by Elaine Rassel
The month of April has seen MMC Board members attending more than the usual regular monthly meetings with Remsen-Union Board members. MMC Board has had two special meetings (April 12 and April 27 morning meetings).
The April 12 special meeting was held at 7:45 a.m. with Olsen, Prunty, Leavitt, and Dreckman present. Absent was Staab. On the agenda was a Public Forum_Public Hearing for FY21 Budget Amendment and FY22 Budget. There was no Public input regarding the fY21 Budget Amendment and FY22 Budget.
The Resolution authorizing issuance of approximately $18,000,000 and approximately $2,100,000 general obligation school bonds and levying a tax or the payment on was adopted after being introduced.
Both the FY21 Budget Amendment and FY22 Budget were approved.
The Freshman Softball Coach position was approved as were the 2021-2022 certified staff contracts.
Resignations approved were Janelle Horstman (Para) and Andrew Wotherspoon (MS/HS Vocal Music instructor).
The MMC Board approved hiring Anita Penning (HS Secretary), Breeana De Vos (5-12 Vocal Music), Dawn Roberts (Elementary teacher), Jodi Theisen (HS Assistant Softball), and Colin Youde (Freshman Softball).
Piper Sandler was on the agenda twice. Approved was the Financial Service Agreement with Piper Sandler. Also approved was the Dissemination Agent agreement with Piper Sandler.
The second meeting was MMCRU in regular joint session.
The CW Suter bid for the HVAC project was approved at $239,500 for the HVAC project of competition gym. Other bids were $369,096 and $270,980. This was a MMC approval.
The school fees for 2021-22 school year were approved by MMCRU:
Book Rent is $45. Instrument Rent is $30 per semester. Student Activity Ticket is $45/student. Adult Activity Ticket is $80/individual and Family Activity Ticket is $210/individual.
Breakfast is $1.35/day. Lunch for BGD-grade 3 is $2.40/day. Grade 4-12 is $2.65/day. (I’m not going to quote EXTRA MILK prices as I think there was a mistake in that category as well as when it was a reduced rate, that was given to me.)
Geometry Students only for Compass is $2.50 and Geometer is $4.00 and as a set is $6.50.
Preschool Snack Fee is $20.00. Drivers Education In-District is $350 and Out-of-District is $450.
REDUCED FEES FOR 2020-2021 is 16%. This Reduced rate affects Book Rent ($7.20) and Instrumental Rent ($4.80/semester. Activity tickets are NOT reduced.
Breakfast is 30 cents a day. Lunch for BGD-3 is 40 cents a day. Grade 4-12 is 40 cents a day. (I’m not going to quote Extra Milk prices.)
The Geometry students instruments are NOT reduced. The Preschool Snack is NOT reduced. Drivers Education for In-District is $56 and Out-of-District is NOT reduced.
Contracts for Kyle Oswald and Rockie Bork as Driver’s Education Teachers were approved by MMCRU boards.
The school bus camera bid with the addition options was approved by MMCRU. Seven buses were in this bid. Total for all parts (3 were quoted) needed per unit (bus) was $2,087.82 or $14,614.74 for 7 units. Option/would only need 1. Wireless Dongle for HDS DVR for $50.40 each.
Buses could go to Marshalltown for installation ($550 x 7)=$3,850 and additional shop supplies would apply. OR, a Tech would be sent to our site for installs provided there is shelter to work in. Estimated additional charges for travel and room and board would set the cost of $650.00 additional.
A forklift for Industrial Tech Department was approved up to $16,000 by MMC.
The AEA is AEA Purchasing Food, Ware Wash, and Small Wares cooperative purchasing programs for school food service. In the school year 2020-2021 there were 319 schools and districts that participated with the AEA Purchasing programs and they anticipate over $34 million dollars in purchases. The AEA purchasing agreement was approved by MMCRU boards.
The resignations of Emily Bork (Cook), Caryn Barry (HS Secretary) were approved. Hiring of Amanda Olsen (FCS instructor), Laura Petersen (Para), Alex Roberts (HS English/Drama), and Ben O’Ram (HS Special Education) were approved.
Nick Galles Ag was approved by MMC board for his lawncare bid of $10,624. This was for Marcus and Cleghorn sites for Crabgrass Control, Summer Fertilizer, Fall Fertilizer, and late season crab control and yellow foxtail control + broadleaf control. Any one of the steps could be removed if wanted to be.
MMCRU approved the extended school year compensation from $25 to $35 per hour.
The Principals’ and Superintendent Reports followed, but I’m going to print these last and go on to the Closed Session to evaluate Supt. Barkel and the Exempt Session for bargaining for Administrative Contracts as well as Administrative Contracts.
The Administrative Contracts approved were for the following: Travis Sprague PK-4, 9-12 Principal with a wage increase of 3.1%. Jill Alesch (Shared Board Secretary, Human Resources) with a wage increase of 2.42%. Gina Meyer (Head Cook) with a wage increase of 2.42%. Gary Husman (Transportation Secretary) with a wage increase of 2.39% and Connie Peterson (Technology Coordinator) with a wage increase of 2.41%.
Now the Principals’ and Superintendent Reports:
MMCRU Middle School/Remsen Elementary Principal Toby Young reported the following:
At this time last year, we were no longer attending school in person due to COVID and all instruction was provided virtually or with paper packets. Fast forward 1 year and we are back to school full-time and have made the best of a pandemic that is still ongoing. I would like to thank our board, administration, staff, students and families for all they’ve done to make this year a success. It hasn’t been easy, with ever changing guidelines and not knowing what’s next. With 29 days of school left, I would have to say this year has been very successful. As we finish up the last month of school, we have a lot of activities (sports, concerts, field trips) that still have to take place.
3rd-8th grade students have now completed ISASP testing.
We continue to plan for the 2021-2022 school year and continue to make tweaks to our master schedule, while also interviewing and hiring new staff. The last day of school is Thursday, May 27 with a teacher work day on Friday, May 28.
Projected Numbers for 2021-2022 School Year
PS-13; TK-20; K-20 (1-1:1; 1-2 total SPED students); 1st -23 (1-1:1, 5 total SPED students); 2nd -23 (2-1:1 SPED Students); 3rd -26 (2 sections); 4th -12; 5th -18 from Remsen and 14 from Marcus=32; 6th -48; 7th -51; and 8th -51 for a TOTAL of 319.
MMCRU Marcus Elementary (PK-4) and MMCRU High School Principal (9-12) Principal Travis Sprague reported the following: The past month at MMCRU Marcus Elementary and MMCRU High School has been action packed. We celebrated Gnimocemoh Week (spring version of Homecoming) with several engaging activities for our students and staff. In addition, we had a faculty-senior basketball game and a successful high school lock-in. Kayla Schroeder organized and ran our blood drive. This school year our High School has donated (or attempted to donate) over 80 units of blood. Over the past month we had our War Eagle Academic Banquet, a fine arts mattress sale, a senior class trip, an amazing FFA banquet, and our NHS induction ceremony in which 11 new Royals were initiated into NHS.
20 students earned Principal Honor Roll status during 3rd quarter (4.0); 59 students earned High Honor Roll status (3.5 or higher), and an additional 33 students earned Honor Roll status (3.0 or higher). In total, 112 students made our honor roll (68.7% of the student body).
At the elementary 1st grade presented their ocean animals to classmates and their parents, our preschool had donuts with their dads, and Dr. Seuss Week throughout the elementary. Finally, all of MMCRU celebrated Love My School Day.
Two required state events have occurred (or will occur in short order). First is the Conditions of Learning survey for grades 3-4 and 9-12. This survey is a part of our school performance profile. The second is ISASP testing. We test for reading (grades 3-4; 9-11); math (grades 3-4; 9-11); language/writing (grades 3-4; 9-11), and science (grades 10). These results are a part of our school performance profile.
In terms of Professional Development, our teachers have prepared for ISASP testing, reviewed the pros and cons of FAST math implementation, discussed preparation for Love My School Day, planned for next school year (schedule, rosters, rooms, etc.). In addition, the staff have also worked on their 80/20 Individual Professional Development Plans (IPDP). Finally, our elementary staff visited the HMS (Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn) Elementary in Hartley to tour their new building.
Track and golf season are in full swing which is great because these athletes did not get this opportunity last year. 26 boys and 16 girls are out for track. 12 boys and 8 girls are out for golf. Brett Staab received an Individual All-State Speech honor for his story telling piece.
Superintendent Dan Barkel reported the following: The districts have been a whirlwind of change and improvement in the past month. We have begun, or are beginning the process of improvement to our facilities both from the standpoint of passing a bond election, as well as the opportunities to make improvements through the use of federal ESSER (COVID) funds. We will discuss a proposal tonight having to do with improving air quality in the Remsen building. On April 14, the MMC elementary teachers visited the new HMS elementary building to get their impressions of it, and provide feedback to the architect in relation to the new elementary building in Marcus.
It is also the time of year when teachers consider whether they choose to sign their contracts and return to MMCRU for another year. With that is the usual transition with teachers leaving and arriving in the MMCRU districts. This month has been filled with a great deal of interviewing and posting of teaching openings. The teacher shortage that has been looming on the horizon is now a reality, especially at the secondary level. We need to be competitive with outer districts if we are to have a chance with finding and retaining staff, because the supply is not there. We have offered a few contracts this year where we have had only 1-3 applicants. I am thankful that the boards settled with their respective associations so that contracts are in the hands of our teachers at this time. Obviously, every new hire is an opportunity to potentially improve our offerings to our students. That is always the hope with a new hire. Sometimes things work out favorably, sometimes not. But, that is always what we are striving for. The shortage of quality teaching applicants does, however, make this a challenge.
We are getting closer to the homestretch of the school year. The challenges we have faced this year have been difficult, but we are happy about the relationships that have developed between students and staff at MMCRU this year. There are a lot of positives that have come out of the difficulties of this year. It is great to be in the spring activities season so our students can be outside.
Love My School Day was a positive experience on April 9. It was a great opportunity to provide a window into the great things happening at MMCRU. In addition, a camera crew from Dordt University has been working on a promotional video that is being developed for MMCRU. W hope to post the video in places that will be useful for sharing the message of the positives of MMCRU.
Senator Chuck Grassley visited our high school on April 6 to get a taste of how our Industrial Tech program works. Since my tenure began at MMCRU we have now been visited by Congressmen Steve King & Randy Feenstra, Senator Joni Ernst and now Chuck Grassley. The investment the MMC board made for building the IT Building has really paid off, and I believe the investment made towards a new elementary school, remodeled high school and new community day care will also pay off. In fact, the timing of the community daycare will coincide with the advent of many new federal and state government programs that could be a model for other communities. A very positive meeting of the Little Royals Daycare board was held in the high school library on April 13. It will be exciting to see how this new venture will positively impact our community and schools.
nity Schools regular Board Meeting was at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, April 19, 2021 with RU Board members Krier, Tentinger, Poeckes, Penning, and Loutsch present. Absent: No one. MMC Board members present were Prunty, Dreckman, Olson, Leavitt, and Staab. Absent: No one.