Free meals welcome back MAC students

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The Mount Ayr board of education celebrated free meals for all students, reversed course on previously approved Title IX policies, and approved new staff contracts at their regular meeting on Monday, August 12.

CEP free meal program
The board learned that the district received final approval for their Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) application. Participation in the 4-year program is an alternative to the Free and Reduced (F/R) Price Meal application process, and provides breakfast and lunch to all students at no charge for eligible schools.

The school district will be reimbursed for roughly 60 percent of the free meals, and the remaining 40 percent will be paid by district dollars. If the district were to have a higher percentage of eligible families next year, the reimbursement percentage would go up. Currently, Mount Ayr Community School District has an Identified Student Percentage (ISP)between 37.50-38.66 percent.

The board discussed accepting community donations towards the meal program to help offset the cost.

“Is that something we should go ahead and ask for now,” asked board member Sammi Jo Elliott.

“We are willing to have that support if they are willing to give it,” Superintendent Jason Shaffer stated.

“This is a big help, but it won’t sustain us long term,” explained Board Secretary Stephanie Newton.

Title IX policy reversal
A district court injunction is impacting schools nationwide.
A federal judge has blocked changes to Title IX rules issued by the Biden-Harris administration to change the definition of “sex” to “gender identity” which would allow access to bathrooms and locker rooms based on gender identification according to a press release from Governor Kim Reynolds.  Iowa is one of at least six states that filed a lawsuit opposing the rule.

All policies relating to Title IX previously approved at the July board meeting were rescinded due to the 8th district court injunction. This included seven new policies relating to Title IX, prohibiting discrimination and harassment based on sex (policy series 106.01). Mount Ayr schools will be reverting back to the prior 2020 policies.

Chris Elwood was also appointed as the district Title IX coordinator. He will be responsible for making sure everyone knows what Title IX is and how the district is handling it.

Personnel
The board approved two new associates at a contract rate of $22,605 for the 2024-2025 school year. Carol Faris will serve as a high school associate, and Rachael Greene will be an elementary associate. A part-time contract in the amount of $30,000 for Betsy Budach was also approved, and Tiffany Bolles was hired as the girls wrestling coach.
Three resignations were also approved including Linda Kreps, who is stepping down as an elementary associate. Josh Heidtman and Colt Thompson are also stepping down as boys baseball coaches.

Principal Reports
Secondary principal Josh Vanderflught reported new teacher training will take place August 14. The district is welcoming Julie Capps as a 1/2 timeband instructor and Kate Holmes as a MS Science teacher in the secondary building. An athletic registration night was held to get everyone registered on Bound ahead of the first day of practice. We had all Fall HS coaches attend to complete their parent meetings.
“It was well attended and I think it really helped the athletic registration process,” stated Vanderflught.
He reported that they also plan to get MS students registered on Bound the night of August 21.
Incoming 6th and 7th grade students will have orientation at 5:30 p.m. on August 21. Students will meet as a whole group first and then go to individual classrooms to meet their teachers and hear about expectations.

Elementary principal Chris Elwood reported preliminary elementary enrollment for the 2024-2025 school year indicates 291 students in PK-5th Grade are expected. The grade-level average of 42 students is slightly down from the prior year average of 44 students per grade.
He is welcoming new elementary staff members Robin Beckett as a part-time Title I teacher, Rachel Greene as a SPED Associate and Emily Schnoor in the Preschool.
Wildalys Cruz is returning as the vocal music teacher (shared with Diagonal), replacing Sabrina Fox.
Abby Elliott will be the Instructional Coach/Curriculum Director for the 24-25 school year.
Tara Wurster is also returning this year as the Junior Raiders Coordinator/PK-12 Librarian
Other staff members will be working in new positions at the elementary building this year, including Betsy Budach who will be a part-time Title I teacher (formerly Instructional Coach).
Jess Frost is moving from 2nd grade to 3rd Grade, and Kristen Graham is moving from Preschool to Kindergarten.
Emily Thomas, who was hired as the Art/STEAM teacher last year, will also be the TAG instructor.
Melissa Weber, who was a Title I teacher last year, will be a 3rd Grade teacher this year.
Andrew Nicholl, who taught 3rd grade last year, is now serving as the District Technology Director.

Superintendent report

Superintendent Jason Shaffer shared a rendering of the new Raider Stadium field entrances thanks to the Mount Ayr Booster Club. The organization took care of everything except for the fence, which the school district contracted out.
He reported that project progress is coming along well. The pillars are in place, and ticket booths are completed with window air conditioning units to be installed soon.
Superintendent Shaffer also noted that all building projects and roof repairs are wrapping up in time for school to begin. They did find a few spots where leaks are happening in MS gym, and those are being addressed with the contractors.
The state Fire Marshall visited the district a few weeks ago, and a couple items that we needed to addressed have been taken care of. The new phone system has been installed.
He reminded board members that they are asking to have Pebble renewed, to help keep facilities up to date and make purchases that provides general fund relief.

Regular business
During regular monthly business, the Southwest Iowa Apex Consortium Agreement for FY24 was tabled and the board approved:

• Level I Investigators Michael Moran and Stacey Andresen;
• Level II Investigators Josh Vanderflught and Chris Elwood;
• Educational Equity Coordinator Josh Vanderflught and HR Equity Coordinator Amanda Cannon;
• Affirmative Action Coordinator Jason Shaffer;
• Title IX Coordinator Chris Elwood;
• The sole fuel bid from Smith Oil;
• The sole milk bid from Anderson Erickson;
• A 28E Agreement with Iowa Central Community College to offer a statistics class;
• A Window Bid from Maryville Glass in the amount of $17,370 (about 6,000 per window). After submitting an insurance claim, they plan to replace three commercial grade windows at the elementary building that were damaged by the hail storm.
• Annual policies, with the only change occurring on the employee PTO policy. Rather than PTO increasing every 4 years, PTO will now increase every year until they meet the 20 days of PTO maximum;
• District return to learn plan;
• Six fund-raising requests.

In miscellaneous business, the board also approved the purchase of a new laser engraver at a cost of $18,494. RPP funds and a Ringgold County Extension grant are being used toward the purchase of the Boss engraver so students can engrave metal, leather and other materials.
Mount Ayr FFA advisor, Morgan Quick, requested the purchase in hopes of helping students start a small business to engrave items upon request.