Beth Clouse and Kim Severson
Audit Committee - Troy Thompson
Board policies 600, 601.1, 601.2, 602.1, 602.2, 602.3 were reviewed. Rick Wiley moved to approve the policies as presented. David Reese seconded the motion. Ayes: seven. Nays: none. Carried.
Beth Clouse moved, Kim Severson seconded to approve the sale of district materials and equipment to I-35 Auctions for a total of $6,309.29. Ayes: seven. Nays: none. Carried.
Kim Severson moved, Beth Clouse seconded to authorize the district’s administration to submit a request to the SBRC for a modified supplemental amount of $161,396 for open enrolled students who were not included in the district’s previous year certified enrollment count. Ayes: seven. Nays: none. Carried.
Kim Severson moved, Andrew Fedders seconded to authorize the district’s administration to submit a request to the SBRC for $7,356 for English Language Learning Program for students who have exceeded five years of weighting that are included on the Fall 2023 certified enrollment headcount. Ayes: seven. Nays: none. Carried.
Sup’t Lehmann reviewed with the Board the plans and specifications for site improvements at the high school which were recently presented by ISG at a special board meeting on December 2, 2024. Kim Severson moved, seconded by David Reese to approve the plans as submitted with an estimated cost of $1,350,000 and with letting of the bids due on January 7, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. to the district office with the school board acting on submitted bids at the January 13, 2025 meeting to begin at 6:30 p.m. Ayes: seven. Nays: none. Carried.
Kim Severson moved, Andrew Fedders seconded to approve $398,656 for modified supplemental amount which requires a local match of $132,885 for the 2025-26 At Risk and Dropout Prevention program. Ayes: seven. Nays: none. Carried.
January 13, 2025 meeting topics were discussed. David Reese motioned to adjourn the regular meeting. Rick Wiley seconded the motion. Ayes: seven. Nays: none. Carried. The meeting adjourned at 9:08 p.m.
Under Iowa Code 20.17(3) the board entered into an exempt session to discuss negotiations, strategy meeting of public employees or employee organizations, mediation and the deliberative process of arbitration.
Troy Thompson, President Sara Meinders, Board Secretary
