BENTON COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT
IN THE COUNTIES OF TAMA, BENTON, AND IOWA, STATE OF IOWA
BENTON REGULAR BOARD MEETING, Wednesday, May 20, 2020, 6:00 PM
BENTON COMMUNITY CENTRAL ADMINISTRATION OFFICE BOARD ROOM
304 1ST STREET, VAN HORNE, IOWA 52346
Board Meeting Opened: 6:00 P.M. Meeting was held both at the Central Administration office and electronically with a call to order by President Pat Stepanek.
Pres. Stepanek announcement: This meeting is held electronically as per Iowa Code Section 21.8 which permits a governmental body to conduct a meeting by electronic means. Public access will be provided to the extent reasonably possible. The notice of the meeting on our school website indicating the “place from which the communication originates and where/how public access is provided to the conversation”, and meeting minutes will be kept. To receive the audio link, please follow the directions outlined on the front page of our website at http://www.benton.k12.ia.us.
1. Call to Order:
Present: Directors Becker (virtual), Ludeking (virtual), Nolte (virtual), Stepanek (in person), Thompson (in person), Upah (virtual) and Werning (virtual). A Quorum was declared present.
Also Present: Dr. Ewell, Doug Embray, Dr. Bieschke, Anna Upah, Shawn Pfiffner, Jason West, Jane Svestka, Mandy Svestka and Phil Eastman.
2. Retirees – Recognition
President Stepanek and Dr. Ewell recognized Jane Svestka, Diane Redmond, and Darla Galligan for their years of service to Benton Community Schools. President Stepanek presented a retirement clock to Jane Svestka. Diane Redmond will be attending the June Board Meeting. Dr. Ewell presented to Darla Galligan, who had requested to receive her retirement clock prior to the meeting. Dr. Ewell and President Stepanek read prepared statements of service and recognition for all retirees.
3. May – School Board Recognition Month:
Dr. Ewell recognized board members for their service.
4. Action Item #157 – Delegations, Communications, Considerations of Additional Items for the Agenda
Motion by Thompson, second by Upah to add Stacey Rector as a recommendation for hire with consideration of employment signing bonus to Agenda Item #15 Consent Agenda, Sub Category Personnel.
MOTION CARRIED ALL MEMBERS PRESENT VOTING AYE
5. Open Forum
No public Comment
6. Action #158 – Approval of Agenda
Motion by Nolte, second by Thompson to approve the agenda as presented.
MOTION CARRIED ALL MEMBERS PRESENT VOTING AYE
7. Action #159 – Business Services
Motion by Becker, second by Thompson to approve the warrants and reports as presented
MOTION CARRIED ALL MEMBERS PRESENT VOTING AYE
8. Action #160 – June Meal Program
Motion by Nolte, second by Upah to approve the June Meal Program as presented.
MOTION CARRIED ALL MEMBERS PRESENT VOTING AYE
9. Action #161 – Facilities
Motion by Thompson, Second by Nolte to approve Advanced Builders to repair and patch the roof seams at the High School.
MOTION CARRIED ALL MEMBERS PRESENT VOTING AYE
10. Action #162 – Class Sizes – Preschool & Kindergarten
Motion by Nolte, second by Upah to approve the superintendent hire a 1.0 elementary teacher assigned to Kindergarten and a .4 teacher for our 3-year-old Preschool Program.
MOTION CARRIED ALL MEMBERS PRESENT VOTING AYE
11. Action Item #163 – Grant Wood AEA MENTORING & INDUCTION CONSORTIUM AGREEMENT 20-21
Motion by Thompson, second by Becker to approve the FY21 Mentoring and Induction Consortium Agreement with Grant Wood AEA.
MOTION CARRIED ALL MEMBERS PRESENT VOTING AYE
12. Graduation Plans
Dr. Bieschke reviewed options for conducting graduation and prom. Discussion on recent Governor proclamations and lifting of restrictions. The board discussed monitoring the situation, agreed with scheduling the events, and conveyed that administration should proceed with appropriate decision making in coordination with Benton County Public Health for each event to be conducted.
“Approve the graduation options with flexibility noted pending state decisions for COVID restrictions.”
13. Administration REPORT
No Action Taken
14. Action #164 – Policy Review
Motion by Thompson, second by Nolte to approve the policy review and revisions as presented.
a. Policy 506.1 – Student Records Checklist
b. Policy 506.1E2 – Request of Nonparent for Examination or Copies of Student Records
c. Policy 506.1E3 – Parental Authorization for Release of Student Records
d. Policy 506.1E4 – Request for Hearing on Correction of Student Records
e. Policy 506.1E5 – Request for Examination of Student Records
f. Policy 506.1E6 – Notification of Transfer of Student Records
g. Policy 506.1E7 – Letter to Parent Regarding Receipt of a Subpoena
h. Policy 506.1E8 – Juvenile Justice Agency Information Sharing Agreement
i. Policy 506.1E9 – Annual Notice
j. Policy 506.1R1 – Education Use of Student Records Regulations
MOTION CARRIED ALL MEMBERS PRESENT VOTING AYE
15. Action #165 – Consent Agenda
The Board will review and consider the approval of all Consent Agenda Items.
Motion by Becker, second by Werning to approve the Consent Agenda.
MOTION CARRIED ALL MEMBERS PRESENT VOTING AYE
a. PERSONNEL – all hires are contingent on an approved background check/fingerprinting and appropriate degree and licensure.
■ Hires
1. Kal Goodchild – Co-Head Varsity Football coach
2. Jeff Zittergruen – Co-Head Varsity Football coach
3. Emma Cochrane – 9th Grade Volleyball Coach
4. Emma Cochrane – Co-ed Assistant Track Coach
5. Thomas Trainer – Teacher, Secondary Science
6. Thomas Trainer – Assistant Boys Basketball
7. Sara Petrzelka – Teacher, MS Special Education & MS/HS Interventionist
8. Ashley Phelan – Teacher, 7-8th English/LA
9. Emily DeNeve – Teacher, 6th grade Intermediate
10. Justin Liddle – Middle School Cross Country Coach
11. Trish Little – Head 7th Grade Volleyball Coach
12. Kristi Wright – MS/HS Food Service Manager
13. Larry Carlson -Head 7th Gr. Football Coach
14. Jake Voss – Head Varsity Wrestling Coach
15. Jake Voss – Head 8th Gr. Football Coach
16. Teacher Leaders
a. Jan Brown – CTE Data Team Leader @ MS/HS
b. Kelsey Kearns – Special Education Data Team Leader @ MS/HS
c. Christine Neff – Preschool Data Team Leader @ Keystone Elementary
17. Stacey Rector – HS Science with employment signing bonus of $6,000 to be offered at annual increments of $2,000 per employment contract for a term of three consecutive years of employment as long as she is employed by Benton Community each year during the 3-year bonus/stipend.
Resignations
1. Casey Krull – HS Science
2. T.J Murphy – MS/HS Science, Head 7th Gr. Football, Head Wrestling Coach, Data Team Leader
3. Brian Kramer – 8th Grade Girls’ Basketball Coach
4. Robert Albertsen – Bus Driver
5. Kathy Gage – Van Horne Bus stop supervisor
6. Chris Auger – Head Soccer Coach
7. Dave Frasier – Wrestling, Weight room
8. Jeff Zittergruen – Head Varsity Football Coach
b. Summer Pay Schedule – OFFICIALS
c. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
April Regular Board Meeting,
April Special Board Meeting
d. Contracts
Luther College – Memorandum of Understanding
Timberline Billing Service LLC – Timberline Agreement of Service
17. Closed Session – Superintendent Evaluation
Motion to move to Closed Session – Iowa Code Section 21.5(1_(i) To evaluate the professional competency of an individual whose appointment, hiring, performance, or discharge is being considered when necessary to prevent needless and irreparable injury to that individual’s reputation and that individual requests a closed session. Roll Call Vote with all Directors voting AYE. Time In 8:07 P.M.
Roll call vote to open closed session, all Directors voting AYE, Time 8:45 p.m.
No Action
18. Action Item #166 – Adjournment – 8:45 p.m.
Motion by Nolte, second by Thompson to adjourn meeting at 8:45 p.m.
MOTION CARRIED ALL MEMBERS PRESENT VOTING AYE
Jim Magdefrau 