(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic School Board, Wednesday, received a nearly hour-long report from District Technology Director Roger Warne, who says Atlantic, like most school districts in the State, has a Cyber Security rating that is “inadequate,” at least according to a questionnaire Warne filled-out during a series of Cyber Security meetings that took place over six-weeks.

There were approximately 25-to 30 school districts that participated in the session. One thing everyone came away with, was that a chance of a cyber attack is unavoidable… it’s just a matter of when. The security sessions were sponsored by Green Hills AEA, and provided by Security Studio.

Roger Warne said while the AEA sessions from Security Studio were free, the Atlantic School District can continue to use the company’s services for about $3,600 per year. Warne said there are four different areas of control a district can secure against a cyber attack: Administrative, Physical, Internal/Technical and External. With regard to the latter…

The District’s Physical Controls – access control entry into the building, etc. – he said, are good, but there is still room for improvement. Cyber attacks are something every district needs to plan for, he says, and it’s not necessary to “panic.”

An Action Plan includes updating some of the District’s antiquated security systems to the newer standards, which equates to about $5,000 per building. The plan would also call for swapping out Chromebook laptops every eight-years or so, even with incremental changes in which grades get the current laptops each year, as classes graduate.

School Board Vice-President Kristy Pellet asked Warne what he estimated the District should set aside each year for cyber and physical security systems, noting that, before Roger became the Technology Director, the District budgeted $100,000 every year, for technology.

Many school, districts began to take a more serious look at what needs to be done to avert a cyber attack, when the Des Moines Public School District systems were breached, leading to the cancellation of classes for two days.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic School Board held a Special Meeting Wednesday evening, during which they received a Technology Update from Technology Coordinator Roger Warne.

The Board approved the resignation of High School Night Custodian Mikade Thompson, and Contract Recommendations for:
Lori Namanny, Melissa Balch and Tina Franken – Summer Food Service
Deborah Hensel – Special Education Bus Monitor
Kerry Jepsen – Paraeducator/Summer School Voc Rehab, and
Ashley Gacke – 5th Grade Science Teacher.

The Atlantic School Board also approved 2023-24 Non-Union Contracts (Central Office, Technology & Directors). Superintendent Steve Barber’s recommendation…

The Food Director’s increase, he said, “will be paid out of the Nutrition Fund, which will have no impact on the General Fund.” The Atlantic School Board also approved 2023-24 Principal Contracts amounting to $30,322.48.

And, the Board voted to approved a 2023-24 Tentative Agreement/Master Contract with the Atlantic Education Association (representing the teachers).

The duration of the contract is from July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024.

In other action, the Atlantic School Board approved a Pay Application to Trane U.S., Inc., in the amount of $19,437.50, for the High School Air Quality Project.

(Radio Iowa) – A museum exhibit featuring a replica of a rail car used to transport Jews to concentration camps during the Holocaust of World War Two opened in Sioux City. George Linblade designed the exhibit and said the cars actually used in Auschwitz are all the property of the Polish government and they will not let him out of the country. Linblade says every state in the union got a real railroad car courtesy of Poland after the war, but no one knows what happened to the one in Iowa. The rail car was moved to the Sioux City Museum two years ago and the work began on it.

(Corning, Iowa) – The Adams County Sheriff’s Office, Wednesday, released reports covering incidents that took place between March 30th and April 14th. On April 14th at around 7:47-p.m., Deputies conducted a traffic stop in Prescott. Upon further investigation, the driver, Mathew Morse, was arrested and charged with Driving While Suspended (DWS). He was taken to the Adams County Jail and posted a $300 cash-only bond before being released.

On April 9th, Deputies in Adams County arrested 24-year-old Jennifer Nicole Wilson, of Clarinda, on five active Failure to Appear warrants, for a previous charge of Driving While Suspended. Wilson was released from the Adams County Jail on a Promise to Appear in court.

On the 8th of April at around 10:30-a.m., 47-year-old Scott Allen Henneman, of Blanchard, was arrested in Adams County on charges that include DWS, Open Container, Speeding, and Operating a Non-Registered Vehicle. Henneman later posted bond and was released. And, on April 6th, a traffic stop on a speeding vehicle in Adams County resulted in the arrest of 28-year-old Brandon Joseph Dean Brown, of Lenox, for Possession of a Controlled Substance/Marijuana – 2nd offense. Brown was also charged with DWS, and cited for speed. His bond was set at $1,300. Brown was later released by the Magistrate. Additional charges are pending.

On March 30th, 64-year-old Victoria Renee Siegal, of Jefferson, was arrested at the intersection of Highway 34 and Loomis Avenue, in Corning, following a traffic stop. Siegal was charged with OWI/1st offense, Possession of a Controlled Substance/Marijuana – 1st offense, and Poss. of Drug Paraphernalia. She was also cited for failure to show proof of insurance (SR-22 required), and failure to provide a registration card. Additional charges are pending. Siegal was later released by the Magistrate on a $2,300 bond.

*”Any potential criminal charges identified above are merely allegations and any defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.”

(Radio Iowa) – An Iowan who donated millions to Iowa’s three public universities and was considered one of the country’s most successful venture capitalists has died at the age of 94. John Pappajohn was born in Greece and was nine months old when his family settled in Mason City. After graduating from Mason City’s high school, he earned a business degree from the University of Iowa.

Pappajohn founded an insurance company, became a financial consultant and then created a venture capital fund. In 1996, Pappajohn donated 35 million dollars to set up entrepreneurial centers at the three state universities and the community college in his hometown of Mason City. Pappajohn and his wife, Mary, were among the world’s leading collectors of modern art.

The Pappajohn Sculpture Garden in downtown Des Moines features two dozen of the outdoor sculptures the couple owned. John Pappajohn also served on the museum board for the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C.

Pappajohn died Saturday at a vacation home in Florida. His wife, Mary, died in March of last year at the age of 88.

(Radio Iowa) – The Republican-led Senate has sent the governor a bill to limit the state auditor’s access to some confidential information. It also blocks the auditor from seeking a court order to get records from state agencies or other state officials. Republican Senator Mike Bousselot of Ankeny says State Auditor Rob Sand, the only Democrat in statewide office, has argued he can audit anything at anytime.

“When government goes too far, we are the watchdogs,” Bousselot says. Bousselot says shortly after taking office in 2019, Sand began raising inappropriate questions about negotiations for a billion dollar deal involving the University of Iowa’s utilities plant.  “This new, non-CPA auditor looks to see how far the law can go,” Bousselot said, “asks for impossible information about a transaction that isn’t even over yet.” That dispute was ultimately decided by the Iowa Supreme Court, in the auditor’s favor.

The bill calls for future disputes about government records to be settled by a three-person panel — with representatives of Sand’s office, the governor’s office and the state agency involved. “Settle disputes in a way that’s friendly to taxpayers,” Bousselot says. All 16 Democrats in the Senate voted no. Senator Janet Petersen is a Democrat from Des Moines.  “The is pro-embezzler, this is pro-corruption, this is pro-crony,” Petersen says. Senator Janice Weiner, a Democrat from Iowa City, says the bill knee caps the state auditor’s office.

“This is Republicans protecting each other and putting their own interests over those of the state,” Weiner says. “We don’t play games with our state’s finances.” Sand says the bill lets government agencies hide records necessary to prove abuse of tax dollars and it allows dishonest insiders to conceal their waste, fraud, and abuse.

Governor Kim Reynolds has not commented on the bill. Last May, as she campaigned for Republican Primary candidates, Reynolds said needed a state auditor that’s not trying to sue her every time they turn around.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – (UPDATED)  The Atlantic School Board, Wednesday evening, agreed to meet in the District’s Central Office at the Achievement Center this Friday, April 28th, at 2:30-p.m., for the purpose of reviewing applications that have been received from persons interested in the Superintendent and School Business Official (SBO) positions. The review process is just one of several steps necessary to find a suitable replacement for those Administrative jobs. The District says the review will take place in a CLOSED SESSION, as allowed under the Code of Iowa.

As of April 26th, there have been two applications for the SBO position currently held by Sarah Sheeder. It’s not clear how many applications have been received so far for the Superintendent’s job. Both positions became open with the resignations earlier this month of Superintendent Barber, whose last day is June 30th, and Sheeder, whose last day is May 31st.

The actual interviews with candidates for those positions will be scheduled following a review of qualified individuals’ resume and application.