EACSD Board of Directors prepares for start of new school year, introduced to new AEA Administrator at August regular meeting
by Susan Cantine-Maxson
The regular monthly meeting of the Eastern Allamakee Community School District (EACSD) Board of Directors was held at Kee High School in Lansing Monday, August 15. Board President Bobbie Goetzinger called the meeting to order, with board members Tony Becker, Bobbie Goetzinger, Melanie Mauss, Kelli Mudderman and Arla Wagner all in attendance. Also present at the meeting were EACSD Superintendent Dr. Dale Crozier, Kee High School and Middle School Principal Dr. Sarah Updegraff-Murray, New Albin Elementary School Principal Donna Thomas and Board Secretary Michele Martin. Visitors included Dr. Bill Withers and Stan Rheingans, representatives of Keystone Area Education Agency (AEA).
The board approved the agenda for the meeting, which was followed by the approval of the August consent items, minutes of the July meeting, bills for August, and Activity and Food Service Reports for the month of July.
Dr. Bill Withers, Keystone AEA board representative for the Eastern Allamakee Community School District and other local school districts in northeast Iowa, introduced Stan Rheingans, the new Keystone Administrator in place of the now retired Pat Heiderscheit. Dr. Withers spoke briefly about what Keystone AEA offers to school districts. Rheingans presented his background in education before coming to Keystone AEA. In the future, he will meet with all schools in the Keystone AEA to find out what works and what Keystone can do better to serve the school districts it provides services for.
The board approved the following contracts for teacher aides for the 2022-2023 school year: Brooke Stanley, Susan Pitzenberger, Jill Mitchell, Joni Styve, Ashton Kolsrud, Nell Hogan and Lisa Wagner. Lynch Dallas P.C., located in Cedar Rapids, was also approved as the attorney at law for the school district for the upcoming school year.
The board also approved the following financial institutions and the maximum deposits for each for the 2022-2023 school year:
Kerndt Brothers Savings Bank - $6,250,000.00
New Albin Savings Bank - $2,000,000.00
Iowa School Cash Anticipation Program (ISCAP) - $1,000,000.00
Iowa Schools Joint Investment Trust (ISJIT) - $500,000.00
Bankers Trust - $3,500,000.00.
Dr. Sarah Updegraff-Murray reported everything was in place for the picnic scheduled for Thursday evening, August 18 in Lansing and New Albin to kick of the start of the new school year. The theme for this school year will be “Show up, do your job and be kind.”
Donna Thomas reported that the floors are finished in New Albin Elementary School and teachers are getting moved in. A new outdoor metal “Welcome” sign created by Trinity Fabricators was hung on the school building. Kindergarten is all set for the upcoming school year.
Dr. Crozier led the board through an activity which focused on the Iowa Association of School Board’s six factors of an effective school board. The board agreed that having vision, putting students first and keeping the district financially solvent were all important elements.
