Also approves 2017-18 calendar and PPEL purchases
The Greene County Schools board of education approved sharing portions of two employees’ contracts at its Feb. 15 regular meeting.
Curriculum director Karen Sandberg will be spread even thinner next school year than this. The board previously agreed a 20 percent share of Sandberg’s contract with the Lu Verne Community School District. The board approved sharing another 20 percent with the Mid-Iowa School Improvement Consortium (MISIC) for the 2017-18 school year.
MISIC is a non-profit statewide organization that works to match student assessments to the core curriculum, and to impact instructional practices to help teachers make informed decisions in their teaching methods. Sandberg is currently a MISIC board member. She will resign from the board to become a part-time paid employee.
“As you look at curriculum, if you’re working for one district you’re actually working for everybody,” superintendent Tim Christensen told the board. “I don’t believe this will diminish the work Karen is doing. I think it will actually enhance it.”
The board also okayed a sharing agreement with Glidden-Ralston for a band director. G-R will reimburse Greene County for one-half the total contract cost for a director plus mileage and an additional $3,000. If the G-R board also agrees, the sharing will being for the 2017-18 school year.
The board a year ago discussed not replacing departing middle school band director Hannah Sundberg, but agreed to fill the position as fulltime for the 2016-17 school year with the understanding it could become a shared position for the ’17-18 year. The Glidden-Ralston position covers all instrumental music for grades 5-12 and is a fulltime position this year.
The board approved an early retirement request from high school math teacher Dale Smith and entered into the minutes a commendation for his 22 years of service as a teacher and coach in the Jefferson-Scranton and Greene County Schools. Smith’s retirement brings to four the number of teachers retiring at the end of the school year. They have a total of 117-1/2 years of service to the district.
The deadline for early retirement requests was in December. The board approved Smith’s late request the maximum budgeted for the cash incentives had not been reached. The board held a public hearing at which no one spoke on the calendar for the 2017-18 school year. School will start Aug. 23 and finish May 23, 2018. Christmas break will start Dec. 22 through Jan. 2 and students will return to school Jan. 3. Spring break will be the week of March 12-16.
The board approved a pair of purchases from physical plant and equipment levy (PPEL) funds: 210 Chromebooks from Sterling Computers at a cost of $55,020; and electronic door security upgrades to the elementary school building from Walsh Electronic Security at accost of $22,712.
The board also agreed to hear proposals for advertising/public relations for the district.
The board will hold a special meeting Feb. 22 at 5:15 pm at the administrative building to hold a public hearing and consider and approve bids for the elementary school addition and renovation.
