EACSD Board of Directors hears update on Olweus Bullying program, additional matters prior to start of new school year
by Susan Cantine-Maxson
The Eastern Allamakee Community School District (EACSD) Board of Education held its regular meeting Monday, August 15. Board President Heather Schulte called the meeting to order. Also present were board members Bobbi Goetzinger, Kelli Mudderman and Bruce Palmborg; Melanie Mauss was not present. In addition, school personnel attending included
Superintendent Dr. Dale Crozier, New Albin Elementary School Principal Chad Steckel, Kee High School Principal Mary Hogan and Board Secretary/Business Manager Janet Heiderscheit.
Dr. Bill Withers, Keystone Area Education Agency (AEA) Board of Directors member, asked the EACSD Board if there were any concerns or questions that the Board would like to have Keystone address, of which there were none expressed. He also introduced Patrick Heiderscheit, Keystone Administrator, who explained that as of June 30 two experienced division directors within Keystone have retired. The newly hired directors were also at the meeting. Patrick Heiderscheit introduced Annette Hyde, Director of Special Education and Sector Coordinator, and Tesha Ruley, Director of Instructional Services. Both will work to coordinate how Keystone AEA can help meet the needs of the district.
In new business, the Board reviewed and approved a public hearing on CIPA (Child Internet Protection Act) Policies and Procedures, which needs to be done on a regular basis so that if there is ever an audit of internet services the policies are up to date and in compliance. Approval was also given to a Resolution for The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
Approval of this document from Becker & Associates indicates that the District is aware that it must offer insurance to full-time employees.
The Board also approved the Treasurer's Report for last fiscal school year. The treasurer’s ending balance as of June 30, 2016 was $1,020,694.59, with $71,436.32 in outstanding warrants. This final balance amount was approximately $40,000 less than the balance as of June 30, 2015. The schoolhouse fund cash balance also went from $416.361.13 in 2015 to $410,935.97 in 2016.
Approval was also given to the following school district legal advisors: Brian Gruhn Law Firm of Cedar Rapids, Swisher and Cohrt of Waterloo, and Lynch Dallas of Cedar Rapids. The Board also appointed Board Secretaries/Business Managers Janet Heiderscheit and Marian Verdon. Kerndt Brothers Savings Bank, New Albin Savings Bank, Iowa School Cash Anticipation Program of Des Moines, Iowa Schools Joint Investment Trust of Des Moines and Bankers Trust Company of Des Moines were also approved as bank depositories. The Board denied a request for Open Enrollment that was received after the deadline for open enrollment application.
In additional business, the Board reviewed the 2016-17 Student Handbook, which includes an expanded bullying and harassment policy section; Principal Hogan explained the Olweus program that Kee Middle School and High School are using. This system was developed by Dr. Dan Olweus, a research psychology professor in Norway. Based on 35 years of research, the Olweus system is considered to be the most researched and most widely adopted system for creating an anti-bullying culture.
The system website states the program’s goals as follows: “The Olweus Bullying Prevention Program is designed to improve peer relations and make schools safer, more positive places for students to learn and develop. Goals of the program include reducing existing bullying problems among students, preventing the development of new bullying problems and achieving better peer relations at school.”
Last year teachers met with Keystone representatives and through in-services began implementing this system. Weekly classroom meetings offer opportunities for students to share their concerns. Curricular materials are also presented which teach students how to use strategies and skills to cope with challenging situations. Bullying may take many forms, including verbal (name calling, verbal harassment), exclusion, physical (pushing, shoving, hitting, kicking), spreading rumors, stealing or damaging another person’s property, racial, sexual harassment or cyberbullying.
Pre-implementation and post-implementation surveys given to the students in the district presented very positive improvements in attitudes about physical safety, teasing, harassment or exclusion, school culture, and school support. All areas showed improvement within the district. The biggest jump was from 47% to 93% of students who felt their safety level had improved when using school technology (using the school’s internet for searches, email, etc.). Hogan said that staff has made a concerted effort to monitor areas which might be trouble spots.
Year two of the program will continue with the curricular instruction and classroom meetings. In addition, Hogan said they are working on creating links on the district website for resources for parents. Hogan presented several forms which are used in the implementation process of this system which include a complaint form, investigation form, bullying matrix, targeted student safety plan and bullying behavior monitoring plan.
Principal Steckel explained the elementary schools program of PBIS - Positive Behavior Intervention Support. This works on whole child behavior, which they have found to be effective at the elementary level. Both Steckel and Hogan explained that, ultimately, it's about the student learning what is acceptable behavior and what is not, reflecting on behavior and what can be done to make it right.
The meeting concluded with short Administrative Reports. Teachers will return Wednesday. New Albin Elementary will work on early literacy and writing across the curriculum in professional development this year. Administrators met last week with Keystone for multi-tier and individualized instruction professional development. Teachers will revisit ALICE intruder training. Five new students have also registered at the high school.
Important dates coming up include: Thursday night, August 18 from 4-7 p.m. is Locker Night; August 27 is the New Albin Improvement League 5K run. Pre-K classes will start August 29. There will be two groups of three-year-olds. One group will meet Monday and Thursday. A second group will meet Tuesday and Friday. Pictures will not be the first day of school but are scheduled for one week after the start date Tuesday.
Superintendent Crozier informed the Board that Principal Steckel has been appointed by Iowa Governor Terry Branstad to be on the Iowa Advisory Council on Chronic Absenteeism. The first meeting of that group is this week.
