(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic School District’s Board of Education met this (Wednesday) afternoon in the High School Media Center. The Board moved to approve the following Resignations: Matt Smith, Boys Head Soccer Coach; Joseph Brummer, Head Baseball Coach, and Julie Hansen, Washington Paraeducator. They also approved Contract Recommendations for:

• Chase Roller, Asst. HS Wrestling Coach
• Michaelin Juhl, Volunteer CHeerleading Coach
• Adam Roberts, Vol.  Archery Coach
• Laurie Fell, WA Grade Level Teacher
• Mikade Thompson, HS Night Custodian.

Here is what Superintendent Steve Barber reported to the Board (These notes are provided courtesy School Board Secretary Sarah Sheeder):

“We continue to work on filling positions for next year. As mentioned last month, we will continue to actively pursue qualified candidates to serve our students in Atlantic until we are able to get them all filled. This could be before the first day, during the first semester, at the beginning of the next semester or not until next year. Here is some progress that has been made:

• Third grade position: We are recommending Mrs Fell, a retired Atlantic teacher, to serve one year in the kindergarten classroom and Ms. Miller to fill our vacant third grade position.
• Title I at Schuler: Continue to look for a viable candidate. If unable to find, we will use our Washington Elementary Title teachers to work with those Title I students. Washington does have some student teachers this year, so they could be potential candidates for this opening once they become licensed.
• English Language Arts: Hire a long term substitute that is highly qualified for the first semester, while actively finding a replacement. Mrs. McKay has been working with colleges and have identified some possible replacements with students who are graduating at semester.
• English Language Arts: Hoping to find another qualified candidate to fill this position. If unable, Mr. Aden, Mrs. Mckay and myself are looking at ways with our current staff to meet the demands at the high school.
• Math: Continue to pursue a candidate and look at other potential individuals with good math background who could fill in as we are searching for a replacement.
  ESL teacher: Continue to look for a replacement.
• HS/MS Media Specialist: Use Mrs. Dickerson to meet our legal obligations and communicate with colleges who offer a Master’s Level Librarian Program.
• Plan to move furniture:
  All the new furniture for the Middle School will be installed and put into the appropriate rooms by July 22, 2022. Right now some of the old school furniture is replacing furniture in some of the other buildings. Once that step is complete, Mr. Peck will inventory what is still available and then ask the Board to approve a process where this inventory is made available to community members. We would then ask to dispose of the remaining furniture.
• Bull creek renovation on the Green Space:
  Part of the plans in renovating the Bull Creek project is to enlarge the retention pond on the Green Space in front of the Middle School. If we get a heavy rain this pond backs up and the water discharged is polluted. By deepening and making it larger there is more control of the discharged water. I am working with Snyder’s [Engineers] and the City on a Memorandum of Understanding that they are responsible for maintaining the Prairie Grasses and WildFlowers that the plan has specifications for.

Mr. Barber said also, with regard to COVID mitigation in the District’s buildings, they will operate under a “Communicable Disease” policy.

And, Mr. Barber mentioned the District is set to benefit from a generous gift from the estate of Jo Ann Runyon, who passed away May 5th.

In other business, the Atlantic School Board approved four IASB Legislative Priorities they would like the Iowa Association of School Boards to lobby for during the next legislative session. They chose: 1) Mental Health; 2) Teacher Recruitment/Licensure; 3) School Safety, and 4) Market-Competitive Wages. The Board then acted on approving Spring 2023 Coaching Contract Recommendations for the following:

1. Head Boys Golf: Ed DenBeste; Head Girls Golf: Kathy Hobson
2. Head Boys/Girls Tennis: Mike McDermott
3. Head HS Girls Track: Matt Mullenix; Asst. HS Girls Track: Derek Hall; Head Boys HS Track: Abby Becker; Asst Boys HS Track: Matt Best & Bryce Smith.
4. MS Boys Track: Bryce Casey; MS Girls Track: Taylor Williams
5. Head HS Girls Soccer: Dan Vargasson; Asst. HS Boys Soccer: Mark Anderson.

In the final order of business, the Board approved the plans, specifications, form of contract and estimate of cost, for the Achievement Center Roof Improvement project. The lowest bid of $214,564, came from Elevate Roofing, out of Denison. The District has worked with that company, previously. Their bid came in well under the Cost Estimate of $248,000.