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School board restructures campuses; early-outs moved to Fridays

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Following an April 14 work session to hear facility assessment costs from ICAT (Iowa Construction Advocacy Team) and Estes Construction, the Clayton Ridge School Board of Directors opened a public budget hearing and school calendar hearing. 

Business manager Dave Schlueter presented the proposed 2016-17 certified district budget with total expenditures of $11,371,447. Tax rates were as follows: general fund - $3,006,949, management fund - $125,000, voted physical plant and equipment - $212,095, and regular physical plant and equipment - $104,465.  The total taxable valuation is $305,271,721 and the tax levy rate is $11.22/per $1,000 taxable valuation.

Superintendent Shane Wahls presented the proposed 2016-17 school calendar with a start date of Aug. 23 and the 2 p.m. early-outs changed from Wednesdays to Fridays to coincide with Elkader Central. "We have worked with Central throughout the school year to come up with a common calendar that we both share so we have the same instructional days and times," said Wahls. "That helps us to align our morning class periods so that we have some sharing opportunities with college level courses at the high school level. We're excited about working together with them and finding a way to provide more opportunities for our kids."

There were no comments heard regarding the proposed budget or calendar, so the board opened its regular meeting with members John Heying, Kathy Ihde, Jason Reimer, Christine Aulwes, Mike Finnegan, Alicia Helle and Ellen Johnson present. 

The 2016-17 budget and school district calendar were unanimously approved as presented.  After lengthy discussion, the board also approved Wahls' recommendation to move the fourth grade to the middle school and the eighth grade to the high school in the 2016-17 school year. The vote was 6-1 with Ihde opposed.

Superintendent Wahls explained the grade level restructuring. "With declining enrollment and every school being affected by budget issues, we are trying to best utilize our staff resources in order to maintain current programs and sustain the RTI program, where we try to provide additional time for students struggling in reading and math. To do that we share a lot of staff between buildlings, so to best utilize those staff, this is a change that we need to make," he said.

Scott Kelly was hired as high school golf coach, and Lynette Pritchard was approved for the social worker position with at-risk funding. Contract modifications of FCS teacher Angela Williams were approved, moving her from full-time to half-time for the 2016-17 year.  The board approved Mandy Ludovissy as Food and Fitness Initiative Volunteer.  

Board members accepted the resignation of fourth grade teacher and high school volleyball coach Morgan Steege and approved her hiring as a middle school track coach. The resignation and early retirement request of John Hess from his bus route and shuttle  route positions was approved for a one-time payment of $3,500.

The board decided to accept a quote from Meyer Mechanical to replace lighting in the middle school gym and girls locker room for a total cost of $8,234. Carpet replacement in the high school will also take place after a quote from V.I.P.S. was approved for $14,203.58. Board members unanimously approved contracting the services of O’Connor and Brooks to conduct the FY16 district audit for a cost of $13,100.

(Taken from board minutes by Mary Seifert, edited by Molly Moser.)

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