The Atlantic Community School District’s Board of Education held a nearly two-hour long meeting Wednesday evening (May 11th) at the Schuler Elementary School. During their session, the Board held a public hearing on an amendment to the 2015-16 Certified Budget. After receiving a brief explanation from Business Manager Mary Beth Fast, and, upon hearing no comments from the public, the hearing was closed and the Board later voted to approve the amendment, which primarily was caused by increased unexpected revenue from grants and other income, and the resulting expenditures of those revenues. The amendment amounted to a $505,000 increase in the 2015-16 budget, which was sent to the State last year.

The Board also received a report from Superintendent Dr. Michael Amstein, during which he announced graduation rates were up for 2015 (The last year of data available from the Iowa Dept. of Education), and the dropout rate was down. Amstein said in 2015, 94.3% of the students graduated, which was above the State average of 90.8%, and an increase of 13.3% since 2010. Amstein said that achievement is attributable to all the work the high school has done over the past six-years to helping kids graduate.

Amstein said the dropout rate in 2015 for Atlantic, was 2.2%, while the State average was 2.48%. Atlantic’s dropout rate was 1.21% lower in 2015 than it was in 2010. Dr. Amstein reminded the Board graduation this year is on Sunday, May 22nd.

In other business, the Board approved a sharing agreement with the Audubon Community School District for Boys/Girls Swimming. Audubon previously had a swimming arrangement with the Carroll School District. They also approved the 2016-17 School Fees and Lunch prices. The latter amounts to a 10-cent increase over last year due to an increase in the district’s food cost. And, they approved, by a vote of 3-to 1, a bid of $38,975 from PCS Concrete, for the Washington School Playground project. Board member Alison Bruckner was not able to attend the meeting. Kristy Pellet was the lone “nay” vote. She questioned whether enough had been done to solicit bids. The district received four inquiries, but only two companies submitted bids.

The Board also decided to further narrow down the language they want to present to district patrons, in an attempt to gain favor for a Physical Plant and Equipment Levy Income Surtax. The surtax, Dr. Amstein said, would have an impact “Immediately on property tax relief.” Discussion centered around using the funds from such a surtax to relieve the traffic congestion along 14th Street, by adding a bus access road to the Middle School and Schuler Elementary, and making for some additional parking spaces.

A vote on the PPEL Income Surtax is expected to take place September 13th. A previous attempt to pass the surtax last fall, failed.