School board address storm damage
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By Olivia West
MOUNT AYR, Iowa — Water damage to school property and facility upgrades were main topics of discussion among the Mount Ayr Community School District Board of Education met for its regularly scheduled monthly meeting on Monday evening.
The board was informed that recent heavy rains flooded a 30 foot × 30 foot section of the high school gymnasium floor. The district has filed an insurance claim and discussed how to be more proactive to prevent future flooding. The new flooring has arrived and will be installed this with sanding and painting to follow.
In regards to facility upgrades, the board was updated on the progress of new CTE center.
The district received two Perkins grants to cover CTE costs totaling $17,000. This will cover new technology going into the building.
After receiving the Dekko Grant on June 8, the district will begin to buy furniture and health supplies for classrooms and common areas in the CTE Center. The board also approved, the purchase of two Guardian Lifts for the new building. Final preparations are being done in the CTE center as the HVAC system will be turned on in the next few days and front bricklaying was to begin this week.
The board discussed resurfacing bids track inside of the stadium complex and opted to approve the resurfacing of all black areas of the track. The resurfacing will cost $113,000 and will be paid for by money in Pebble. The board will decide on coloring options in the next meeting.
The board addressed complaints surrounding middle school softball uniforms. New uniforms for middle school softball are underway for events in the future. Any inquires should be sent up the chain of command – from coaches to Athletic Director Bret Ruggles.
The Summer Meal Program is in full swing, serving 268 students and families in the first week and welcoming 12 more this week.
Elementary Principal Chris Elwood, was proud to announce that for the second year in a row, a third grade student from MACS scored in the top 2 percent on the ISASP testing. (See page 7 for story). Elwood also revealed 119 students signed up for fall sports programs.
High School Principal Josh Vanderflught canvassed the idea of moving high school awards day to not land on the last day of school. This would allow students to cheer on their classmates at state track without missing school.
The board approved a speaker for next fall that will be sponsored by the Trent Stewart Memorial Fund.
The board voted to purchase curriculum for the 2026-2027 school year. This will include Phonics, Imagine Learning, and IXL renewal.
