MAC board plans for 2025-26 school year
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Decisions related to the 2025-25 school year comprised the majority of discussion at the Monday, July 14 meeting of the Mount Ayr Community Schools board of directors.
Personnel
The board approved the resignations of Daniel Showalter as a classroom teacher and assistant football coach and Sarah Holmes as a middle school softball coach.
New hires included Aaron Sewell as a middle school/high school social studies teacher, Jason Eckhoff as boys/girls bowling coach, and Colt Thompson as assistant football coach. After some discussion regarding accountability, supervision and evaluation of assistant coaches, Thompson’s hire passed on a 4-1 vote, with board member Sammi Elliott voting no.
Volunteer coaches approved at Monday’s meeting included Jim Murphy, James Smith, and Brad Elliott in football; Britney Baker in volleyball; Kinda Larsen in cross country; and Kaylin Victor and Amanda Clement in cheerleading. It was noted that all volunteer coaches must have coaching certification.
The board approved two operational sharing agreements. The first is with the Bedford Community Schools for Mount Ayr to manage board policies related to human resource services. Amanda Cannon, who currently handles HR duties here, will be provided an additional stipend to provide that service. The stipend of $3,750 comes from the state as an incentive for districts to share services.
The second is a continuation of the educational sharing agreement with the Diagonal Schools for three hours of instruction per day.
Quotes and bids
The board approved quotes for a number of items.
Imagine Learning will provide online coursework at a cost of $12,350.
Access Copier will provide copier services at $3,231 per month. District superintendent Jason Shaffer explained the new service agreement will save the district approximately $684 per month in copy costs.
The board accepted the bid of $26,100 from Howard Technology Solutions to provide 100 Chromebook computers for use by fifth and sixth grade students.
The board approved a notice to bidders related to the construction of the new Career and Technical Education building. The notice allows project managers to gather more solid pricing estimates for the metal building. A future public hearing will be set to accept bids. Superintendent Shaffer reported that construction on the new building may begin as early as September or October of this year.
Fees
The board adopted the annual list of fees for the upcoming school year.
Meals
PK-5 Student Lunches: $2.45 per meal
6-12 Student Lunches: $2.50 per meal
PK-5 Student Breakfast: $1.65 per meal
6-12 Student Breakfast: $1.75 per meal
Adult Lunches: $5.00 per meal
Adult Breakfast: $3.00 per meal
PK-K Milk Fee: $.50
Driver Education
$350.00 per student
Laptop deposit
$50
Junior Raider
Mornings only ($6.00 day/$25.00 week)
Afternoons only ($7.00 day/$30.00 week)
Both Morning and Afternoons ($13.00 day/$55.00 week)
Early Outs only ($15.00 per early out)
Preschool Fridays ($30.00 per Friday)
Preschool Mornings and Afternoons and Fridays ($80.00 week)
Gate entry
High School Events:
$7 Adults/$5 Students
Middle School Events:
$5 for K-Adult
Mount Ayr Adult Activity Ticket
$100 For the Year, excluding playoffs or State events (Districts etc.)
We will issue cards for Adult use. Picture on phone or card can work.
(Football Gate Entry Fee: As set by the district football board.)
Duties and depositories
The board reappointed Stephanie Newton as board secretary/treasurer and the law firm of Ahlers and Cooney as district legal counsel.
Assigned depositories for district funds included US Bank, First Interstate Bank, City State Bank, PCSB, Wells Fargo Bank of Iowa, N.A. of Des Moines, Bankers Trust, and ISJIT with the intent of maintaining checking accounts at City State Bank and providing money market accounts at US Bank, First Interstate Bank, PCSB, and City State Bank for depository funds. The maximum deposit to be $10,000,000 for City State Bank, $2,000,000 for Wells Fargo Bank of Des Moines, $1,250,000 for First Interstate Bank of Mount Ayr, $1,500,000 for US Bank, $500,000 for PCSB, $2,500,000 for Bankers Trust and $500,000 for Iowa Schools Joint Investment Trust (ISJIT).
Handbooks, board policies
The board approved changes to a number of handbooks as presented by the building principals Chris Elwood and Josh Vanderflught and district secretary Stephanie Newton. They included parent/student, staff, preschool, online school, and employee handbooks.
Also approved were the professional development plans at both the elementary and middle/high school.
A long list of revisions to board policies were also adopted at Monday’s meeting. The changes reflected laws passed in the recent session of the Iowa legislature. All policies were written and recommended by the Iowa Association of School Boards.
Naming of facilities
Shaffer introduced various versions of a potential board policy related to the naming of district facilities, spaces, or events in honor of an individual or group.
Currently, the district does not have a specific board policy addressing naming requests, but adopting a policy would provide guidelines when or if a request to name is presented to the board.
Members took no action on a new policy pending further review of wording.
