ACSD Board of Directors discusses wide variety of items at regular session

by Brianne Eilers

The Allamakee Community School District (ACSD) Board of Directors met for its regular monthly meeting Monday evening, March 20. Prior to the meeting, board members were invited to attend a presentation from the Industrial Arts class at Waukon High School, where they viewed the CNC Plasma Cutter in action as instructor Brian Hilsabeck and student Trevor Brink showed how the machine is used. Hilsabeck noted that project-based learning is a major focus.

Instructor Jed Hemann also gave a brief presentation on the projects his classes have worked on due to the fact that there is no house building project this year. Projects have included the concession stand at the Waukon City Park, improvements to the press box and concessions stand at the high school and the shot put area at the high school.

After convening for the regular monthly meeting, the board heard from Board Secretary Jaime Curtin. She noted that the district had received the bound copies of the audit report and that she had been working on the FY18 budget. Both of these items were discussed later in the meeting.

ACSD Superintendent Dave Herold noted that there is a positive balance in the school lunch fund, and that with the large balance, the district is looking at replacing some of the equipment in the school kitchens. Food Service Director Julie Magner suggested that if the funds were available, the district may want to consider having a two- to three-year rotation plan to keep up with equipment. Herold also noted that more students had been participating in the school's lunch program than the previous month. "Quite a bit more," he noted.

During the Superintendent's Report, Herold briefly discussed HF564 and HF565, which he said would give schools more flexibility with funds and allow transfers of a percentage of certain funds, for example PPEL or TAG, in to the general fund. Herold said that it is kind of like "robbing Peter to pay Paul." He also worried that in the future legislators would decide that if a district isn't using all of these funds and are putting some into the general fund, could these other funds be taken away. Herold also mentioned SF 240, regarding statewide assessment, and SF 455, which modifies calculating costs per pupil and establishes a weighting plan for mandatory school district transportation costs.

Herold also discussed the possibility of allowing the Postville School District to send their students to Waterville Elementary for summer school programming, due to work being done at the Postville school. Herold stressed that the students would be transported using Postville School District buses and that background checks would be done on the Postville staff, as they would be working with ACSD students. He noted that such a move would add to the Waterville programs, like breakfast or lunch, and that there would be room for the additional students.

During the Principals' Reports, Waterville Elementary Principal Julie Askelson noted that the Iowa food truck visited Waterville and students learned about the Food Bank in Waukon and distribution. Ross Geerdes, Naturalist with Allamakee County Conservation, continues to make visits to the school.

East and West Elementary Principal Joe Griffith informed those present that May 15, 17 and 19 will be STEAM days. He also said that parent/teacher conference attendance had been good on the first day of conferences, which was Monday. The school will make contact with parents who are not able to make it to the conferences so that they are still in communication with them. The Spell-a-thon for elementary schools will be the week of April 21.

Jennifer Garin, Waukon Middle School Principal, also noted that parent/teacher conferences had been steady, and students had been exhibiting "Pride Projects". She said that the Middle School arts programming had been going strong. Eighth grade students will be going to Des Moines Thursday and the school semi-formal dance will be Friday. Middle School track begins next Monday.

Brian Hilsabeck, in his role as Athletic Director and Assistant High School Principal, noted that the high school spring play will be April 22 and 23. He noted 157 students are participating in spring activities, including track, golf and the play. He noted that the Booster Club has met and is waiting on guidance from RAGBRAI regarding the concession trailer. Waukon High School Principal Dr. Mike Hardy noted that parent/teacher conferences were going well and that students were displaying projects during the conferences.

During the Curriculum Report, Gretchen DeVore noted that they are continuing to attend curriculum retreats. The Iowa Assessment scores are in, and the district will be going through the data. DeVore noted that the reading interventions have been successful and they will be moving on to math interventions next. She will also be working on compiling the Civil Rights data for a report and working on the end of the year TLC Grant Report.

During the Buildings and Grounds report, Director Bill Hennessy noted that his department is getting ready for spring. Food Service Director Julie Magner has been working on bids for kitchen equipment. 21st Century Director Barb Winters-Kelly noted that a qualitative evaluator has been speaking with parents during the conferences. She noted that a report of the ACSD 21st Century programming will be sent to Wisconsin legislators, as they have requested evidence of successful programs from around the country. Winters-Kelly also noted that with the future of the 21stCentury Program funding in jeopardy, it is possible that calls and emails to legislators may make a difference. She noted that during the Obama administration, funding was in jeopardy and legislators kept a tally of the calls and emails from constituents, which ultimately helped keep funding.

During the Communications time, the board received a plaque from the Waukon Chamber of Commerce for 55 years of service to Waukon and the surrounding area. School nurse Kathy Wood addressed the board regarding Vision to Learn, which provides free eye exams and free eyeglasses to students in low-income communities. East Elementary students were able to get exams, and qualifying students received two pairs of glasses, one to take home and one to leave at school. Due to inclement weather, Vision to Learn was only able to do exams at East, but will be returning to do exams at West and Waterville elementary schools.

Under new business, the board approved staff for the 21stCentury Afterschool Program. The resignation of Joe O'Neill from his fifth grade teaching position was accepted, effective at the end of the school year. The board also accepted the resignation of Dave Hansmeier from his middle school wrestling coach position. Ben Lange was approved as 7th and 8th grade football coach. Resignations from Greg White from his high school English teacher position and Lisa Snitker from her middle school cheerleading advisor position were accepted, as well as the resignation of Don Thies from his elementary physical education position, due to retirement.

The board approved to transfer Tara Stein to elementary physical education teacher, as well as transfer Michelle Finnegan to high school English teacher. The board also approved the hiring of Sadie Bucheit as middle school cheerleading advisor.

Eric Hendrickson, representing Shive-Hattery, addressed the board regarding the next three agenda items. First, he addressed the Middle School and West Elementary roofing project and the bid documents. Hendrickson noted that project could be awarded in two contracts, in order for the project to be completed quickly. He also noted that any rain would cause problems. The square footage of roof that needs to be replaced at West Elementary is approximately 35,000 square feet and approximately 43,000 square feet at the Middle School. The board approved the documents for the Middle School and West Elementary Roof Improvements project with a due date of April 12, 2017.

Hendrickson then moved on to an asbestos discovery around part of the auditorium roof. He explained that it would not take long to remove the material, and safety procedures would be followed. The work would be done in conjunction with the other roofing project at the Middle School, so the contractor could put new material down. The board approved the proposal.

The discussion then turned to the Sports Complex Entrance quote documents. Hendrickson presented the board with concept drawings, as well as samples of colored stone options. There was some discussion as to whether or not it would be cheaper to go with colored bricks and possibly not coloring the stone or concrete. The new entrance project would include improvements to sidewalk and the ADA parking area, as well as a new ticket booth and lighting to enhance safety of the area. The board approved the quote documents.

Summer projects at the bus barn and West Elementary and the old High School were approved. Concrete work and electrical work will be done at the parking area of the bus barn, including removal of the rotten wood poles that hold the outlets the buses plug into in the winter, and replacing that with a guard rail along the fence with outlets included. The old high school hallway lights and classroom lights at West will be changed to LED lighting. The cost for the bus barn project will be $8,572.15 to Kerr Electric (electrical) and $13,394 to Kelly Concrete (install and cement raceway). The lighting replacement project will cost $66,703.61 to Kerr Electric (fixtures and labor).

The board then approved a bid to Winona Controls for a two-phase project to upgrade the DDC System to HTML. The first phase will cost $2,000, with the second costing $8,000. This upgrade would allow Building and Grounds Director Bill Hennessy to be able to check on heating controls remotely and assess if there are problems.

The board approved a field trip to Niagara Cave in Harmony, MN for afterschool summer program students. Students will tour the cave, mine for gems and rock and finish with a round of miniature golf at Niagara Cave, then stop for lunch at Phelps Park and hike the nature trail there.

Several sharing agreements were approved: Director of Buildings and Grounds with Eastern Allamakee for 2017-2018, Director of Transportation with Eastern Allamakee for 2017-2018, Human Resource Director with Postville for 2017-2018, Guidance Counselor with North Winneshiek for 2017-2018 and Curriculum Coordinator with South Winneshiek for 2017-2018.

The board also approved the following levies for 2017-2018 for the proposed budget: Physical Plant and Equipment Levy (PPEL) .33, Voted PPEL .20542, Management .64282, Debt Service .32632. The board set Monday, April 11, 2017 at 7 a.m. as the public hearing for the 2017-2018 budget, as well as the public hearing to amend the 2016-2017 budget. The public hearing will be held in the Board Room.

Board Secretary Jaime Curtin then discussed the audit results, advising that no non-compliance issues were found. "It was a clean audit, and went well," Curtin noted. The board accepted and placed on file the 2016 audit.

The board accepted a bid from Indi-Com Electric and Surveillance Inc. in the amount of $13,215 for East Elementary security cameras. The board then accepted a bid from Sterling Computers Corporation in the amount of $31,975 for 2017 desktop computers, Chromebooks and printers. The final item before adjournment was for the board to accept the 2017-2018 Technology Plan.