NORTH FAYETTE VALLEY COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT

BOARD OF EDUCATION 

 

Minutes, Regular Meeting of the North Fayette Valley Community School District Board of Education, Monday, December 9, 2024, in the NFV High School Library, 600 N Pine Street, West Union, IA  52175

 

NFV Board of Education: Emily Koch, LaCreasha Schultz, Amanda Rodgers, Kirstin
Nelson-Lerch, Richard Klosterman, Kris McGrane, & Kris
Marcks.  Student members: Avery Donnelly, Alex Kent, &
Bella Fuentes; Superintendent: Joe Griffith; Business
Manager: Kassie Stansbery; Superintendent Secretary:
Susan Winter Principals: Chris Miller, Micah
Gearhart, Travis Elliott; Curriculum Director: Betsy Nefzger;
Staff: Jessica White, Stephanie Michael, Shanda Miller,
Jodi Cardo, Barb Schroeder; Patrons: Maylynn Warren,
Brooke Burgin, Carter Otto, Braelyn Meyer, Carter Marcks,
Corbin Wagenknecht, Nick Hines, Dakota DeWall, Gavyn
Grove, Michael Baumler, Laci Lauer, Destinee White,
Alexis Bergquist, Brennen Shrubb, Kyler White, Lincoln
Aeschliman, Brody Schupbach, Logan Boehm, Tate
Germann

 

President Koch called the Regular Meeting of the NFV Board of Education to order at 5:30 pm.

 

Roll Call of Board members: Present: McGrane, Rodgers, Nelson-Lerch, Klosterman, Schultz, Koch, & Marcks.  Director Klosterman led the pledge of allegiance.  

 

President Koch welcomed and invited comments from the Public.  

 

The agenda was approved as presented. McGrane/Schultz  Motion Carried 7-0

 

Public Forum:  

Motion to approve the consent agenda with the following items:

• Minutes of November 11, 2024, Regular Meeting
• Review/approve invoices (Reviewed by Rich Klosterman)
• Approve Financial Reports 
• Approve Resignations/Retirements: Jami Hollinrake-HR/Payroll, Bill Clark – High School Guidance at end of school year, Billie Cowley-HS Volleyball Head Coach
• Transfers: None
• Approve Contract Modifications: None
• Approve New Hires:  Leah Wegmann-Large Group Speech Assistant; Morgan Menne – WUE Paraprofessional; Micah Gearhart – Middle School Play Director; Brittany Milde – Operations Secretary
• Volunteer Coaches: Isaiah Stansbery – Large Group and Individual Speech; Marc Hines – Middle School Basketball
• Receive and Approve Gifts: Knights of Columbus for Special Olympics, Doug Poppen for German Exchange, Anonymous for TigerHawk football for charter bus expense

Klosterman/Nelson-Lerch  Motion Carried 7-0

 

COMMUNICATIONS

Student Ex-Officio members Donnelly, Fuentes, and Kent reported on the fine arts schedule for the holiday season, winter sports kicking off, and holiday activities at the high school. 

 

Staff members Jessica White and Jodi Cardo reported to the board on the ELL programming at NFV beginning with information on the Lau Plan, process for identifying eligible students, and current demographics in the district.  Student assessment and the educational implementation process was described as well. 

 

High School Principal, Mr. Miller, reported to the board on student schedules for the second semester, his upcoming attendance at the Strength and Conditioning Clinic, and student activities that will wrap up the semester in the month of December.  Middle School Principal, Mr. Gearhart, reported on study club, band and music events, and current assessments of the three main building goals that were established for the school year.  Elementary Principal, Mr. Elliott, reported on student attendance at the high school play, instructional coaching for first quarter, TigerHawk Assemblies, and the holiday cheer in both elementary buildings to wrap up the second quarter. 

 

Curriculum Director Nefzger updated the board on current professional development topics and the student achievement data that includes ratings and comparisons of the previous three years.  Nefzger also reviewed the annual progress report in regards to assessments.  

 

Business Manager Stansbery reported on working towards end of the calendar year tasks, beginning the budget process that will officially kick off after the holiday break, and training of new staff in the Central Office. 

 

Superintendent Griffith provided the board with updates on several key topics. He outlined the timeline for the upcoming Revenue Purpose Statement and shared information about operational sharing agreements with neighboring districts. Additionally, he reported that the application for the Inflation Reduction Act has been finalized, and funds from this program, along with proceeds from the summer computer recycling initiative, have been received. The board also received an update on the status of van purchases.

 

Business Manager Stansbery asked for nominations for Board President.  Director Nelson-Lerch 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 Marcks 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. 

 

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/Rodgers  Motion Carried 7-0

 

The Board appointed Directors Rodgers & Schultz as representatives for the Labor-Management Committee.  McGrane/Marcks Motion Carried 7-0

 

The Board appointed Directors Schultz, Rodgers, and McGrane as representatives for the Negotiations Committee.  Nelson-Lerch/Marcks 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.  Klosterman/Schultz  Motion Carried 7-0

 

OLD BUSINESS

No Old Business

 

NEW BUSINESS

The board approved the meeting location, times, and dates for calendar year 2025.  Meetings will be held at the high school library at 5:30pm on the second Monday of each month with the exceptions of June, September, and December which will be held on the third Monday of the month. Schultz/Nelson-Lerch 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 $4,500,000; and Iowa School Joint Investment Trust depository limit $4,500,000.   Schultz/Klosterman  Motion Carried 7-0

 

The Board approved authorizing Business Manager Stansbery and Superintendent Griffith as signatories on district accounts. Nelson-Lerch/Schultz   Motion Carried 7-0

 

The Board approved The Union as the official newspaper for the district.  Schultz/Klosterman Motion Carried 7-0

 

The Board approved Ahlers and Cooney as legal counsel for FY25.   Klosterman/Marcks Motion Carried 7-0

 

Directors Nelson-Lerch and Schultz departed from the meeting at 6:20 pm. 

 

Business Manager Stansbery reviewed the final FY24 financial data with the board.

 

The Board approved the resolution to direct our district to submit the request to the School Budget Review Committee (SBRC) in the amount of $14,184.00 for Modified Supplemental Amount due to current year enrollment exceeding count of prior year.  Klosterman/Marcks  Motion Carried 5-0

 

The Board approved the resolution to direct our district to submit the request to the School Budget Review Committee (SBRC) in the amount of $265,298.00 for Modified Supplemental Amount due to uncounted open enrollments during the Fall of 2023.  Marcks/Rodgers  Motion Carried 5-0

 

The Board approved the resolution to direct our district to submit the request to the School Budget Review Committee (SBRC) in the amount of $16,548.00 for English Language Learners beyond 5 years. McGrane/Klosterman Motion Carried 5-0

 

The Board approved the agreement with the mental health provider RISE Counseling & Consulting, PLLC.   Marcks/McGrane Motion Carried 5-0

 

The Board approved the request to the School Budget Review Committee for a Modified Supplemental Amount in the amount of $419,241 for the 2025-2026 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.  Klosterman/Marcks Motion Carried 5-0

 

The Board approved the hiring of an additional special education teacher for the second semester.  Klosterman/Rodgers Motion Carried 5-0

 

The Board approved additional fundraisers that have been submitted for student activities.  

Klosterman/Marcks Motion Carried 5-0

 

The Board approved the changes to the high school permanent pass eligibility.   McGrane/Klosterman Motion Carried 5-0

 

The Board approved the updated NFV Preschool Handbook.  Marcks/Klosterman Motion Carried 5-0

 

DISCUSSION

There was no further discussion.

 

Motion to adjourn at 6:48pm.  Klosterman/Marcks Motion Carried 5-0

 

______________________________ _____________________________

Emily Koch, President Kassie Stansbery, Business Manager