The Eagle Grove School Board met Monday, July 11, 2022, at 6:00 p.m. at the Emerson Building with all directors present for the meeting.
The “Communications and Celebrations” segment of the meeting, which gives Principals a chance to share updates from their buildings with the board, began with a buildings and grounds maintenance update from Robert Blue Middle School Principal Josh Schild. Elementary School Principal Jared Carder was unavailable to attend. High School Principal Heidi Vasquez used this time to introduce Eagle Grove’s new iJAG (Iowa Jobs for America’s Graduates) Program Specialist Amy Craven to give an overview of her work so far. The iJAG program offers project-based learning tailored to the students’ interests and helps provide pathways to employment, especially for students who may not want to attend college after graduation. Craven plans to host an hour-long business alliance meeting on Wednesday, July 27 at 11:00 am to give an overview of the iJAG program and, as she explained in her introduction, “spark engagement with the community for our students.”
The group then welcomed the Robert Blue Middle School (RBMS) Standards-Based Grading Team, Carrie Christopher and Amanda Johnston, to discuss the standards and related changes to the parent handbook. The duo opened by informing the board that they have been working on testing and implementing Standards-Based Grading (SBG) for the better part of a decade, adding that most teachers at RBMS use this practice already. According to Christopher and Johnston’s presentation, SBG evaluates student progress based on their proficiency in pre-identified standards and is a more equitable way of grading than just using traditional letter grading. SBG allows students to work toward proficiency by retaking tests and redoing work after receiving help and remediation rather than giving students one shot to pass or prove their absorption on given subjects and skills. Students are assessed on a four-point scale for their work throughout a class but will still receive letter grades for the classes overall. SBG also utilizes an “Employability Rubric,” which measures proficiency in skills and attributes like reliability and productivity, to better prepare students for their eventual entry into the workforce.
Later in the meeting, Principals Schild and Vasquez shared their proposed handbook updates with the board, with Schild’s changes including adding the Standards-Based Grading and Employability Rubric to the RBMS handbook, adding electronic cigarettes to the prohibited behavior section, and reorganizing the handbook in a more intuitive way. Principal Vasquez took the board “on a walk,” as she put it, mostly focusing the High School handbook changes on tactics to improve attendance, which she added is “always a challenge.” There will be structure in every period of the day focused on attendance, including options for teachers to use graded “Bell Ringer” and “Exit Ticket” exercises and incentives for showing up to class. Vasquez also amended the effect “Incomplete” grades have on academic eligibility for extracurricular activities, as well as diploma levels based on difficulty of coursework chosen by students, moving to one lunch period, and more abilities for students to utilize open campus privileges during lunch. Board members asked questions and received clarifications before both handbooks were approved as presented.
Three purchases for over $25,000, insurance-covered roof repairs, cement at the new elementary playground, and a new sound system for the RBMS auditorium, were approved with all ayes, as was a proposal for design services from SBPA Architect to prepare the school district for growth.
Superintendent Jess Toliver gave updates on two projects to improve the district’s facilities, the elevator installation at the Emerson building and the new playground at the elementary school, before giving his regular report. The elementary school playground installation is complete (look for a story in an upcoming issue of this paper), and registration for the 2022-23 school year will be both online and in person, with the latter happening all day on August 1. Toliver went on to explain that, after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, fees have returned for the 2022-23 school year. Families that need assistance should fill out free and reduced lunch paperwork. Though the elementary and middle school qualified for Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) for free meals, high school students needing assistance will need to apply for free and reduced lunch. Contact the Eagle Grove Community School District office for more information. Toliver also reported more teacher positions have been filled and, although more staff could still be hired to make a more robust roster, Toliver was relieved to say, “it’s coming together, and all the basics are now covered.
Due to inflation, the board voted to raise adult breakfast and lunch rates to $2.40 for breakfast and $4.15 for lunch to cover the costs of the food supplies.
The Board also designated First Bank and UMB Bank as depository banks, appointed Teresa Sadler to continue as Secretary and Treasurer for the 2022-23 school year, appointed Ahlers & Cooney PC as attorney and chief negotiator for the upcoming school year and approved the 28E Agreement with Iowa Central Community College to continue offering college classes at the high school.
After a comment by School Board President Tracy Crail about the great softball and baseball seasons, the board voted to adjourn the meeting at 7:25 p.m.
