(Griswold, Iowa)- The Griswold School Board will hold their regular, monthly meeting this evening. Here’s the agenda:

School Board Meeting Agenda

Griswold Community Schools

Monday, August 15, 2022

Conference Room, 5:30 p.m.

MISSION STATEMENT

The mission of the Griswold Community School District, in partnership with our families and communities, is to provide leadership for positive change to ensure the best learning opportunities for everyone in a safe and caring environment.

• Call Meeting to Order

• Reading of Mission Statement

• Approval of Agenda (D.R.)

• Public Input

• Superintendent’s Report:

1. Thank You Card(s) (I)
2. The Month in Review – Administration (I)
3. Board Learning Opportunities (I)

• IASB Convention
• Board Self-Evaluation

• Consent Agenda (D.R.)

Approval of Minutes

Approval of Financial Statements

Approval of Bills

4. Personnel

5. Gifts, Memorials, Bequests

Old Business

6. Board Policies – Second Reading (D.R.) – 402.2, 501.14, 501.15, 504.5, 504.5R1, 505.1, 505.2, 505.3, 505.4, 505.5, 505.6, 505.7, 505.8, 505.8R1, 507.2, 507.2E1, 607.2, 704.6, 804.5, 804.7, 804.7R1, 901

New Business

7. Approval Of Resolution Of Intent For The Instructional Support Program Levy (D.R.)

8. Determine RSAI Legislative Priorities (D.R.)

9. Junior Class Fundraiser Presentation (I or D.R.)

10. Approval Of Teacher Apprenticeship Program Memorandum Of Understanding

With Western Governors University (D.R.)

11. Appoint IBB Representatives (D.R.)

12. Appointment To County Boards (D.R.)

13. Staff Flu Shots (D.R.)

14. Board Policies – First Reading (I) – 506.1, 506.1E1, 506.1E2, 506.1E3, 506.1E4,

506.1E5, 506.1E6, 506.1E7, 506.1E8, 506.1R1

15. Approval Of Student Athletic Leadership Team (D.R.)

• Adjourn

(D.R.) = Decision Required

(I.) = Informational

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa’s teacher shortage appears to be worsening and one expert says many schools across the state have multiple openings just weeks — or days — before the school year is set to begin. Mark McDermott, associate dean at the University of Iowa’s College of Education, says they routinely get calls from dozens of Iowa’s 300-plus school administrators as fall approaches, checking to see if there are any recent graduates available to fill teaching jobs. “What we have really noticed the last couple of years, there were always some very specific content areas that were shortage areas. We would always have people calling about physics teachers or special education teachers,” McDermott says, “and now it’s really almost all content areas in all types of positions.”

While hesitating to say “most” schools in the state are short on teachers, McDermott says “many” districts are seeking help in virtually every type of course and grade level. McDermott says, “Not only has the number increased but also the variety of the content areas and the types of positions that schools are looking to fill has increased dramatically.” McDermott, a clinical professor of science education at the U-I, says he’s surprised by the degree to which teacher openings are appearing, and in all corners of the state. “Our students would sometimes have trouble finding elementary ed positions because there would be so many applicants for each elementary ed job,” McDermott says. “And now, we’re getting calls even close to the start of school from schools who are saying, ‘I have five elementary teaching positions that are open,’ and a couple of years ago that would have never happened.”

McDermott says the Iowa City institution is working to help meet the teacher shortage and develop pipeline programs to recruit more future teachers, and in particular, to recruit and retain students of color. “One of our goals is to find ways to help people enter teacher preparation,” he says, “but we’re also really concerned with making sure that we continue to provide a sound, strong, cohesive program when we prepare teachers so that we’re not just ‘preparing’ them, we’re also preparing them to be retained, to stick with it, to stay in the field.”

McDermott says part of the shortage may still stem from the so-called Great Resignation that came about during the pandemic, as many workers retired early or simply left their positions and industries to seek something new.

(Creston, Iowa) – Officials with the Creston Police Department report three recent arrests. At around 2:28-a.m., Sunday, Creston Police arrested James Michelson, of Creston, following a traffic stop. Michelson was charged with Driving While Suspended, and he was arrested on an Adair County Warrant for Violation of Probation on the original charge of Possession of a Controlled Substance 2nd. Michelsen was transported to the Union County Jail where he was being held pending transport to the Adair County Jail.

Friday night, Brandon Whitfield, of Creston, was arrested on Adams St. by the Calvary Cemetery. He was charged with Eluding While Exceeding Speed Limit by 25 MPH or More. Whitfield was transported to the Union County Jail and later released after posting a $2,000 bond.

And, Friday evening, Holly Donehoo, of Mt. Ayr, was arrested on Cherry St. in Creston, and charged with a Union County Warrant. The warrant was a Probation Violation on the original charge of Possession of a controlled substance-methamphetamine. Donehoo was transported to the Adams County Jail and later released after posting a $1,000 bond.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Congresswoman Cindy Axne says the climate, tax and health bill she voted for in the House will be transformative. The three Iowa Republicans in the House voted no. Anxe, a Democrat from West Des Moines, says the bill lowers the costs of prescription drugs for seniors and invests in clean energy. Zach Nunn, the Republican who’s challenging Axne, says the bill is the wrong move in the middle of a recession.

“The so-called Infation Reduction Act added almost another trillion dollars in government spending at a time where they’re telling Iowans: ‘You should spend less. You should tighten your belt,'” Nunn said, “‘We’re going to go ahead and print off more money and spend more of your tax dollars on projects.”

Nunn made his comments at the Iowa State Fair on the Des Moines Register’s Political Soapbox. Axne did not speak during House debate of the plan, but Iowa’s three Republican members of the House did. Republican Congresswoman Ashley Hinson of Marion called the bill a tax and spending spree. “It’s the worst policy at the worst possible time,” Hinson said.

Liz Mathis is the Democrat from Hiawatha who is running against Hinson. Mathis says the bill reduces the federal deficit and increases U.S. energy independence by supporting Iowa’s biofuel industry. Republican Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks of Ottumwa says letting limiting prescription drug prices for Americans on Medicare will limit innovation.  “It means less cures for rare diseases or debilitating diseases,” Miller-Meeks says.

Christina Bohannan of Iowa City is the Democrat running against Miller-Meeks in the General Election and she’ll speak at the State Fair on Wednesday. Republican Congressman Randy Feenstra of Hull says the bill that passed the House late Friday is full of liberal priorities. “This radical bill will also supercharge the Democrats’ Green New Deal agenda without making our country energy independent again,” Feensta said in remarks on the House floor.

Ryan Melton of Nevada is the Democrat who is running against Feenstra. He will speak at the State Fair this (Monday) afternoon.