BENTON COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT 

IN THE COUNTIES OF TAMA, BENTON, AND IOWA, STATE OF IOWA 

BENTON REGULAR BOARD MEETING, WEDNESDAY, JULY 21, 6:00 PM 

DISTRICT OFFICE BOARD ROOM 

Action Item 1 – Hearing – Sale of Mobile Concession Stand – 6:00 P.M. 

Resolution: to sell/dispose of the school-owned mobile cargo trailer concession stand by sealed bid beginning July 22 at noon until July 29 at 12:00 noon. Bids must be received at Central Office – 304 1st Street, Van Horne, Iowa. 

Sealed bids will be received at the School District Central Administration Office beginning July 22, 2021 at noon until July 29 2021 at 12:00 noon. 

Sealed bids must include: amount the public person is bidding for the item, including all contact information – address, phone number, and verification from an Iowa bank showing proof of funds. The sale will go to the highest bidder. Cash only sale on August 2 by 2:00 p.m. No checks, charges or cashier’s checks. Must remove from school grounds immediately after verified cash sale or by working with the Board Secretary. 

No public comment. 

Motion by Nolte, second by Thompson to approve the resolution to sell the school-owned mobile cargo trailer concession stand using the sealed bid process as outlined and to be sold to the highest bidder on August 2 as per outlined regulations. 

MOTION CARRIED 

ALL MEMBERS PRESENT VOTING AYE 

Recognition: Recognition of Gary Boddicker, Transportation Department, for his 46 years of service as a bus driver for Benton Community School District. Also recognized was Allison Hicks, Transportation Department, with a heroism award for her actions during a bus accident during the FY21 school year. 

1. Call to Order Regular Meeting: 6:17 P.M: 

Present: Meeting was called to order by President Becker, Directors Nolte, Thompson, Upah, and Werning attending. A Quorum was declared present. 

Also Present: Dr. Ewell, Dr. Bieschke, Gary Boddicker, Tim Lyons, Allison Hicks, Anna Upah and Phil Eastman. 

2. Action Item # 2 – Delegations, Communications, Considerations of Additional Items for the Agenda 

Jack Waybill’s resignation as a bus driver was added to the consent agenda. 

Motion by Thompson, second by Upah to approve additional agenda item. 

MOTION CARRIED 

ALL MEMBERS PRESENT VOTING AYE 

3. Open Forum 

No public comment. 

4. Action Item #3 – Approval of Agenda 

Motion by Upah, second by Nolte to approve agenda as presented. 

MOTION CARRIED 

ALL MEMBERS PRESENT VOTING AYE 

5. Action Item #4 – Secondary Science Curriculum – Presentation, Adoption of New Science Curriculum and Materials 

Motion by Werning, second by Nolte to approve the revisions for the secondary science curriculum. 

MOTION CARRIED 

ALL MEMBERS PRESENT VOTING AYE 

6. Action Item #5 – Handbooks 

Motion by Thompson, second by Upah to approve handbooks with revisions. 

MOTION CARRIED 

ALL MEMBERS PRESENT VOTING AYE 

7. Administration Report – 

No action – presentation only. 

8. Facilities Update: 

Seasonal repair, maintenance, and cleaning of district buildings is progressing well to date. Derecho repairs continue to move forward. MS/HS roof has most of the long sheets installed and moving to flashing and smaller steel replacement. We are still waiting on the Norway Bus Barn to be completed along with some minor repairs to gutters at the Newhall Bus Barn. 

No action – update only. 

9. Action Item #6 – Board Meetings 2021-2022 

Motion by Thompson, second by Upah to approve the 2021-2022 School Board Meeting dates. 

MOTION CARRIED 

ALL MEMBERS PRESENT VOTING AYE 

10. Action Item #7 – Business Services 

Motion by Nolte, second by Upah to approve warrants and financial reports as presented. 

MOTION CARRIED 

ALL MEMBERS PRESENT VOTING AYE 

11. Action Item #8 – Consent Agenda 

Motion by Nolte, second by Werning to approve consent agenda as presented. 

A. HIRES 

a. Payt Bergert – Teacher, assigned as 4th grade teacher – Norway Intermediate 

b. Derrick Samson – Bus Driver 

c. Sarah Van Horn – Food Service/Associate-Para Educator 

d. Lyndy Roost – Building Secretary, Keystone 

e. ESSER III expected positions: 

ESSER III position revisions – all temp. positions, 2021-22 and will evaluate need, if Federal funding continues, we plan to continue into 2022-2023. 

i.Keystone Elem – Tanager contract – Pandemic Recovery (PR) SEBH staff member (social worker or Psych. with a background in social-emotional / mental health support) to support all students, can support students in other buildings as schedule allows 

ii.Atkins Elem – Pandemic Recovery Instructional support, Pandemic Recovery Associate support person 

iii.Norway – Pandemic Recovery Instructional support staff person 

iv.MS/HS – Pandemic Recovery Associate to support students ELL, PR Associate to support other students with learning loss 

f. New position to fill – Utility position – Grounds/Maintenance and bus driver 

B. RESIGNATIONS 

a. Hunter Semelroth – 7th grade – Assistant Football Coach 

b. Cristy Hurley – Asst. Spring Play Director 

c. Sherry Collins – Teacher, Norway 

d. Joe Wright – Maintenance 

e. Marty Thomae – Varsity Asst. Softball Coach Summer 2022 

C. CONTRACTS 

a. Recover Health of Iowa 

b. Vista Software Agreement 

c. Mercer Statement of Work 

d. Coca-Cola Agreement 

D. MEETING MINUTES – Board Meeting Minutes 6/16/21 

E. INTERNAL TRANSFERS 

a. Emily DeNeve 

b. Michelle Sondag 

MOTION CARRIED 

ALL MEMBERS PRESENT VOTING AYE 

12. Action Item #9 – Policy Review 

Motion by Thompson, second by Upah to approve the reviewed and revised policies 

MOTION CARRIED 

ALL MEMBERS PRESENT VOTING AYE 

13. Action Item #10 – Disposal of District Policy 

Motion by Nolte, second by Werning to approve the sale or disposal of old iPads and other items with a value less than the amount stated in policy, date to be determined by Superintendent. 

MOTION CARRIED 

ALL MEMBERS PRESENT VOTING AYE 

14. Action Item #11 – Legislative Priorities 

Motion by Thompson, second by Nolte to approve the following Legislative Priorities: Elections, Mental Health, Teacher Recruitment and licensure, and Supplemental State Aid. 

MOTION CARRIED 

ALL MEMBERS PRESENT VOTING AYE 

15. Superintendent Report 

a. ESSER III – Pandemic Recovery positions – focus on Learning Loss 

Bldg.	Need
Atkins	.5 Pandemic Interventionist, 1.0 Pandemic Associate
Keystone	SEBH Pandemic Recovery – Purchased Services Staff person (from Tanager) to work with students, staff (social worker). 1.0 position – can be utilized at other centers as needed, when schedule allows
Norway	1.0 Pandemic Recovery Instructional Interventionist
MS/HS	1.0 ELL Pandemic Associate,1.0 Pandemic Associate

1. BOARD ELECTION INFORMATION 

2. Book Study – Schools Cannot Do it Alone – Book Study 

D. GOAL #5 UPDATE: MARKETING AND CUSTOMER SATISFACTION – UPDATE 

E. GOAL #4 UPDATE: FACILITIES & INFRASTRUCTURE GOAL – UPDATE 

16. Action Item #12 – Adjournment 

Motion by Thompson, second by Nolte to adjourn at 8:27 p.m. 

MOTION CARRIED 

ALL MEMBERS PRESENT VOTING AYE 

SPECIAL BOARD MEETING 

TIME: 6:00 p.m. – WEDNESDAY, JULY 28, 2021 

PLACE: CENTRAL OFFICE – BOARD ROOM 

304 1st STREET, VAN HORNE, IOWA 

1. CALL TO ORDER 

Meeting was called to order at 6:00 p.m. 

The following directors were in attendance: Directors Becker (On Zoom), Stepanek, Thompson and Upah. 

A Quorum was declared present. 

Director Becker turned president duties over to Director Thompson. 

2. Action Item #13 – Approval of Agenda 

Motion by Stepanek, second by Upah to approve agenda as presented. 

MOTION CARRIED 

ALL MEMBERS PRESENT VOTING AYE 

Director Upah acting as secretary for the closed session. 

3. Action Item #14 – Dr. Ewell took roll call vote for the Board to go into a closed session: 

Board President read the following: “The Board, by roll call vote, will now go into closed session as per Iowa Code 21.5(1A) – To review or discuss records which are required or authorized by state or federal law to be kept confidential or to be kept confidential as a condition for that governmental body’s possession or continued receipt of federal funds.” 

Director Becker moved that the Board go into closed session, with all directors saying “Aye.” 

Board moved into closed session at 6:03 p.m. 

Action Item#15 – Roll call vote to move out of closed session: 

Director Becker moved, seconded by Thompson that the Board move out of closed session by roll call vote, with all directors indicating “Aye.” 

4. Action Item #16 – Recommendation to Waive Ineligibility – Without Good Cause 

Motion by Becker, second by Stepanek to waive student ineligibility without good cause but for other reasons presented. 

MOTION CARRIED 

ALL MEMBERS PRESENT VOTING AYE 

5. Action Item #17 – Adjournment 

Motion by Stepanek, second by Upah to adjourn special board meeting. 

MOTION CARRIED 

ALL MEMBERS PRESENT VOTING AYE 

Meeting adjourned at 7:03 p.m.