School calendar may change due to legislation

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The Mount Ayr Community Schools board of directors held a public hearing for the 2024-2025 school calendar, and met in regular session on Monday, February 12.

The meeting opened with discussion around two proposed school calendars. Superintendent Jason Shaffer noted there is current legislation in process that may allow schools to start the Tuesday following the Iowa State Fair. The legislation has passed both the house and the senate, and is making it’s way through the process during “funnel week.”

Superintendent Shaffer noted the schedule was reviewed by a calendar committee including Sarah Schafer, Betsy Budach, Dr. Abby Stephens Elliott, and Dan Showalter. Parents can meet with the committee to voice their thoughts and concerns as part of that review process.

The initial school calendar showed school starting on Friday, August 23, and ending on Friday, May 23, 2025. A total of twenty early dismissals are planned, including thirteen Wednesdays and one Friday that would provide two hours of staff professional development per day.

School conferences would be on October 22 and October 24, as well as March 11 and March 13, with

no school on the following Fridays.
School would dismiss early on Wednesday, November 27, with no school on November 28-29 in observance of Thanksgiving.

Winter break would begin with an early out on Friday, December 20, and school would resume on Friday, January 3, 2025.

A second calendar, developed with a start date on the Tuesday following the Iowa State Fair, was also presented. The alternative school calendar has school starting on Tuesday, August 20, and ending on Wednesday, May 21, 2025.

The adjusted calendar reduces the total number of early dismissal days to eighteen, including twelve Wednesdays and one Friday for two hours of staff professional development each day.

School conferences, Thanksgiving, winter break, and spring break would all remain the same as the initial calendar. During the regular meeting, the school calendars were approved as presented, while noting the district would move to the new option if available.

Regular Business
The board of directors also approved the following items during their regular session:
• A budget guarantee resolution stating the Mount Ayr community school district will levy property taxes for fiscal year 2024-2025 for the regular program budget adjustment (a 1% increase) as allowed under section 257.14, Code of Iowa. The resolution provides some guarantee that the district would get an increase in funding if student enrollment numbers were to drop.
• A bid from Grand River Mutual to purchase a new phone and PA system, at a cost of $31,462 for 88 phones, $21,009.34 for the PA system at both buildings, and a monthly maintenance/service fee of $397.83.
Three bids for a leased phone system were also reviewed prior to accepting the purchase agreement.
Windstream submitted a bid of $1,790.10 for a monthly lease. ICN submitted a bid of $1,729.12 for a monthly lease. Grand River Mutual also submitted a bid for a monthly lease rate of $1,158.68.
Ultimately, the board decided that purchasing a system was more economical, as it catches up with the total cost of leasing within 4 years.
• The FY2023 audit report. Board secretary Stephanie Newton also noted they will be sending out RFPs to secure a new school auditor, as the district’s current auditor is no longer going to be working with schools.
• The Diagonal sharing agreement, extending the agreement another year.
• The shared superintendent agreement with Bedford school district.
• Out of state field trips.
• Fundraising requests.
• Updates to board policies:
• Student Substance Abuse
• Internet Appropriate Use
• Internet Appropriate Use Regulation
• Artificial Intelligence in the Education Environment
• Artificial Intelligence in the Education Environment Regulation
• Depository of Funds
• Transfer of Funds
• Financial Records
• Governmental Accounting Practices and Regulations
• Budget Planning
• Spending Plan
• Responsible Technology Use & Social Networking
• Responsible Technology Use & Social Networking Regulation.

Secondary Principal Report
Secondary principal Josh Vanderflught proposed adding community service hours to graduation requirements next school year. He would like to see 50 hours of community service be a requirement for students.
As part of this requirement, students would do 10 hours each year in 9th and 10th grade, and 15 hours during each of their 11th and 12th grade years. A form would be provided to sign off and tracked through the office.
Any student recording 100 hours or more would earn a service cord to wear for graduation.
Principal Vanderflught also raised concern about doubling down on vaping prevention. This includes vapes with marijuana in them.
He is hearing that neighboring districts are adding a metal detecting wand as a vaping prevention method. Many times students hide vapes where we cannot search.
This would require a policy change but would allow us to use a wand on students suspected of vaping (with reasonable suspicion). Students would be wanded by a staff member of the same sex, and if the wand detected something, students would have to comply or face a consequence.
It is nearly impossible to catch students with vapes and this would be a big step to prevent them from being here as students would know they couldn’t hide them in undergarments.
Mr. Moran, Mrs. Rinehart, Mrs. Elliott, and Mrs. Shields have been working with Principal Vanderflught to develop the MTSS system. They have added a number of supports for students including: MS breakfast club, HS early out tutoring, structured study hall, executive functioning instruction interventions, and behavior interventions. They use behavior referrals, attendance, and grade data to determine services.

Elementary Principal Report
Elementary principal Chris Elwood reported they have now completed the third Science of Reading session with teachers.
He expressed appreciation of the new portable smart board received from the Raider Education Foundation. Elwood also noted that they received 25 new Chromebook computers for art and STEAM thanks to SOS funding.
Mrs. Greenland is reviewing new ELA curriculum for next year, and will be traveling to Oskaloosa to observe a classroom using the preferred curriculum.
After a Kindergarten teaching position opened up, Mrs. Graham requested to return to kindergarten, which now leaves an open pre-school teaching position.
Principal Elwood reported they will no longer be honoring parent requests for specific classroom assignments. Additionally, parents will no longer decide whether their kids should repeat pre-school.
The school will be making the determination whether a student needs to repeat a grade or move on to the next classroom. Parents can hold students prior to entering pre-school if they feel it is necessary.

Superintendent Report
Superintendent Shaffer noted he would be attending Day on the Hill this week along with AEAs, IASB, and SAI to discuss minimum teacher pay, SSA and budget planning.