East Buchanan Community School District
Regular Board Meeting Minutes – May 12, 2021
Call to Order: President Greg Schmitt called the meeting to order at 5:00 pm. The board recited the East Buchanan Mission Statement. Board members present were Greg Schmitt, Scott Cooksley, Andy Sperfslage, Heather Steffens, and Shawn Stone. Administration attending were Dan Fox, Superintendent/Elementary Principal; Eric Dockstader, MS/HS Principal; Teresa Knipper, Business Manager/Board Secretary. Several visitors attended the meeting.
Public Hearing: Schmitt called for a motion to open the public hearing. Motion to open the public hearing was made by Stone, second by Cooksley at 5:00 pm. There were no comments from the public. Motion to close the public hearing was made by Steffens, second by Stone at 5:01 pm.
Approve Agenda: Motion to approve the agenda was made by Steffens, second by Cooksley. Motion carried with all ayes.
Approve Consent Agenda: Motion to approve the Consent Agenda was made by Stone, second by Cooksley. Motion carried with all ayes. Items included on the Consent Agenda: minutes from the regular meeting on April 14, 2021; expenditures listed; resignation of Justin Kress as teacher; termination of Rachel Larson as health associate; resignations of Loretta Williams and Elizabeth Lawson as custodians; hiring of Kyle Fank as behavior support teacher, Megan Nelson as 2nd grade teacher, and Lee White as assistant baseball coach.
Administrative Updates and Reports: Dockstader reported that the awards assembly was on May 11th and is posted on the Buc Network, commencement is on May 16th, the musical went well with the new stage, the high school concert was on May 10th, and that spring sports are wrapping up. Fox reported that ISASP testing is complete and FAST testing is almost done. Elementary and middle school students participated in a Day of Awesomeness after raising over $18,000 for the playground. The PTO celebrated Teacher Appreciation Week with the staff and will be taking over the playground fundraiser next year. Many other events including the talent show, field trips, 1st grade circus, preschool celebration, and Friends & Family Day will wrap up the school year. Facilities update included baseball netting quote, stage conversion, and plans for a building. Kevin Hesner presented a preliminary 21-22 tech budget and explained the need for updates to the phone, intercom, and bell system as well as an additional Buc Network setup. A special meeting will be held on May 26, 2021 at 4:30 pm for additional discussion on the tech budget and updates.
List of 2021 Graduates: Motion by Sperfslage, second by Steffens to approve the list of 2021 graduates as presented. Motion carried with all ayes.
Joint Education Service Agreement: Motion by Stone, second by Cooksley to approve the joint education service agreement with Hawkeye Community College for summer concurrent enrollment as presented. Motion carried with all ayes.
Amended Current Year Budget: Motion by Stone, second by Steffens to approve the amended budget for the current fiscal year as presented. Motion carried with all ayes.
Covid-19 Guidelines Review: Motion by Stone, second by Steffens to remove the requirement to wear masks in the hallways and lunch line. Masks are highly recommended at all times during the school day; however, masks are still required on school buses and vans per CDC guidelines. Ayes: Stone, Steffens, Sperfslage. Nays: Cooksley, Schmitt. Motion carried.
Buccaneer Brag-About: All board members were thanked for their service and given a certificate for School Board Recognition Month. The PTO is doing a great job, teachers are finishing strong, the musical was great, and shop projects have been featured on social media.
Exempt Session: At 6:04 pm, a motion was made by Sperfslage, second by Stone to hold an exempt session as authorized by Iowa Code Section 20.17(3) and Iowa Code 21.9. Motion carried with all ayes. At 7:00 pm, a motion was made by Stone, second by Sperfslage to leave exempt session. Motion carried.
2021-2022 Master Contract: Motion by Steffens, second by Sperfslage to approve the master contract with a certified base increase of $600.00 and classified base increase of $.50 for an overall increase of 3.11%. Motion carried with all ayes.
2021-2022 Non-Master Contract: Motion by Stone, second by Cooksley to approve an overall average increase of 2.88% for non-master contract employees (excluding superintendent pending evaluation in June) and bus driver base increase of $58 for an increase of 3.05%. Motion carried with all ayes.
Adjourn – Motion by Sperfslage, second by Steffens to adjourn the meeting at 7:06 pm. Motion carried with all ayes.
The above are not official minutes until approved at the next regular board meeting. A copy of the official minutes may be viewed in the office of the Board Secretary any Monday through Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.