The Camanche School District’s Board of Education held their regular monthly meeting on Monday, April 15th. Please note that these are not the official minutes. The official Agendas and Minutes from the Camanche Community School District school board are available and posted on our school district website (camanche.k12.ia.us).
Items to highlight from this school board meeting would include:
- The Board discussed establishing a partnership with the Estes Construction firm as a part of the Iowa Construction Advocate Team (ICAT) which is sponsored by the Iowa Association of School Boards. This program’s purpose is to provide the necessary support to the district when working through determining facility needs and receiving community input. The goal is to develop a plan that identifies the needed facility improvements and to estimate the approximate cost that this plan would have. This plan would then be shared with the public in order to receive input from the community.
- Andy Sokolovich and Eric Van Lancker presented the Board with information regarding the Clinton County Student Loan Assistance Program, otherwise known by the name Peanut Butter in the community. This program would provide funding to be used to help pay the student loans of individuals who come to live and work in our community. Several other communities and school districts in Clinton County are considering being involved in this program. The Board is interested in learning more about this and will consider the option of joining during a meeting in the future.
- The Board approved entering into a 28E Agreement with the Clinton School District to provide an Alternative High School as an option for students who are at-risk of not completing school. The goal is to see graduation rates continue to improve and to provide all of our students with the opportunity to be successful.
- The Board approved renewing the school district’s membership in the Iowa Association of School Boards. IASB provides school boards and school districts with the support needed to meet state and federal requirements and, more importantly, to support quality education for our students.
- The financial packages for employee groups were approved at this meeting. On average, employees received pay increases in the range of 3.2% for the upcoming school year.
- A public hearing for a Budget Amendment was established for May 20, 2019 (May’s school board meeting) to reflect changes in expenditures as originally reported. This is primarily due to facility improvements occurring in the school district over the past year. This Budget Amendment will not impact the General Fund or the tax rate.
- The Board approved a reduction of two teaching positions. With 82 fourth graders moving on to the middle school, one less teaching section is needed at the elementary school. Also, with an instructional coach returning to the classroom, one secondary language arts position was reduced.
- The Board thanked Bradley Lego for his $1000 donation to assist in funding the Camanche Athletic Hall of Fame event. Bradley was a recent inductee into our Hall of Fame and the Board appreciates his contributions as an athlete and as an alumnus of Camanche Schools.
As is usually the case, the school board completed the meeting by approving administrative recommendations regarding personnel and also approving open enrollment requests into the Camanche School District.