(Atlantic, Iowa) [UPDATED] – The Atlantic School Board meeting Wednesday evening began with a Public Hearing on the Amended 2022-23 Certified Budget. Afterward, the regular Board session got underway. During the Public Comment segment, LeAnne Pellett, of Atlantic, spoke with regard to a student walk-out held March 1, 2023. The event was to protest what was termed in the online school newspaper “The Needle,” as “anti-LGBTQIA+ bills being debated at the time in the Iowa legislature. Pellett said was speaking “On behalf of the citizen taxpayers” who were in attendance at the meeting, and “Many more citizens who were upset” about the event held on school property.

The event on March 1st was scheduled for 1-p.m.

Pellett asked rhetorically, “Were opposing views on this protest ever presented to all persons?”

Similar walkouts occurred at 14 school districts in Iowa, led by the Iowa QSA, or Queer Student Alliance, a youth-led organization. Atlantic High School Principal Heather McKay stated to the Needle prior to the event, that “If a student chooses to participate in this activity in a manner that does not cause a school-wide disruption and [they] remain on school grounds, they will not be disciplined for truancy.”

Other public comments received during the meeting were with regard to news last week, that the Atlantic School District sent a letter to the Nishna Valley Family YMCA. Executive Director Dan Haynes said “The letter gives notice that we should vacate the ELC Infant Room by Dec. 15, 2023.” An agreement between the District and YMCA Board, stipulates the agreement to vacate should have been given no less than 120 days before the end of the end of the current school year, in order for the termination to be in effect for the next school year. The letter was dated April 25th, 2023.”  The letter stated an increase in Special Education needs for the district’s three-year-old population necessitated the need for an extra preschool room.

He added, “We believe that with widespread community collaboration, we can meet the needs of all families we both have already committed to. After meeting with the State Fire Marshall and our DHS consultant this, we also believe that without widespread collaboration the YMCA board will have to seriously evaluate if we can physically and financially be able to continue to provide infant care in our community.” Local economic development officials, including Atlantic Chamber Director Bailey Smith, CADCO Executive Director Jennifer McEntaffer, and Christina Bateman, speaking on behalf of CCHS CEO Brett Altman, also spoke of the dire need to leave the child care space alone, citing current and future child care demands upon the community. No action was taken on either topic during the School Board’s meeting.

In response, Superintendent Steve Barber, in his report to the Board, said in the discussion, it’s important to talk about the needs of the district’s preschool program, and how to best serve those children.

He said “fast forward to March of this year…”

By adding a fourth section of preschool, Barber says “We were faced with a space issue.”

At the beginning of the new school year, Barber says, “A temporary classroom will be created in the southeast portion of the multi-purpose room, which connects the ELC and Wickman building. Half-way though next year, we are looking at permanently moving into the ELC classroom with our fourth, three-year old program.” Those reasons, he said are part of the rational “behind the thinking of meeting the needs of our preschool programs, and we anticipate moving forward and noticing some great things with those students.”