Minutes - 12.09.2024

 

ALGONA COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT

Regular Meeting & Organizational

December 9, 2024

 

The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.

 

The Board of Directors of the Algona Community School District, in the County of Kossuth, State of Iowa, met in regular session in the Boardroom, Performing Arts Center, 600 S. Hale Street, Algona, Iowa at 7:00pm. on the above date. 

 

Present:              Tom Nugent, Rodney Davis, Andrea Vinci, Todd Louwagie, Lany Mitchell

Jay Limbaugh

Absent:               Brent Owen

Administration: Superintendent Joe Carter, Secretary Lisa Chapman, Janie Eischen

Visitors: Molly Montag-Algona Publishing

 

The Board of Directors of the Algona Community School District, in the County of Kossuth, State of Iowa, met in regular session, in the PAC Boardroom, 600 S. Hale Street, Algona, Iowa, at 7:00 P.M., on the above date.  There were present President Davis, in the chair, and the following named Board Members:

Jay Limbaugh, Andrea Vinci, Lany Mitchell, Todd Louwagie, Tom Nugent

Absent: Brent Owen

The President announced that this is the time, place and date to hold a hearing on the proposed Resolution to Continue Participation in the Instructional Support Program. Mr. Carter reviewed the process and purpose of the Instructional Support Levy.  The following persons appeared: None

The President declared the hearing closed at 7:02pm.

 

The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.

 

All motions are unanimously approved unless noted.

 

Election for President of the Board was conducted by Secretary Chapman. Limbaugh nominated Davis as Board President. Mitchell seconded. There were no other nominations. Nugent moved to cease nominations for President. Motion carried. Votes were called for the appointment of Rodney Davis as Board President. Davis, Louwagie, Nugent, Vinci, Mitchell, Limbaugh-Aye. Nay-None. Absent-Owen. Davis was declared President.

 

Davis called for nominations of Vice-President. Limbaugh moved to nominate Nugent as Vice-President. Vinci seconded. Motion carried. There were no other nominations. Vinci moved to cease nominations.  Votes were called for the appointment of Tom Nugent as Vice-President of the Board. Davis, Louwagie, Nugent, Vinci, Mitchell, Limbaugh-Aye. None-Nay. Absent-Owen. Nugent was declared Vice-President.

 

The oath was administered to Davis as Board President and Nugent as Vice-President by Secretary Chapman.

 

Approve Agenda: Limbaugh moved to approve the agenda. Seconded by Mitchell. Motion carried.

 

Consent Items:  Nugent moved to approve the consent items and Louwagie seconded. Motion carried.

 

Superintendent Report:

SRO: Carter has had several conversations with the Chief of Police over the last year regarding the placement of a School Resource Officer (SRO) on the Algona campuses. Due to legislation changes this past year, flexibility in funding was created. The district would be able to use Management Funds to contract the services of an SRO. A document of Roles and Responsibilities is being created. Mr. Carter will bring the item to the January meeting for approval. This would be a 28E Agreement with the City of Algona.

Iowa School Performance Profile: Carter reviewed the Iowa School Performance Profile for Algona schools that was released this fall. 

 

Administrative Report:  Janie Eischen, Director of Teaching & Learning delved deeper into the Iowa School Performance Profile. She outlined the changes in the report and explained how scores are calculated as well as what some of those scores were.

 

OLD BUSINESS

Board Policies-2nd Reading:  Louwagie moved to approve the second reading of the following policies: 508.01 Class or Student Group Gifts and 508.02 Open Night. Seconded by Nugent. Motion carried.

 

NEW BUSINESS

Board Policies First Reading: The first reading of board policies was held for the following policies:600 Goals & Objectives of the Education Program, 601.01 School Calendar, 601.02 School Day, 602.1 Curriculum Development, 602.2, Curriculum Implementation, 602.3 Curriculum Evaluation and 602.4 Pilot-Experimental-Innovative Projects. The second reading will be held in January.

 

Dropout Prevention Application: Vinci moved to approve the SBRC Modified Supplement Dropout Prevention application in the amount of $521,918.  Mitchell seconded the motion. Motion carried.

 

Kossuth County Conference Board Appointment:  Nugent moved to appoint Todd Louwagie as the representative for the Kossuth County Conference Board. Seconded by Vinci. Motion carried.

 

Instructional Support Levy

Director Todd Louwagie introduced the following Resolution and moved its adoption.  

Director Tom Nugent seconded the motion to adopt.  The roll was called, and the vote was:

AYES: Louwagie, Nugent, Mitchell, Vinci, Limbaugh, Davis

NAYS: None

ABSENT: Owen

The President declared the Resolution adopted as follows:

RESOLUTION TO CONTINUE PARTICIPATION IN THE INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT PROGRAM

 

WHEREAS, the Board of Directors has determined that to continue the current level of services and to fund the ongoing programs of the School District, continuation of participation in the Instructional Support Program for a period of five years is necessary and in the best interests of the District and its residents and students; and

WHEREAS, the Board of Directors has given consideration to continue participation in the Instructional Support Program as provided in Sections 257.18 through 257.21, Code of Iowa; and

WHEREAS, the Board has published notice of the time and place of a public hearing on the Resolution; and

WHEREAS, a hearing has been held upon the proposal to continue participation in the Instructional Support Program and any objections are overruled

NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS RESOLVED:

1.               The Board of Directors determines that it is consistent with the five year finance plan to fund the ongoing programs and services of the School District and it is in the best interest of the School District to continue participation in an Instructional Support Program as provided in Sections 257.18 through 257.21, Code of Iowa, and to provide additional funding therefor for a period of five (5) years commencing with the fiscal year ending June 30, 2027.

2.              The additional funding for the Instructional Support Program for a budget year will be determined annually and will not exceed ten percent (10%) of the total regular program district cost for the budget year and moneys received under Section 257.14, Code of Iowa, as a budget adjustment for the budget year.

3.            Moneys received by the District for the Instructional Support Program may be used for any general fund purpose.

4.   The Instructional Support Program shall be funded by instructional support state aid and a combination instructional support property tax levied annually upon the taxable property within the School District commencing with the levy of property taxes for collection in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2027, and an instructional support income surtax imposed annually, the percent of income surtax to be determined by the Board for each budget year to be imposed upon the state individual income tax of each individual income taxpayer resident in the School District on December 31, 2026, and each year thereafter.

5.     Unless, within twenty-eight days following the adoption of this Resolution, the Secretary of the Board receives a petition containing the signatures of eligible electors equal in number to not less than one hundred or thirty percent of the number of voters at the last preceding regular school election, whichever is greater, asking that an election be called to approve or disapprove this action of the Board adopting the Instructional Support Program, this action of the Board is final and the Secretary is authorized and directed to certify a copy of this Resolution to the Department of Management.

In the event a petition containing the required number of signatures is filed with the Secretary of the Board within twenty-eight days of the adoption of this Resolution, the President shall call a meeting of the Board to consider rescission of this Resolution, or to direct the county commissioner of elections to submit the following question to the qualified electors of the School District at a special election.

If the Board determines to submit the question to the electors, the public measure to be submitted shall be as follows:

Shall the Board of Directors of the Algona Community School District, in the County of Kossuth, State of Iowa, be authorized for a period of five (5) years to continue to levy and impose an instructional support tax in an amount (after taking into consideration instructional support state aid) of not exceeding ten percent (10%) of the total of regular program district cost for the budget year and moneys received under Section 257.14, Code of Iowa, as a budget adjustment in the budget year, and be authorized annually, in combination, as determined by the Board, to levy an instructional support property tax upon all the taxable property within the School District commencing with the levy of property taxes for collection in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2027, and to impose an instructional support income surtax upon the state individual income tax of each individual income taxpayer resident in the School District on December 31 for each calendar year commencing with calendar year 2026, or each year thereafter, the percent of income surtax to be determined by the Board for each fiscal year, to be used for any general fund purpose? [OR any general fund purpose?]

PASSED AND APPROVED this 9th day of December, 2024.

Rodney Davis, Board President

ATTEST:

Lisa Chapman, Secretary of the Board of Directors

SBRC Applications:

Increased Enrollment:  Limbaugh moved to approve the district’s administration to authorize submission of the  request to the School Budget Review Committee for a modified supplemental amount of $279,888 due to an increase of certified enrollment from the prior year.  Seconded by Vinci. Motion carried.

 

English Learners (EL) Instruction Beyond Five (5) Years: Nugent moved to approve the district’s administration to authorize submission of the  request to the School Budget Review Committee for a modified supplemental amount of $6,585 related to the EL program for students who have exceeded five years of weighting that are included on the Fall 2024 certified enrollment headcount.  Seconded by Louwagie. Motion carried.

 

Set Time & Date of Regular Monthly Meetings:  Vinci moved to approve the time as 5:30pm on the second Monday of each month as the regular monthly meeting. Mitchell seconded. Motion carried. 

 

Appoint Legal Counsel:  Mitchell moved to approve Steve Avery as legal counsel and Nugent seconded. Motion carried.

 

Approve Change Orders for Fieldhouse Project: Limbaugh moved to approve change orders to the Fieldhouse Project totaling $9,842. The changes include electric room changes ($1,828), courtline markings ($3,605), backflow preventor and pot feeder ($2,191) and additional blocking for signage on south wall ($2,218). The motion was seconded by Mitchell. Motion carried.

 

Open Enrollment:  There are no open enrollment applications..

 

Resignations: Mitchell moved to approve the following resignation: Kylie Barnett-Lucia Wallace Teacher Associate. Seconded by Limbaugh. Motion carried.

 

Contracts:  Louwagie moved to approve the following contracts pending completion of any and all certifications not already obtained: Moni Westling-Speech Coach and Lisa Miller-Lucia Wallace Teacher Associate.  Seconded by Vinci. Motion carried.

 

 Mitchell moved to adjourn the meeting at  8:04p.m. Seconded by Louwagie. Motion carried.

 

 

Board Secretary Board President