(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Board of Education in the Atlantic Community School District met this (Wednesday) evening in a regular monthly session. The Board heard from Booster Club President Brian Wagner, who spoke about the success of the “Buy the yard” on the football field initiative. He said the premise, basically, is that “You buy a yard line on the [Trojan home games only] football field, for $100. You own that yard line for the entire year. At the end of the first quarter, wherever the ball landed, whoever owns that yard line….” gets $100.

Brian Wagner

The process is repeated for the second- and third-quarters of the game. “If no one wins in the second quarter,” Wagner said, “The ball landed on the 11-yard line [for instance and] nobody owned that 11-yard line, that money rolls over to the third-quarter, you then win $200.” Wagner said they currently have 21 open yard lines available, so it’s almost sold out. He said “It’s kind of fun, so we are going to do it again next year. It’ll be out on Facebook platform, coaches go out and talk to people about it…it’s been a lot of fun, it really has.” The money is used to buy football backs for the football team. They’re embroidered so they all match. The extra funds goes to the Booster Club for other sports-related activities and supplies. Their next big project is “The second highest-Def (Definition) board in all of the State of Iowa in the gym. There will be a 10-foot by eight-foot video board installed before basketball (before the season begins).”

The Board also heard from Aviation Program Instructor Bryce Smith, community member Garry Pellett, Lori & Barry Reid, Managers of the Atlantic Municipal Airport, who spoke about an extension of the Iowa Western Community College/Council Bluffs Aviation program in the form of an aviation maintenance program. Smith said that’s due to the increased demand for aircraft maintenance operators. Right now talks are underway with IWCC to have the program housed at the Atlantic Airport. Pellett said they have a verbal commitment of support from the Atlantic Airport Commission, and Lori Reid said even though their hangars are full, they can juggle some aircraft so some space becomes available.

Bryce Smith

Garry Pellett

Lori & Barry Reid

Iowa Western is offering dual credits toward Aircraft Power (A/P) certification, and would send qualified adjunct facility to Atlantic to teach coursework so students can earn power-plant mechanic certification. The idea is based on the AOPA (Aviation Owners and Pilots Association) STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) curriculum. Bryce Smith said there are 37 students in grades 9-through 12, who currently enrolled in the aviation program through the Atlantic High School, with five set to graduate in 2024. Atlantic is only one of four schools in the State to offer the AOPA program.  College graduates with a two-year  degree in an aircraft power/mechanic program, Smith said, can earn $52,000 right off the bat.

The district would need to garner financial support, in order to buy tools for the program. No action was taken at this time, as the presentation was for information only.

In other business, the Atlantic school Board acted to approve contract recommendations for: Lily Renfro – Elementary Paraeducator; Rick Boysen – Substitute Bus Driver. At the request of Board Member Josh McLaren, action on approving the previously mentioned Spring 2024 Sports Coaching position recommendations was tabled until the November Board meeting, because it’s expected additional names will be added to the list.