The Camanche School District’s Board of Education held their regular monthly meeting on Monday, September 21st. 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 thanked the community for their support of the Bond Referendum for Facilities Enhancements with 71.3% of the voters saying yes. Matt Wolfert from Bray Architects provided the Board with a basic outline of the steps that will be followed as the District begins to implement the Facilities Enhancement project.
- Superintendent Parker discussed with the Board the idea of moving the Annual Meeting to November so that it is better aligned with the new school board election date in November and with the Organizational Meeting that is held in November during election years. The Board indicated that they believe this is the best way to proceed in conducting these meetings moving forward.
- The principals shared information about the implementation of each of their buildings’ Hybrid Learning Plan. Generally, things have been going well with students adapting to this type of learning environment. Each principal thanked their students, staff, and parents for their efforts in making the best out of this unique situation caused by the Pandemic.
- Business Director Aude and Superintendent Parker informed the Board that it is time to begin the process to renew the Instructional Support Levy (ISL). This is not a new tax and Camanche, along with a vast majority of school districts in the state, use this funding source to support student instruction. The Board will look to follow a two meeting process to approve renewing the ISL for another five years as opposed to conducting an election to seek a ten-year approval.
- The Board took action to renew the agreement with the Mississippi Bend AEA to provide the New Teacher Mentoring and Induction program for new teachers in the Camanche School District. This provides a significant benefit for our students in making sure that we are providing them with an effective level of instruction.
- The Board recognized and thanked Citizens First Bank for their donation of $1000 to the school district that will be used to help cover the cost of providing protective equipment to students and staff.
- Business Director Aude updated the Board about the funding made available from the National School Lunch Program that will pay the costs for all students’ breakfast and lunch in the school district until funding runs out or until the end of the 2020 calendar year. The Board thanked Food Service Director Lori Christopherson and Taryn Determan for their work in completing the application to make this possible.
- Superintendent Parker shared information with the Board about the impact COVID-19 is having upon the district. We have had a relatively small number of students/staff test positive for this virus and, to date, under fifty students and/or staff have been quarantined since we have returned to school. We believe the use of social distancing made possible by the Hybrid Delivery Plan combined with the required face coverings has had a positive impact on keeping the number of COVID-19 cases in the district reasonably low. The Board thanked everyone for their efforts in providing our students, staff, and visitors with a safe learning environment. The administrative team is closely monitoring Clinton County’s 14-day Rolling Average of COVID-19 Cases, along with staying current with ongoing recommendations from the Department of Health and medical experts. No date has been set to transition from the Hybrid Plan at this time, but as the most current information becomes available, the administration and school board will determine when the district would make a change in our plan.
- The Board voted to scrap the 1999 Red Suburban that has over 250,000 and is in need of significant repairs, as it would possibly cost the district more money to go through the required bidding process than the Suburban is worth.
- The Board took action to approve stipends for teachers teaching additional classes and to adjust the pay scale of teachers who have received additional educational credits.
As is usually the case, the school board completed the meeting by approving administrative recommendations regarding personnel.