Board of Education Regular School Board Meeting
Southeast Webster-Grand Community School District Prairie Valley Community School District
Wednesday, January 20, 2021
Southeast Valley Central Office
The joint regular meeting of the Boards of Education of Prairie Valley and Southeast Webster-Grand met in regular session. President Miller called the meeting to order at 6:30 PM.
Roll Call: PV: Shannon Miller, Joni Hefley, Jim Carlson, Kathy Carlson and Heidi McGuire.
Absent: Joe Harrison, Gary Welter
Roll Call: SWG: Alan Wicklein, Katie VanSickle, Chad Lambert, Alison Swanson and Lindsay Eslick, Sean Stewart, AJ Blair.
Absent: None
Prairie Valley: Motion by McGuire, seconded by Hefley to approve the consent agenda items, including the agenda, minutes and bills.
Ayes: Miller, J. Carlson, K. Carlson, Hefley, McGuire
Nays: None
Motion carries 5-0
SWG: Motion by Stewart, seconded by Blair, to approve the consent agenda items, including the agenda, minutes and bills.
Ayes:, Wicklein, VanSickle, Lambert, Swanson, Eslick, Stewart, Blair
Nays: None
Motion carried 7-0
Prairie Valley: Motion by K. Carlson, seconded by J. Carlson to approve the financials as presented
Ayes: Miller, J. Carlson, K. Carlson, Hefley, McGuire
Nays: None
Motion carries 5-0
SWG: Motion by Stewart, seconded by Lambert to approve the financials as presented.
Ayes:, Wicklein, VanSickle, Lambert, Swanson, Eslick, Stewart, Blair
Nays: None
Motion carried 7-0
Farnhamville Elementary – Principal Jim Duncan
The Jan. 5th Professional Development Day went well! Elementary teachers were in their respective buildings and participated via distance learning technology. The two elementary schools held instructional technology and applications learning for the day’s P.D. The AEA was involved in a morning technology session and our elementary teachers were involved in presenting the afternoon’s professional development. This was a great example of collaboration of resources with external and internal professionals! 2021 is off to a good start! Staff reviewed our Prairie Valley Elementary Jaguar Journey PBIS Expectations with our students during the first 3 days back in January. This helps to remind students of proper and positive actions. All the expectations involve being safe, respectful, and responsible. This includes classrooms, hallways, restrooms, lunchroom, bus behavior etc. Additionally, our school nurse has reviewed proper hand washing with students and safe & healthy hygiene actions (how to appropriately cover coughs, etc.) Earlier this trimester, I wanted to set up some more consistent communication to help support our students & families who are doing distance-learning (using Edgenuity). So in addition to the communication we had already been doing, I developed a basic plan of having our instructional coach contact those students’ parents on the alternating Wednesdays that she would be at PV Elementary. I shared this plan with Dan at our other elementary to see if it would be something that could work for their students as well. The elementary instructional coach and I meet weekly and one of our discussion points is how our distance-learning students are progressing. I would like to thank Mrs. Walsh for her work with our distance-learning efforts. As part of the above plan, I have also arranged for our school counselor, Melinda Meier to contact those distance-learning families once a month (on a week other than those that the instructional coach is contacting them). This too is intended to improve communication and to check to see if our students/families need any other assistance. Winter FAST Assessments are planned to start this week. These assessments are for TK through the 4th grade. We plan to administer the Reading Assessments first, followed by the Math Assessments starting in the first week of February. We have contacted those families whose students are doing distance learning and have set up times for them to take the assessments as well. I would like to thank Samantha Gutshall for the great job she does with our school’s FAST Assessments screenings. Our 4 Year-Old Preschool will be administering the IGDI Assessments (Individual Growth & Development Indicators) during the last week of January. As mentioned in this month’s jubilation, we continue to do our best to help with the safety and health of our students and staff during the typical cold and flu season and this entire pandemic situation. I want to thank our students, our families, and our staff for their continued efforts, cooperation, and support with these efforts!
Dayton Elementary School – Principal Dan Grandfield
Instructional Coach, Andrea Walsh, deserves to be jubilated for her communication efforts with the parents/family members of our 100% online kids. Retired Teacher, Jo Hutchins, dropped off a box full of hand sanitizer, Clorox wipes, and several pairs of children’s gloves and mittens. She also presented a check for $150 from the Boone County Democrats, to use to purchase any other needed supplies for the students.
The Winter FAST testing started this week. Mrs. Kalahar, Mrs. Weiland, Mrs. Walsh, and Mrs. Bintz will do the Reading this week, followed by the Math Assessments. Mrs. Bintz uses the Reading data to determine who she needs to work with in Iowa Reading Corps. The 4-year old PK will be administering the Winter IGDI’s tests during the last week of January. We use the IGDI’s data (along with our GOLD data) to assess our PK kids for Kindergarten readiness. Director Sara Stevens, reported that the Daycare is back to operating at normal capacity after some bouts with COVID exposure (over the Christmas Break) caused quarantines that affected our toddler and infant rooms. We currently have 4 kids who are 100% Online, and 6 who remain on Hybrid (attending every Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday). Mrs. Housken has Avery Maresca as a student teacher in her classroom from now through May 5. Mrs. Schultz has Brooke Harbaugh as a student teacher in her classroom from now through February 26. Both young ladies are from Iowa State. Amy Goodpaster will be hosting a BV student math field experience student, who will be observing her math for 10 hours, between now and the end of February.
Curriculum Report – Dr. Linda Hunecke
Currently my professional reading involves time spent with Rebecca Frazier’s (2021) book, The
Joy of Coaching. Although it is written with a focus on instructional coaching and the characteristics that have a research base for effective coaching, I submit that these characteristics are also important for administrators, teachers and anyone in a leadership role. Frazier identified these ten critical attributes of an effective coach: collaborative, caring, competent, authentic, a quality communicator, inspirational, flexible, trustworthy, planned, and able to provide models. As the pandemic was thrust upon us, I have seen the increased value of being collaborative as it has played out here at Southeast Valley over the past months. Very early, teachers and administrators began having conversations about how to support students as we finished out the last school year without having in-person learning. We knew our best resources were those people doing the work and the initial reaction was to provide them all the support they might need to move forward. As I’ve mentioned in previous reports, it has been amazing to see the innovative ways teachers have addressed the challenges they face from day to day. Our Return to Learn planning team consisted of teachers and administrators attempting to consider every aspect of our responsibility for educating students balanced with attention to health and safety considerations as we adapted to all the guidance provided us as public health learned about them. With all the best intentions of attending to the information we had at the time, our collaboration resulted in a successful fall and winter weathering COVID-19 without a shutdown. We are not done, and certainly the virus is not done, and we continue to forge ahead. But what does it really mean to be collaborative and what examples of collaboration exist in
Southeast Valley? A couple of years ago, our instructional coaches and administrative team engaged in a book study on Collaborative Leadership by Peter DeWitt (2018). Both Frazier and DeWitt highlight the critical need for meeting teachers where they are, being understanding of each person’s unique situation and providing the type of support each one needs. It means working together to achieve a better result. A common thread this year in our district has been the willingness to explore tools available, give teachers time and opportunity to learn from each other, time to reflect on what’s working, permission to let go of things that are causing stress, asking for ideas about we can do to ensure we are putting on our own oxygen masks first, and listening to understand perspectives and ideas of others. I have heard from teachers how much they’ve appreciated the time to learn from each other as they share ideas about what tools they are using in their classrooms. We also continue to move ahead with formalizing our unit plans and looking for alternative ways of assessing student learning to inform instruction. None of us would be able to meet all these challenges alone. I would be remiss if I didn’t include representation from support staff in these decisions as well. Acquiring information from those who are most closely affected by the circumstances often provides us the clearest picture of how we can most effectively overcome obstacles and meet challenges. Thank you to all the board members, administrators, instructional coaches, teachers, associates, administrative assistants, custodians, food service personnel, bus drivers and directors of these departments for your continued effort toward our success on this journey.
Southeast Valley Middle School – Principal Greg Slininger
Boys and girls basketball has ended for the year. It was an unusual and short season, but both our coaches and student athletes made the best of things and had fun! Mask requirement status: Students and staff have remained responsible and positive about the need for this requirement. Wrestling started this week at the middle school. Our winter Fastbridge testing window opens up this month. The middle school will be testing in both reading and math starting the week of January 25. 100% In-School vs. Hybrid vs. 100% Online Our face to face student numbers continue to rise. Last month we had 11 hybrid students and 30 100% online students. Currently we have 11 hybrid students and 22 100% online students. With a current population of 322, our hybrid and online population is at 10%.
Southeast Valley High School – Principal Kerry Ketcham
Boys and girls basketball has ended for the year. It was an unusual and short season, but both our coaches and student athletes made the best of things and had fun! Mask requirement status: Students and staff have remained responsible and positive about the need for this requirement. Wrestling started this week at the middle school. Our winter Fastbridge testing window opens up this month. The middle school will be testing in both reading and math starting the week of January 25. 100% In-School vs. Hybrid vs. 100% Online Our face to face student numbers continue to rise. Last month we had 11 hybrid students and 30 100% online students. Currently we have 11 hybrid students and 22 100% online students. With a current population of 322, our hybrid and online population is at 10%.
Prairie Valley: Motion by K. Carlson, seconded by Hefley to approve the hiring of Josh Dyer as High School Social Studies teacher for the 2020-2021.
Ayes: Miller, J. Carlson, K. Carlson, Hefley, McGuire
Nays: None
Motion carries 5-0
Prairie Valley: Motion by K. Carlson, seconded by J. Carlson to approve the hiring of Todd Hamilton as Assistant Play Director.
Ayes: Miller, J. Carlson, K. Carlson, Hefley, McGuire
Nays: None
Motion carries 5-0
Prairie Valley: Motion by J. Carlson, seconded by McGuire to approve the resignation of Ryan Koch as High School Biology teacher with thanks for his time at Southeast Valley.
Nays: None
Motion carries 5-0
Prairie Valley: Motion by J. Carlson, seconded by McGuire to approve the resignation of Ashley Waagenar as Elementary Para Associate.
Nays: None
Motion carries 5-0
SWG: Motion by Lambert, seconded by Eslick, to approve the hiring of Britney Geisler as High School Play Director.
Ayes:, Wicklein, VanSickle, Lambert, Swanson, Eslick, Stewart, Blair
Nays: None
Motion carried 7-0
SWG: Motion by Lambert, seconded by Eslick, to approve the hiring of Alysa Rucker as Middle School Teacher and Josie Asklund as Middle School teacher.
Ayes:, Wicklein, VanSickle, Lambert, Swanson, Eslick, Stewart, Blair
Nays: None
Motion carried 7-0
SWG: Motion by Swanson, seconded by Blair, to approve the hiring of Chelsey Danielson as Dayton Elementary Principal for the 2021-2022 year.
Ayes:, Wicklein, VanSickle, Lambert, Swanson, Eslick, Stewart, Blair
Nays: None
Motion carried 7-0
Prairie Valley: Motion by K. Carlson, seconded by McGuire to approve the out of state field trips for both a music trip to Chicago and a Spanish Trip to the Dominican.
Nays: None
Motion carries 5-0
Prairie Valley: Motion by J. Carlson, seconded by Hefley to approve the two requests for early graduation as submitted.
Nays: None
Motion carries 5-0
There will be a public hearing at the next meeting for the 2021-2022 school calendar. The meeting will be Wednesday, February 17, 2021 at the Burnside Middle School at 6:20 PM, prior to the regular board meeting.
It was decided that the because FFCRA relief act ended as of December 31, 2020, the Covid Pay leave would not be extended. The Covid Leave is meant to give tax breaks to employers. This does not really apply to the school, so the board opted not to extend it. Those that miss work due to Covid will be able to use sick leave, but will not be granted Covid leave.
The next meeting will be Wednesday, February 17, 2021 at the Burnside Middle School at 6:30 PM
Meeting Adjourned at 7:12 PM.