ACSD Board of Directors approves school calendar change from days to hours during weather-delayed session

The Allamakee Community School District (ACSD) Board of Directors met Tuesday, February 18 for its monthly meeting, that meeting being delayed a day from its originally scheduled Monday date due to winter weather. The meeting opened with a public hearing in regard to the district's proposed early start date of August 18 to the 2014-2015 school year, with the hearing being opened and closed with no oral or written comments being submitted.
The Board later approved that August 18 start date for the next school year, also giving approval to a change from the 180-day school year calendar to the new option of a 1,080-hour calendar available after July 1 of this year. That change to the 1,080 hours calendar offers the district more options for counting required instruction time, but the district's planned six-hour instruction time per day still averages out to 180 days on next year's proposed calendar.

ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTS
In his report, ACSD Superintendent Dave Herold addressed the Board on several matters within the Iowa Legislature impacting education. Among those issues were the 180 days vs. 1,080 hours school calendar, the Transportation Bill, supplemental fund weighting for school districts that share administrative and other operations, and the need for allowable growth standards to be set for budget purposes in accordance with existing legislation. Herold encouraged the Board members to contact State Legislators in regard to those matters impacting the ACSD, most specifically the allowable growth standards.
West and East Elementary Schools Principal Ann Hart and Waterville Elementary School Principal Joe Griffith each advised that their Round-Up events for kindergarten and four-year-old students have been going well. Waukon High School Assistant Principal and Activities Director Jen Garin said that postseason tournament competition has been getting underway for all the winter athletic seasons, and she also congratulated the Waukon High School Speech Department on its recent All-State selection and invitation to perform in an upcoming showcase event.
Garin further advised that a February 25 meeting has been scheduled for area business partners in the district's Project Lead The Way (PLTW) program to discuss class offerings for years three and four of the program, as well as an upcoming PLTW certification site visit in April. She also expressed her appreciation to the Allamakee Athletic Booster Club for paying the $22,500 cost for installation of an additional 27 feet extension of the bleacher space on the north side of the home football stands.
Waukon High School Principal Dan Diercks advised the Board that assessment testing is nearing completion within the high school. He also commended Industrial Technology instructor Todd Neal for securing a grant of 24 Kohler engines to replace the Briggs and Stratton engines that have been used within the high school's industrial technology curriculum for the estimated past 30 to 40 years.
ACSD Curriculum Director Gretchen DeVore updated the Board on the in-service programming recently conducted throughout the district, in addition to efforts to address any deficiencies throughout the district in meeting Iowa Core standards. She also advised the Board of a February 26 meeting that will address the characteristics of effective instruction and how those characteristics relate to current district efforts.
Shawn Gordon, the district's new Technology Director, told the Board that the warranty on the high school's student laptop computers is scheduled to expire and that his department is in the process of looking at the high school laptops and sending in any machines found to need any such work covered under the warranty before it lapses. He also said he is beginning to compile a list of projects to be completed during the school's summer break.
Transportation Director Randy Nordheim advised the Board, in regard to the substitute bus driver listed later on the meeting's agenda, that, despite the appearance that the district has had a number of substitute driver approvals, there are very few of those who actually complete the required training and certification to become substitute bus drivers. Nordheim also said the district's school bus inspections will take place May 7, which is later than usual but thought to be advantageous as the snow and ice issues experienced with earlier inspection dates should not be a factor, and the fact that less than a month remains in the school year following the inspections should not cause much problem if there are issues discovered with any of the vehicles.

ELEMENTARY MATH PRESENTATION
A presentation was given by East Elementary teachers Julie Hjerleid, Ciara Mahr and Sheri Adam in regard to Math Core Training and its application to students in regard to math facts. Their video presentation featured a new approach to simplifying math facts from the 121 multiplication facts previously taught down to just 36 based on four different multiplication properties. Student progress will be recorded throughout the program, with a goal of having those multiplication facts mastered by the mid-term of the fourth quarter and a field trip used as an incentive reward.

PERSONNEL
In personnel matters, the Board approved the hiring of staff proposed for the district's 21st Century After School Program and accepted the resignation of Aaron Roemhild from his head varsity girls cross country coaching position in order to spend more time with his family. Russell Roth was approved as a substitute bus driver and Brett Egan was hired as a substitute junior high boys track coach ($1,574) in place of Tara Stein, who will be on maternity leave for a majority of the upcoming season.
The Board also accepted the resignation of Jean Brink from her Technology Director position so she may tend to a new business she has started, and hired Assistant Technology Director Shawn Gordon to assume that vacated position at a salary of $45,000 per year. Michele Kiel was also transfered from her Junior High Associate position to the same position at Waterville Elementary School.

OTHER MATTERS
Approval was given to an extensive list of Waukon High School students taking Post Secondary Enrollment Option (PSEO) and other contracted classes through Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC). Three field trips were also given approval by the Board, including a May 1 trip to the Festival of Nations in St. Paul, MN for Junior High and High School Allamakee Accelerated Learning Program (AALP) students. A trip to Des Moines May 8 for eighth grade students to visit the Iowa Historical Museum, State Capitol and Science Center of Iowa, as well as an April 29 trip to the Mississippi River Center in Dubuque for seventh grade students were also among those field trip approvals.
Participation in a speech showcase at MFL/MarMac High School February 23 for Waukon High School Speech students was also given approval, as was a billing agreement between the school district and Timberline Billing Services out of Clive regarding the accessing of Medicaid reimbursement for covered school-based services. A price quote from Ken Kerr Electric to replace classroom lights at East Elementary School at a cost of $33,923 was also approved, as were a number of fund raising event requests.

Several curriculum changes were also approved, including the addition of Technical Math, Introductory Statistics and Algebra C to help fill gaps within the district in the Iowa Core standards; a Mixed Media Art class that would replace Intermediate Drawing and Painting; three Agriculture classes that would now allow high school students to earn college credit through NICC; Introduction to Engineering and Principles of Engineering classes as part of the district's participation in Project Lead The Way; and the replacement of a required Computer Applications course with a Career Technology course.