February 4, 2010 Joint Board Meeting
MINUTES OF JOINT BOARD MEETING
ANITA/C & M COMMUNITY SCHOOL BOARDS
FEBRUARY 4, 2010
The C & M and Anita Boards of Education met for a whole grade sharing session on February 4, 2010, at 7:00 p.m. in the Media Center of the CAM High School in Anita.
The meeting came to order at 7:00 p.m. Present from Anita were Directors Jeff Gregersen, Nick Kauffman, Chuck Kinzie, Randall J. Rabe, and Julie Williamson, Superintendent John Brazell and High School Principal Dominic Giegerich and Board Secretary Linda Edwards. Present from C & M Directors Gary Dinkla, Jennifer Holste, Todd McKee, Sean South, and Rob Ticknor, and Superintendent Steve Pelzer. Ten visitors were present.
AGENDA: President Gary Dinkla read the C & M Mission Statement and a motion to approve the agenda by the C & M Board was made by Todd McKee, seconded by Rob Ticknor. A motion to approve the agenda by the Anita Board was made by Chuck Kinzie, seconded by Julie Williamson. Motion carried unanimously by both boards.
DISCUSSION was held on the following sharing topics: Reorganization/Sharing, Future Joint Meeting Dates, and Preschool Grant.
REORGANIZATION/SHARING: Superintendent Pelzer reported that the reorganization petitions are out and are slowly getting signed. There are copies of the petitions in both schools’ offices. He spoke to Jim Addy at the Department of Education who is working with the University of Iowa to set the Director District boundaries. These have not been finalized but should be in time to be reviewed at the Districts’ board meetings next week. Even distribution of population will determine where the boundary line will be.
Director districts will be set up with two districts and two directors from each of those districts and the fifth director will be elected at large. The petition states that the interim board will consist of three current members of the Anita Board and two current members of the C & M Board. Two seats on the interim board will be up for election in September of 2011.
Mr. Pelzer stated that community meetings will be held and that we need to get more people to these meetings to be informed. He has contacted Larry Sigel, school finance specialist, to come to a joint board meeting/community meeting in either March or April to address financial aspects of reorganization. Mr. Sigel has a Powerpoint presentation dealing strictly with reorganization that can be populated with information from our districts. This would show what combining the assets of the two districts would look like.
Financial considerations of consolidation include the final year of whole-grade sharing incentives and three years of reorganization incentives which would total approximately $200,000 for the new district.
The question was asked: What are the deadlines for the petitions? The goal is to try to get them to the attorney by March 1st.
Dr. Wessels asked if there would be a public forum for objections. This will be set by the AEA after they get the petitions.
Kay Hansen: How is the number of signatures on the petitions coming? C & M is probably half way there. Jim Mailander is heading the petition process in Anita and was unable to attend tonight’s meeting due to a conflict.
Dr. Wessels commented that it would be more difficult to pass the vote if there is a poor petition response. Mr. Pelzer replied that we need to get out and get information to people. He and Gary Dinkla have discussed ways to get information out. Randy Rabe stated that we’ll talk to as many groups as we can. Julie Williamson suggested having brochures and petitions setting out at parent-teacher conferences or ball games.
Mr. Pelzer said that we can’t assume signatures on a petition are yes votes. He is hearing comments that since whole grade sharing is working, why not just continue as we are. He said C & M needs to inform people that financially we need to reorganize. Gary Dinkla talked about the benefits of reorganization—one board, one administration. Tina Wahlert suggested more media involvement—radio stations and newspapers. Mr. Pelzer commented on the great news coverage from the first meeting.
Randy Rabe commented that neither of these boards can make any promises. The decisions will be made by the interim board. Dr. Wessels said that this would be the last hurrah for both districts and we need to get that message out.
Sean South said one additional positive was that teachers in both districts would be on the same pay scale. Mr. Brazell replied that one big difference between the two districts was the way the boards handled the Phase I cut. The Anita board was able to keep that amount in teachers’ salaries because the Anita district has a larger unspent balance. The C & M district could not because it had the cash but not the spending authority to pay out Phase I dollars.
The next joint board meetings will be held on March 9th at 7 p.m. in Massena and on April 8th at 7 p.m. in Anita. Strategies to get more people to attend were discussed. Chuck Kinzie commented that it seemed to work well when the board members called the SIAC members asking them to attend. It was suggested the board make calls again and ask those they called to invite two or three others to attend. Parent-teacher conferences are coming at a good time. Brochures could be handed out and people invited to attend the meetings. Tina Wahlert suggested “feed them and they will come.” Mr. Pelzer discussed the possibility of having a community meeting after an upcoming fundraiser.
DRIVER EDUCATION FEES: Numbers of possible students for driver education were discussed. It is planned to have just one class between the two districts this year. Classes will alternate between the districts. A maximum number of students was set at 35. The instructor felt that this would be a manageable number. Mr. Giegerich will work with the instructor to set the dates. Discussion was held on the fees to be charged this year. The C & M Board voted, on a motion by Rob Ticknor, seconded by Sean South, to set fees at $250, with reduced fees at $190. Voice vote, motion carried 5-0. The Anita Board, on a motion by Chuck Kinzie, seconded by Nick Kauffman, voted to set fees at the same rates. Voice vote, motion passed 5-0. The Boards’ goal has been to get to a break- even point with fees but this can be more difficult depending on the number of students who qualify for free fees. Mr. Pelzer asked what the Anita district had done in the past if a student who qualified for free fees did not pass the class. Mr. Giegerich responded that when that student took it the next time, full cost was charged. This information is stated in the letter given out to students who plan to participate.
PRESCHOOL GRANT: A second meeting on the preschool grant was held recently. This is the last year to apply for the four-year-old public preschool grant. One advantage of this is that students with special needs will be required to be taught by a certified teacher and right now, we are unable to do this. The two districts are working together to submit a consortium grant to have a four-year-old public preschool. Each district on its own could not afford to have a certified preschool teacher, but, through the grant, could hire a teacher to travel between the two districts.
The grant provides for the first year of funding. Students are counted as .6 FTE on certified enrollment. Funding for the grant is provided by the State Department of Education. The next meetings on the grants will be held on February 10 and 24 at 6:30 p.m. at the Anita elementary. The districts are trying to involve as many community organizations as possible. Corey Sebetka is working with the districts to write the grant. She has previously been a grant reader for this program.
ADJOURNMENT: Jennifer Holste moved, seconded by Sean South, to adjourn the C & M portion of the joint board meeting. Motion carried unanimously 5-0. President Randall J. Rabe adjourned the meeting of the Anita board. The joint meeting of the Anita and C & M Boards was adjourned at 7:40 p.m.
