New board welcomed, $210,000 foundation gift presented

(Photo by Kris Todd) Sharon Slawson, the Spencer school district's business manager and board secretary, administered an oath of office Tuesday night to newly-elected Spencer school board members, from left, Bob Whittenburg, Bill Zinn and Dean Mechler. The three men were elected to serve four-year terms. [Order this photo]

Before three new board members were sworn in Tuesday night, retiring Spencer school board members David Schlichtemeier, Ed Ver Steeg and Barb Van Wyk were recognized for their years of service to the district and the community.

Superintendent Greg Ebeling presented each with a plaque and then thanked the outgoing board members for their contributions.

"Without the volunteerism and without people willing to step forward to do that, we wouldn't be able to function as a school district. So, thank you. We really appreciate it," Ebeling said.

The newly-elected Bob Whittenburg, Bill Zinn and Dean Mechler were then sworn in to fill their seats around the board table as the new board of directors convened.

The district then received a $210,000 "gift to education" from Heidi Toale, executive director of the Spencer Community School Foundation. According to Toale, the contribution will be earmarked to assist in carrying out the foundation's mission of enhancing and enriching the educational opportunities for students, staff and community.

"A total of $100,000 will be given to the core curriculum revision team -- in $20,000 increments over the next five years -- to help enhance and enrich the various subject areas. The $110,000 will be awarded to gifts to education teams and students at each educational level, elementary level through high school, over the next five years," she explained of the $210,000 gift.

The board also unanimously approved the expulsion of a 16-year-old Spencer High School student who brought a knife to school. The student will be educated at the Graettinger Boys and Girls Home for the remainder of the school year, and will be allowed to enroll as a SHS student again in 2010-11. Ebeling explained the boy's parents both agreed to waive a hearing on the matter.

"Obviously, the transgression is pretty severe," board member Todd Korbitz said of the event leading to the student's expulsion.

Following Tuesday's meeting, Ebeling explained that the student had been involved in an altercation with another male SHS pupil off school property. Threatening comments were made and the now-expelled student brought the knife to school in a bag the following day.

(Photo by Kris Todd) Retiring Spencer school board members were presented with plaques Tuesday night for their years of service. Pictured from left are Ed Ver Steeg, who served as a board member for three years, David Schlichtemeier, who served six years, and Barb Van Wyk, who served as a Spencer school board member the last two years. [Order this photo]

"Any knife that is over a four-inch blade becomes considered a dangerous weapon, and this was, so it fell into that category," the superintendent said.

In other discussion, Positively Spencer Youth Director Amy Simpson reported that PSY is working with the Spencer school district to update and replace six security cameras. The $6,000 gift is being allocated from PSY's drug-free grant funding. As SHS Principal Joe Mueting thanked the group for its financial assistance, he added, "It is a necessary piece for high schools right now."

Mueting also informed board members that SHS finished fourth -- behind Decorah, Sioux City Bishop Heelan and Marion -- in the class 3A division for the 2008-09 Bank Iowa Traveling Challenge Cup. Launched in September 2007, the program recognizes Iowa high school students for achieving excellence in the classroom, as well as on the athletic field, in music, speech and debate. SHS will receive a $1,500 monetary award for this recognition.

Board members also approved a draft copy of the "Spencer Area Vision: Creating Grand Opportunities" strategic plan.

"There are a large number of people who have been working on this for quite a while in Spencer," Ebeling said. "I think it's a real great cooperative effort across the community about visioning and helping our community move forward. The board and school district are support organizations for this vision because, ultimately, we need to look to that vision. ... We play a huge role in moving the vision along. And so, what the visioning committee is wanting and asking for is the school board's support of the vision as it moves forward."

In other business, the board:

* Elected Korbitz and Marti Bomgaars as board president and vice president.

* Set 5:30 p.m. the fourth Tuesday of each month as their monthly board meeting time and date for 2009-10.

* Appointed Whittenburg to serve as Spencer's delegate to the 2009 Iowa Association of School Boards delegate assembly, scheduled for Nov. 18 in Des Moines. The assembly allows district delegates across Iowa to cast votes on issues and provide input on the IASB's legislative platform and priorities.

* Tentatively set a 5:30 p.m. retreat with Spencer Municipal Utilities board members and officials on Tuesday, Sept. 29, to discuss how the two parties can work together in the future. Bruce Tamisiea will facilitate the evening's joint work session.