The Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Board of Education tackled several weighty topics at their monthly meeting on Thursday, March 12. In attendance at the meeting were a troop of Boy Scouts and a few members of the CGD Student Council observing the proceedings.
The first hearing was a preliminary budget hearing. Superintendent Dr. Bob Olson specified that this was a preliminary measure and is unofficial. The hearing allowed the board to view the authorized budget before publication and make changes. After viewing the proposed budget, the board did not have any major changes to suggest. The official hearing for the budget will be held at the meeting on April 13. A story about the district budget will be featured in the Monitor in the upcoming weeks after it is published in the paper.
Another hearing was held regarding the calendar for the 2020-2021 school year. Under the proposed calendar, all classes would officially start on August 25, although there will be conferences in the days preceding that. The last day of school will be May 25. Olson noted they have ample room in the calendar to meet the requirement of 1,080 hours for students. He also pointed out that parent/teacher conferences will be a little later in November due to the state volleyball tournament.
The board also reviewed a few notable staffing changes. There were four resignations. High school principal Sheila Hudson resigned. Other resignations were elementary para-educator Gloria Johnson, football cheer coach Megan Hamilton, and high school chemistry and physics teacher Patrisha Hamski. Olson also reported that he is happy to have Jeff Friesleben take over as director of buildings and grounds from Jon Bakker. Friesleben is very familiar with plant operations from his time as vice president at Oldson’s of Eagle Grove. He will start in mid-May and have time to train with Bakker.
Superintendent-hire Joe Nelson was at the meeting. The board approved his contract with an annual salary of $155,000 plus a stipend for TLC duties.
In other board business:
-They conducted a first reading for a more detailed policy on vacation for support personnel. 12-month employees will be given one week of vacation during their first year of employment and two weeks per completion of the first year.
-The decision was made to discontinue the summer meal program. Olson explained that it has been losing quite a bit of money in the last couple years and participation has been very low. It is not feasible to continue.
-Olson discussed the school's participation in Iowa’s Ride. He noted that camping would be available near the high school but said the school will only be open for a four-hour period for the use of showers with the hospital supervising during that.
-A lengthy discussion of the Early Childhood Education Center was held. Committee member and elementary school principal Tricia Rosendahl asked the board to provide clarification on their position regarding a possible new center. More on the center and Kids Korner will be discussed in an upcoming Monitor story.
