(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic School District’s Board of Directors, Wednesday evening discussed an assessment of District facilities, and then selected the Iowa Construction Advocate Team (ICAT) to conduct the assessment.  Board President Kristy Pellett said the District Facilities Advisory Committee has confidence in the IASB (Iowa Association of School Boards) and their program focused on educational facilities. The IASB collaborates with Estes Construction to offer the Iowa Construction Advocate Team (ICAT).

ICAT services include, but are not limited to:

• Facilities evaluation service to determine the district’s course of action with a full report and recommendations to present to the board
• Assistance with selecting architects and other construction professionals
• Master planning
• Radon detection
• Construction site and schedule evaluation, problem solving and recommendations, and
• Guidance on soliciting qualified contractors for competitive bids

The Board also approved a Classified Support Staff Union Contract for the 2024-25 School Year. Board Vice-President Laura McLean explained they ended-up with a “pretty straight forward six-percent increase for almost all the staff, but those who are working Nutrition are getting 7.5-percent, because as we looked at comparisons to other districts that are comparable size, we thought that those salaries in particular needed to be boosted a bit.”

The Bargaining Unit had brought the matter to the attention of the District’s Negotiating team, because they felt those salaries needed to be increased. McLean said, “In particular I think we had a goal we wanted to make sure that everybody is making at least a 15-dollar hourly rate, who’s working [in] our buildings.”

Board member Gini Jordan “It was good negotiating. I thought we went back and forth quite a bit. I felt like everybody was heard and listened to.” Lisa Jones, District Director of Finance said “We have not set the rates for Admin or Directors or some of those other pieces, but…the Certified Supplemental Pay [was] approved through the teacher’s contract Union.” She said while they did go up in salaries, “It didn’t kind of change our overall plan, as far as overall spending.”

Superintendent Dr. Beth Johnsen said she “received a nice e-mail from our head negotiator, and they were very pleased and happy of just the whole process and appreciate of just the increase.”

In other business, the Atlantic School Board approved a staffing recommendation for Summer School.  And, they received a presentation from District Director of Nursing, Kelli Evans.

The Board’s next regular meeting is at 5:30-p.m. on June 12th.