The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.

Additional Access To School Buildings Discussed

The board discussed a possible plan and guidelines to permit additional access to our school buildings during the school day. The administrative team will work with staff to develop a plan and implement the plan beginning Monday, November 29, 2021.

At the Tuesday, November 16, 2021, regular board meeting of the West Central C.U.S.D. #235 Board of Education, the following items took place:

The meeting was called to order at 6:00 p.m. in the West Central Elementary School cafeteria by Board President Brendan Schaley. A Zoom link to join the meeting was also offered to the community.

All board members except Jodi Arnold were present at roll call. Also present were Superintendent Markey, WCHS Principal Jason Kirby, WCMS Principal Joe Peters, WCES Principal Kathy Lafary, WCES Assistant Principal Sara Ryner, Board Secretary Nancy Clark, IT Wade Alexander, WCES Teacher Kristi Lumbeck, some members of the WCMS Speech team, their families, and Speech Team sponsors Danna Cory and Lisa Lox. There were also six additional community members present in person.

President Schaley led the audience in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Under Good News Items the following items were highlighted:

• Brady McGraw was named the Hawkeye Athlete of the Week
• Mason Carnes was named the WMOI-WRAM Athlete of the Week
• The West Central Middle School Fall Fun Run fundraiser was a success! Profit was $1414.45. These funds will be used to provide incentives to students.
• The West Central Middle School Veterans Day Program was held on Wednesday, November 10 at 9:30 a.m. The program was very well done. The band and choir sounded wonderful. Mr. Jim Blender was thanked for being the keynote speaker and to the Henderson County American Legion Post #765 for the Presentation and Retirement of the Colors.
• Congratulations was given to Cora Kaup for winning the Patriot Pen Essay competition.
• WCES and their families went above and beyond our goal and bought around $6,915 or over 850 books total during our book fair (including in person and online sales)! This has provided our library with $3,460.52 Scholastic Dollars that we can use to help update our Elementary library collection and provide additional resources for classrooms.
• West Central Elementary School PTC Fall Festival was a success! The board appreciates all of our sponsors and volunteers for their supportive efforts.
• Congratulations was given to the following student athletes for being selected to the All-Conference 1st Team: Parker Meldrum, Dexter Ricketts, Brady McGraw, and Kaiden Droste.
• Congratulations was given to the following student athletes for being selected for All State: Dexter Ricketts, Brady McGraw, and Kaiden Droste.
• Congratulations was given to the following student athletes for being selected for Academic All State: Dexter Ricketts, Brady McGraw, and Kaiden Droste.
• West Central Middle School Speech Team recently hosted and competed in a speech contest on Saturday, November 13. They had seven performances. Of those performance, four received 1st place and three received 2nd place. Of the four that received 1st place, three of them earned a Judge's Choice Award.
  • First Place
    • Isabelle Koch, "Opening Night - Mother Goose" by Ken Bradbury (Judge's Choice Award)
    • Irelynn Boyle, "Mom Always Liked Her Best" Author Unknown
    • Mason Schaley and Jaxon Endress, "Acting Up" by Ken Bradbury (Judge's Choice Award)
    • Drake Vancil, Jainy Nicholson, and Josh Covert, "Le Cafe Internationale" by Ken Bradbury (Judge's Choice Award)
  • 2nd Place
    • Maddie Gridley and Lauryn Robertson, "A Fine Line" by Ken Bradbury
    • Ethan Bullen, "Wolf Tale" by ken Bradbury
    • Blake Ricketts, Zoey Kriz, Lexie Bell-Canfield, and Corri DeMent, "Overacting on the Prairie" by Ken Bradbury

The board approved the meeting agenda as presented with no additions or deletions.

The following individuals addressed the board during the Comments for the Public Section of the agenda: Mary Grace Carlson, Stephanie Evans, and Lauren Chockley on the topic of parent access to the school during the school day.

The board approved the Consent Agenda. Items approved under the Consent Agenda included the following:

• the minutes of the October 1, 2, and 16, 2021, Special meetings,
• the minutes of the October 20, 2021 Regular meeting, and
• The October 2021 bills, October 2021 building Activity Account Reports, the October 2021 Treasurer's Report, and review of the District Financial Report.

Superintendent Markey presented the board with a proposal for the installation of a district-wide access control card system in the amount of $23,664.00. The board will take action on this proposal at the December 15, 2021 board meeting.

Superintendent Markey updated the board on the most recent Building and Grounds Committee meeting.

Superintendent Markey presented the board with a proposed ESSER III Spending Plan. This Spending Plan will be shared with stakeholders on our District website and via email for the purpose of accepting public comments on the plan until Wednesday, December 8. At the conclusion of the public comment time period, the ESSER III Spending Plan will be reevaluated and possibly revised if necessary based on stakeholder feedback.

The board reviewed and heard reports from the building principals as well as a Technology Report from Mrs. Frakes and Mr. Alexander and Special Education Report from Mallory Nelson. The board received an update from Superintendent Markey regarding updated COVID related numbers.

The board approved a Tentative 2021 Tax Levy as presented. This year's tentative tax levy calls for an extension amount of $6,753,184 which is an increase over the 2020 levy extension amount of 4.98%. The Tentative 2021 Tax Levy is now on display in the District Office. The board will vote to approve the Final 2021 Tax Levy at the December 15, 2021, Board meeting.

The board declared a 2006 Dodge Grand Caravan surplus for the purpose of selling or disposing of it as presented.

The board approved the request of a student to attend West Central High School half days during 2nd semester of the 2021-2022 school as presented.

The board approved increasing long-term substitute pay from $120 to $140 per day.

The board entered closed session at 8:19 p.m. to discuss the following topics:

A. The appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance, or dismissal of specific employees of the public body or legal counsel for the public body, including hearing testimony on a complaint lodged against an employee of the public body or against legal counsel for the public body to determine its validity.

B. Student Discipline

C. Collective negotiating matters between the school board and its employees or their representatives, or deliberations concerning salary schedules for one or more classes of employees.

D. The placement of individual students in special education programs and other matters relating to individual students.

E. Litigation

The Board exited closed session at 9:07 p.m.

The board took the following action in regards to personnel:

• accepted the intent to retire from Jane Alexander as the WCHS Family and Consumer Science teacher, effective December 17, 2021, as presented and with thanks for her service to the District.
• accepted the intent to retire from Jenny Lenz as District Cook, effective June 15, 2022, as presented and with thanks for her service to the District,
• accepted the resignation of Karen Gall as a WCHS Special Education teacher, effective November 15, 2021, as presented and with thanks for her service to the District,
• approved the employment of Tyler Jones as a WCHS Physical Education teacher beginning January 3, 2022, as presented per the WCATS contract and pending completion of all pre-employment requirements,
• approved the employment of Joleen Kelly as a WCES part-time Title I Paraprofessional, as presented and pending completion of all pre-employment requirements,
• approved the employment of Cheyanne Lee as a Special Education Bus Monitor, as presented and pending completion of all pre-employment requirements,
• approved the employment of Jonah Marlow as the WCHS Assistant Girls' Basketball Coach, as presented per the WCATS contract and pending completion of all coaching and pre-employment requirements,
• approved the employment of Teresa Stevenson as a WCHS Track Coach, as presented per the WCATS contract and pending completion of all coaching requirements,
• approved Dan Bowman as a WCHS Volunteer Girls' Basketball Coach as presented, pending completion of all coaching requirements,
• approved paying Jill Colley overload pay to teach one additional section of special education courses for the remainder of the 1st semester of the 2021-2022 school year as presented, and
• approved paying Cody Eaton overload pay to teach one additional section of special education courses for the remainder of the 1st semester of the 2021-2022 school year as presented.

The oard was reminded that the next regularly scheduled meeting will be Wednesday, December 15, 2021, in the West Central Elementary cafeteria.

The board adjourned their meeting at 9:14 p.m.