Board approves elementary changes for 2008-09, SHS band trip to Florida

As Spencer school board members were presented with fallout from some of the budget reductions they made for 2008-09, they approved a number of teacher resignations, hirings and transfers for next school year. Superintendent Greg Ebeling defined the board's approvals as "trying to put everything back together and have everything covered for next year" following Tuesday night's meeting.

"What we're doing is a lot of shifting around and a lot of changes," Ebeling explained. "We are trying to do as much as we can to strengthen every area of the district. ... With moving and changing comes kind of a reinvigoration of some staff members in the different areas. They'll have to learn new things; but at the same time, that's a good thing."

"The biggest challenges are when you have to move kids," he continued. "Lincoln will be losing a section of sixth grade. First grade at Fairview will have one less section than what it currently does. Those kids are getting transferred out into different buildings. We tried to keep families together for family-centered schools. We also tried to look at kids who have been and haven't been moved before. That was an important piece, not wanting to move kids who just recently had been moved."

During his update to the board last night, Elementary Principal Lucas DeWitt said letters have been distributed in regard to student transfers to other elementary buildings as a result of section reductions. In all, he said 13 students are being transferred from Fairview Elementary and nine are being moved from Lincoln Elementary for 2008-09.

"This was the best we could work out," DeWitt said. "...It is a no-win situation and it's not a lot of fun."

As DeWitt told the board he's heard from parents who are now "very interested" in a grade-alike elementary structure now that their children will be affected by transferrals to other elementary buildings, board member Dean Mechler said, "This problem is not going to go away."

"Obviously, whenever you move kids the grade-alike discussion people start to bring that back up," Ebeling added. "...That is in the back of some parents' minds. ... From my perspective, to go back there and have that discussion over again at this point in time is going to take a grassroots effort to make it happen. We are probably not going to be the ones leading the charge to go to grade-alike. It's going to take a parent-initiated force to go back and have those discussions all over again. The community wasn't ready two years ago to go there, and there are still people not ready to go there. So, it's going to take a parent-organized group that wants to go back and have those discussions again before I'm going to say, 'Yeah, we need to do that.'"

During his board update, Spencer High School (SHS) Principal Joe Mueting reported that finals are scheduled on Thursday and Friday. As he outlined changes made in next school year's handbook, Mueting told the board that SHS classes will start at 8:15 a.m. in 2008-09. Other changes outlined include:

* The STEP program for incoming freshmen will be held in July over a two-week period. Anticipated to be staffed by four instead of six teachers, Mueting said funding for the program that teaches social, study and life skills will come from the high school building budget, fees assessed to the approximately 70 participating students and the Spencer Community School Foundation.

* Students wanting to take summer school classes for credit recovery will pay $35 per class. Mueting indicated the cost was kept down due to an approximately $3,050 Perkins grant received.

* A room with supervision will be available before school and, if possible, after school, for students to make up tests and receive assistance. This will take the place of the current Excellence Center next year.

* A teacher associate with Boys Town training will supervise a transition room next year. This is expected to take the place of a Graettinger-based temporary student placement program.

* Computer labs will be added in the existing Success Center and in a second floor room of SHS.

* Study hall will be located in the library and the current SHS Excellence Center room. An "honors" study hall in the student center will also be implemented next year.

As board members approved temporarily continuing the German language program offered at SHS via ICN classes on May 2, Mueting suggested discussions are currently occurring regarding potential Spanish classes SHS teachers could teach to HLV Victor students online in a reciprocal manner.

Spencer Middle School Principal Steve Barber offered an update on the outdoor classroom project initiated south of that school building two years ago. Barber noted students are working with several community partners, who have also offered financial assistance, to eventually erect a pond and waterfall, trees, and a short-and tall-grass prairie on the site. Barber also stated a rain garden setting, a stone ampitheater and a pump to circulate water and to create falls in the pond are anticipated in the future.

"By the end of summer we hope that you will see progress out there," Barber assured the board.

Board members approved a $50,533 kindergarten-through-eighth-grade science curriculum proposal outlined by Assistant Superintendent Kathy Elliott for next school year. The curriculum, which will feature an inquiry-based approach, will have science kits for kindergarten through third grade students leased from the AEA, and other science-related materials for fourth through eighth grade students purchased.

While $160,000 has been budgeted for an updated K-12 science system, Elliott told board members she'll present a high school science curriculum proposal during their June 24 board meeting.

Elliott also indicated the district may partner with the AEA in a similar leasing manner on new language arts materials in the near future.

In other action and discussion:

* The board authorized a SHS band trip to Florida from Dec. 31 through Jan. 6, 2009. Students are anticipated to perform during one parade and take part in a workshop, among other planned activities.

"The workshop is one where we send in an audition tape of the band and they determine our proficiencies," explained SHS Band Instructor Kurt Schwarck. "They send music back out for us to prepare before we get there. When we get there, they take us to a back lot at Disney and take us to one of their studios. Then they bring in one of their soloists and we do a recording, just like they do for the Disney movies. Then at the end, they put all the music with a Disney movie. So, the kids will get to see how a Disney musician would work."

* Board members also approved technology purchases worth an estimated $217,100 through the rest of this year. In addition to equipping a copier for document imaging and updating the wireless network at central office, this approval will allow for the installation of 90 new PCs in the high school, the installation of 18 new Smart Boards, the mounting of projectors for Smart Boards at Lincoln Elementary, the installation of a new firewall and content filter, and the installation of a new voice-over-internet protocol phone system at SHS.

* The board approved changing the district's dental insurance from Dakota Care to Iowa Governmental Health Care Plan in 2008-09. The third-party administrator also handles the district's health insurance.

* Six middle school teachers presented information on an integrated "courage" unit taught this past winter.

"The multidisciplinary units allow students to see connections," said Marla Jacobsen, one of those presenting.