June 15, 2009 Board Meeting
MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING OF BOARD OF EDUCATION
C & M COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT – JUNE 15, 2009
CALL TO ORDER: President Gary Dinkla read the mission statement of
the C & M Community School District, called the meeting to
order at 2:47 p.m. in the superintendent’s office in Massena, and
welcomed the visitors.
ROLL CALL: Directors Present: Gary Dinkla, Sean South, Todd McKee,
Jennifer Holste, Rob Ticknor; Superintendent Steve Pelzer;
Secretary Linda Edwards, and Visitors: Peg Hensley, Sandy Booker,
Jan Waddell, Chelsey Lantzky,Staci Venteicher
AGENDA: Motion by Holste, seconded by South, to approve the agenda.
Voice vote, motion carried 5-0.
MINUTES, BILLS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS: Adding a list of bills
totaling $6,680.98 that arrived late, Ticknor moved, seconded by
McKee, to approve the minutes of the May 18th board meeting, bills,
and financial statements. Voice vote, motion carried 5-0.
COMMUNICATIONS: None
ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT: Mr. Pelzer reported that summer projects are
underway. John Greenwalt/APCO Construction will begin regrading the
parking lot east of the school to allow water to run away from the
building. A landscaping firm is preparing two separate estimates on
two projects south of the building. May Contracting will be making
the necessary repairs to correct the fire marshal’s findings. They
will submit a bid on removing and closing in the skylights in the
commons.
The bus chute flooding issue has been resolved thanks to a
consultation with John Yarger, who was able to locate where the
storm sewers run. All the lockers in the building will be repaired
and repainted, including the ones located in the locker rooms
downstairs. Custodians have been painting the classrooms and will
paint the south wall on the outside of the east building where the
lean-to had been removed. The gym floor will be refinished.
Special education funds were used to purchase a used 2009 Malibu to
transport a student to Council Bluffs daily. Sandy Booker, Mike
Cormack, Jennifer Berns, Peg Wheatley and Mr. Pelzer attended the
Iowa Core Curriculum training in Harlan last week. An
implementation plan must be in place by 2012 and it must be fully
implemented by 2015.
Griswold’s principal Betty Johnston and Mr. Pelzer interviewed
three candidates for the shared PE position on Friday. An offer was
made and Brian Fogleman accepted the position. He will be in our
district in the mornings and Mrs. Rasmussen will teach PE in the
afternoons here. The elementary teachers met with Lynda Thomas, AEA
reading consultant, to set up 90 minute literacy blocks. These will
be uninterrupted time with no PE, music or recess being held during
this time. The guided reading program will be updated using the
ARRA Title I stimulus funds. Also new literature books for grade 6,
7, and 8 will also be purchased with stimulus money.
DISCUSSION ITEMS: 2010 legislative priorities were discussed.
Priorities chosen will be approved at the next board meeting. #1
Priority: Restore Phase I funding or find an equitable way to
restore loss to teachers’ funding. #2 Priority: Supports setting
allowable growth at a rate that encourages continuous school
improvement and reflects actual cost increases experienced by
school districts. The allowable growth rate should be set no lower
than 6%. Equivalent state categorical funding is not a substitute
for adequate allowable growth. Our priority is to increase and
maintain the state cost per pupil and the spending authority
associated with it to build a strong base for future education
resources. #3 Priority: Supports expansion of the allowable use of
physical plant and equipment levy (PPEL) funds while maintaining
the purposes of infrastructure, transportation, technology and
equipment funding.
Mr. Pelzer recently showed the Cumberland building to an area
resident. Our contract with the realtor is up at the end of June.
Thanks to Dan Anstey for helping with weed control at the
Cumberland building. Discussion was held on date/time for future
board meetings. Currently both Anita and C & M Boards meet on
the same date and time. With the sharing of the business manager
position, it will be necessary for the meetings to be held at
different times. The July C & M board meeting will be held on
July 20 at 4 p.m.
Phase I money was not reinstated by the governor nor was it
funded with stimulus money. We hope to be able to apply to the
School Budget Review Committee for spending authority for the
amount lost by the cut. The two administrators and transportation
directors met to discuss the possibility of setting up routes to
enable the districts to extend the school day by half an hour.
Discussion of the possibility of adding an extra route to take home
high school students was discussed. The district will be
advertising for bus drivers, an elementary secretary and a
paraprofessional. Several applications have been received for the
part-time position of school nurse.
RESOLUTION TO SHARE BUSINESS MANAGER: The following resolution
was proposed by McKee, seconded by Ticknor: Resolved, that the C
& M Board of Education will enter into an operational function
sharing agreement to share a business manager with the Anita
Community School District. Voice vote, resolution passed 5-0.
AGREEMENT WITH CASEY COMPUTER CONSULTING: This item was tabled
until July on a motion by Ticknor, seconded by South. Voice vote,
motion carried 5-0.
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT: A contract to Sandy Booker as
administrative assistant was approved on a motion by McKee,
seconded by Ticknor. Voice vote, motion carried 5-0.
BUSINESS MANAGER CONTRACT: A contract to Linda Edwards as shared
business manager was approved on a motion by South, seconded by
McKee. Voice vote, motion carried 5-0.
RESIGNATION: Michelle Lange resigned her paraprofessional
position due to a move. The resignation was accepted on a motion by
South, seconded by McKee. Voice vote, motion carried 5-0.
LANE CHANGE: Cindy Nichols has completed the necessary course
work to move on the scale from a BA+12 to a BA+24. Approval was
given for the lane change and the increase in contract pay on a
motion by McKee, seconded by Ticknor. Voice vote, motion carried
5-0.
OPEN ENROLLMENT APPLICATION: An open enrollment application for
Kendra Walton-Ruddick who recently moved to the Atlantic school
district was reviewed. Approval was given for her to open enroll
back to C & M on a motion by McKee, seconded by Ticknor. Voice
vote, motion carried 5-0.
APPROVE SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER: A School Resource Officers’
Program Agreement with the Cass County Sheriff’s Office was
approved on a motion by McKee, seconded by Ticknor. Voice vote,
motion carried 5-0. This will continue the program begun last year
with some changes. Mr. Pelzer felt that this was very helpful to
the district last year.
CONTRACT: A contract to Brian Fogleman as PE teacher was
approved on a motion by Holste, seconded by South. Voice vote,
motion carried 5-0. This position will be shared with Griswold.
BOARD REPORTS: None.
CLOSED SESSION: At this point, Holste made a motion to go into
closed session to evaluate the superintendent, motion seconded by
Ticknor. Roll call vote was taken with Holste, South, McKee,
Ticknor, and Dinkla voting aye. The board went into closed session
at 3:45 p.m. They reviewed the compilation of evaluation
instruments completed by the directors. The board voted to return
to open session at 4:28 on a motion by McKee, second by Ticknor.
Roll call vote was taken with Holste, South, McKee, Ticknor, and
Dinkla voting aye and the board returned to open session at 4:28.
No action was taken in closed session.
SUPERINTENDENT CONTRACT: A contract was approved for Steve
Pelzer, Superintendent/K-8 Principal, with a 4% increase. Motion to
approve the contract was made by McKee, seconded by Ticknor. Voice
vote, motion carried 5-0.
ADJOURNMENT: A motion to adjourn was made by McKee, seconded by
South. Voice vote, motion carried 5-0. President Dinkla adjourned
the meeting at 4:35 p.m.
signed Gary Dinkla, Board President
signed Linda Edwards, Board Secretary
