NORTH FAYETTE VALLEY COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT
BOARD OF EDUCATION
Minutes, Regular Meeting of the Retiring North Fayette Valley Community School District Board of Education, Monday, December 11, 2023, in the NFV Middle School Library, 23493 Canoe Rd, Elgin, IA 52141
NFV Board of Education: Stacy Cummings, Emily Koch, Julie Ahrens, LaCreasha
Schultz, Amanda Rodgers, Kirstin Nelson-Lerch, &
Richard Klosterman. Student members: Avery Donnelly
Others: Superintendent: Joe Griffith, Business Manager: Kassie
Stansbery; Superintendent Secretary: Susan Winter;
Principals: Micah Gearhart, Travis Elliott, Chris Miller;
Media: Sharon Drahn; Staff: Justin Heins, Shanda
Miller, John Bendt, Kayla Pollock, Jenna Fassbinder,
Jessica Bushman, Anne Britt, Jordan Pollock, Julie
Frieden, Molli Steffens, Jessica White, Jeannie Krambeer,
Amy Ihde, Susan Wenger Patrons: Eileen Schlawin, Gary
Schlawin, Jereme Miller, Zeke Stansbery, Kasey
Krivacheck, Cameron Gardner, Rosie Yauk
President Koch called the Organizational Meeting of the Retiring NFV Board of Education to order at 5:31 pm.
Roll Call of Board members: Present: Koch, Klosterman, Cummings, Rodgers, Nelson-Lerch, & Schultz. Ahrens was absent. Klosterman led the board and audience in the pledge of allegiance.
The agenda was approved as presented. Cummings/Schultz Motion Carried 6-0
Public Forum: President Koch welcomed and invited comments from the Public.
Motion to approve the consent agenda with the following items:
- Minutes from November 13, 2023 Annual Meeting
- Review/approve invoices
- Approve Financial Reports
Schultz/Cummings Motion Carried 6-0
OLD BUSINESS
- Second reading of Policies 705.1-R1 and 705.1-R2 Klosterman/Schultz 6-0 Motion Carried
COMMUNICATIONS
Superintendent Griffith thanked Eileen Schlawin, Stacy Cummings, and Julie Ahrens for their years of service and dedication as school board members.
Motion to adjourn at 5:36 pm. Cummings/Schultz Motion Carried 6-0
______________________________ _____________________________
Emily Koch, President Kassie Stansbery, Business Manager
Minutes, Organizational Meeting of the North Fayette Valley Community School District Board of Education, Monday, December 11, 2023, in the NFV Middle School Library, 23493 Canoe Rd, Elgin, IA 52141
NFV Board of Education: Emily Koch, LaCreasha Schultz, Amanda Rodgers, Kirstin
Nelson-Lerch, Richard Klosterman, Kris McGrane, & Kris
Marcks. Student member: Avery Donnelly
Business Manager Stansbery called the Organizational Meeting of the New NFV Board of Education to order at 5:37pm.
Roll Call of Board members: Koch, Nelson-Lerch, McGrane, Marcks, Schultz, Klosterman, & Rodgers.
Business Manager Stansbery welcomed the public and invited comments.
The agenda was approved with the addition of a consent agenda resignation of Arika Rinnels, paraprofessional, and the amended depositories listing. Schultz/McGrane Motion Carried 7-0
Business Manager Stansbery asked for nominations for Board President. Director Rodgers nominated Director Koch—Director Koch accepted. Director Koch was elected unanimously as Board President. The Oath of Office was administered and President Koch took over as chair of the meeting.
President Koch asked for nominations for Board Vice President. Director Klosterman was nominated by Director Schultz and named Board Vice President. Director Klosterman was elected unanimously as Board Vice President. President Koch administered the Oath of Office.
Kassie Stansbery was appointed as the Board Secretary/Business Manager/Treasurer. Klosterman/Schultz Motion Carried 7-0. President Koch administered the Oath of Office.
Motion to approve the consent agenda with the following items:
- Approve Resignations: Arika Rinnels, paraprofessional
- Approve Contracts for New Hires: Esports Winter season, John Bendt, Amber Keller, paraprofessional, Arika Rinnels, paraprofessional
- Transfers: none
- Gifts: none
Klosterman/Schultz Motion carried 7-0
COMMUNICATIONS
Standards-Based Grading (SBG) was brought to the board for review of updates to the process. A group of teacher leaders (Nefzger, Pollock, Frieden, Steffens, Ihde, Wenger, Miller) presented how they utilize SBG for assessments at all levels including elementary, middle school, and high school, and gave examples of report cards and assessment rubrics.
Esports updated the board on the progress of the Esports from inception to current. Students are becoming more aware of how the competitions function. There was a discussion regarding fundraising for additional equipment.
Student Ex-Officio Member Donnelly reported on winter sports, band/chorus concerts, scheduling for the second semester, and advisory challenges.
Principal reports were accepted. Updates at the high school included Capstone presentations, fine arts and athletics updates, potential policy updates, and the successes of the first semester. Updates from the middle school included culture club successes, study club, fine arts concerts, All Iowa Eighth Grade Honor Band students, and an upcoming Upper Iowa University visit for the 8th grade. The elementary updates included Leader In Me Assembly, TCLC, Preschool desk audit, Social-Emotional Program, and their holiday cheer.
Curriculum Director Nefzger reported on professional development, virtual professional development, student achievement, and winter assessments.
Business Manager Stansbery reported on month end financials, activity fund balances, preparation for year end reporting, and the update of public hearing requirements for the budget approval process.
Superintendent Griffith reviewed the Natural Gas Risk Pool, Inflation Reduction Act, 2024-2025 school calendar template, Keystone AEA Board Election results, Fayette Elementary sale update, and the school safety grant approval.
NEW BUSINESS
The Board approved Ahlers and Cooney as legal counsel for FY24. Klosterman/Schultz Motion Carried 7-0
The Board approved authorizing Business Manager Stansbery and Superintendent Griffith as signatories on district accounts. Schultz/Klosterman Motion Carried 7-0
The Board approved holding regular meetings on the 2nd Monday of each month at 5:30 pm with the exception of January 2024, to be held the 3rd Monday at 5:30 pm. Klosterman/Schultz Motion Carried 7-0
The Board approved the Union Echo Leader as the official newspaper for the district. Nelson-Lerch/Schultz Motion Carried 7-0
The Board appointed President Koch as the Representative of the County Conference Board. Klosterman/McGrane Motion Carried 7-0
The Board appointed Director Nelson-Lerch & Director McGrane to the School Improvement Advisory Committee (SIAC). Klosterman/Marcks Motion Carried 7-0
The Board appointed Directors Rodgers & Schultz as representatives for the Labor-Management Committee. Marcks/Nelson-Lerch Motion Carried 7-0
The Board appointed Directors Schultz, Rodgers, and Marcks as representatives for the Negotiations Committee. Klosterman/McGrane Motion Carried 7-0
The Board appointed Directors Klosterman, Nelson-Lerch & Marcks as the representatives for the Facilities Committee. Schultz/Rodgers Motion Carried 7-0
Approval of District-Level Appointments: Level I Investigators -Joe Griffith & Betsy Nefzger; Level II – Fayette County Sheriff’s Office; Equity Coordinator-Betsy Nefzger; Title IX-Betsy Nefzger; 504 Coordinator-Micah Gearhart; Foster Care Point of Contacts-Joe Griffith &Justin Heins; Truancy Officer-Justin Heins; Homeless Liaison-Justin Heins; Migrant Student Point of Contact-Betsy Nefzger. Schultz/Marcks Motion Carried 7-0
The Board approved the resolution to direct our district to submit the request to the School Budget Review Committee (SBRC) in the amount of $178,728 for Modified Supplemental Amount due to uncounted open enrollments during the Fall of 2022. Klosterman/Schulz Motion Carried 7-0
The Board approved the resolution to direct our district to submit the request to the School Budget Review Committee (SBRC) in the amount of $14,532 for English Language Learners beyond 5 years. Klosterman/Schultz Motion Carried 7-0
The Board approved the request to the School Budget Review Committee for a Modified Supplemental Amount in the amount of $408,415 for the 2024-2025 At-Risk/Drop-Out Prevention Program. The spending includes afterschool programming, credit recovery, Bridges Academy, Downtown Academy and Middle School Interventionist, Guidance Counselors, At-Risk Coordinator, K-4 Reading Interventions, Middle School & High School Interventions, and School Social Worker. McGrane/Klosterman Motion Carried 7-0
The Board approved the first Reading of Policies 503.8, 605.1-R1, 605.3, 605.3-R1, 605.3-E1, 605.3-E2, 605.5. Schultz/Klosterman Motion Carried 7-0
The Board approved early graduates to Attend Senior Chicago Trip. Klosterman/Rodgers Motion Carried 7-0
The board approved the creation of a middle school girls’ wrestling coaching position. Nelson-Lerch/Schultz Motion Carried 7-0
The board approved the list of official depositories. Bank 1st depository limit $6,000,000; Kerndt Brothers Savings Bank depository limit $3,000,000; Elgin State Bank depository limit $3,500,000; and Iowa School Joint Investment Trust depository limit $3,500,000. Klosterman/Marcks Motion Carried 7-0
DISCUSSION
Discussion included forwarding further questions about the SBG presentation to Superintendent Griffith.
Motion to adjourn at 7:42 pm. Klosterman/Schultz Motion Carried 7-0
______________________________ _____________________________
Emily Koch, President Kassie Stansbery, Business Manager