School board to discuss student expulsions, fuel tank addition

The Spencer Community Schools Board of Education will convene its regular monthly meeting at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 27 in the board room of the central administrative offices, located at 23 E. Seventh St.

Under consent items listed on the agenda, the board is scheduled to consider approval of its Dec. 18 and Jan. 8 meeting minutes, bills and financial reports, open enrollment requests, and personnel recommendations.

Under personnel recommendations, board members will consider the hirings of Jim Kerns as technology director, Amanda Hoffman as a teacher associate at Johnson Elementary, Jodie Subbert as a teacher associate at Fairview Elementary, and Soni Finkbeiner as a freshmen softball coach.

Following a visitor and public forum section to Tuesday's meeting, an elementary literacy and a Positively Spencer Youth report are expected to be provided. District principals will then offer grade level-specific updates.

Action on the expulsion of two Spencer High School males will occur. One, who was found in possession of marijuana on school property, is expected to be suspended for the second semester of this school year. The second student, accused of stealing $2,500 of school money, is expected to be expelled until January 2010. The mother of both has not contested the expulsions.

Board members will conduct a second reading on recommended changes to district policies on attendance center assignments; student transfers in; student transfers out or withdrawals; excused student absences; truancy and unexcused absences; homeless children and youth; student conduct; student suspensions; fines, fees and charges; the good conduct rule; student fundraising; student promotion, retention and acceleration; student records access; student health and immunization certificates; emergency drills; and open nights.

During its information and discussion segment of Tuesday's meeting, the board is scheduled to converse about erecting fuel tanks for the district's use. In a written note in the agenda packet, Superintendent Greg Ebeling states, "Currently, we have an agreement with the city for gas and diesel, but we pay 15 percent in addition to the pump price for future tank replacement costs. We believe we would be able to do this much less expensively by putting in our own tanks."

The board is also anticipated to discuss the purpose and philosophy of potentially implementing a religious liberty policy.

Following a 30-minute computer survey tied to the Iowa Association of School Boards' Lighthouse project, which Spencer board members are participating in for the second year, the regular board meeting will adjourn. Board members are then scheduled to enter a closed session to discuss bargaining with the Spencer Education Association.