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Clear skies. Low 68F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph..
Clear skies. Low 68F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph.
New Hiawatha teachers reported on Wednesday at the Board of Education office. At left (l-r) Kelsey Hubin-third grade, Robyn Tollefson-Special Ed preschool, Xavier Caparros-HHS Spanish, Travel Hampl-HMS social studies; at right (l-r) Megan Sommers-HES counselor, Carey McFann-Ariel Blanton-fourth and Evan Brockhoff-first. Not pictured: Emily Chandler-HES title, Sunshine Letsinger-Life Skills.
New Hiawatha teachers reported on Wednesday at the Board of Education office. At left (l-r) Kelsey Hubin-third grade, Robyn Tollefson-Special Ed preschool, Xavier Caparros-HHS Spanish, Travel Hampl-HMS social studies; at right (l-r) Megan Sommers-HES counselor, Carey McFann-Ariel Blanton-fourth and Evan Brockhoff-first. Not pictured: Emily Chandler-HES title, Sunshine Letsinger-Life Skills.
Those were the words of Hiawatha Superintendent of Schools Lonnie Moser at Monday’s regular School Board meeting when he told the board members they were in full school mode to prepare for next week’s first day.
He updated the board on activities scheduled for this week and next, which included new teacher training at the board office and their respective schools on Wednesday. He noted that all positions had been filled with the exception of the HMS math interventionist.
Thursday was the official first day back for all teachers and Superintendent Moser told the board that the day would start at 8:30 a.m. with all school staff for a convocation at the HHS auditorium with himself and the principals. He said meetings for teachers would follow as well as staff development throughout the week leading up to Wednesday’s first official day for kindergarten, fifth and ninth graders. The remaining students will return on Thursday, Aug. 18.
Superintendent Moser said there will be some special staff development in each of the building, along with staff team-building exercises on Friday for staff with a gathering that evening at the Hiawatha Country Club.
Looking at this year’s enrollment, the district was currently at 929, but that figure could change a little bit before the Sept. 20 official count day — which is how the district’s state aid is determined.
Superintendent Moser also reminded the board that free and reduced lunches were provided to students based on an application process for the upcoming academic year — something that was a change from last year’s automatic free meal program that was a product of the COVID pandemic.
District Maintenance Director Chris Morey reported on summer Capital Outlay projects that were completed in preparation of the upcoming school year. These included:
Purchasing new 55 gallon trash cans for the HHS stadium.
Trading in an old Gravely mower for a new 60-inch mower of the same model.
Concrete approaches to the bus barn stalls.
The purchase of a new Hotsi power washer, which has been used this past week to power wash the middle school.
New sinks, countertops and mini blinds in the HMS art room and new min-blinds in the three science rooms.
Carpeting in a total of eight rooms — four at the elementary including three kindergarten and one in fourth; four at HMS including two IRC rooms and two teacher workrooms.
Concrete at the HHS — under the dumpsters with barriers added to keep the dumpsters from sliding down the hill in the mud.
Concrete work behind the HMS, where new curbing was added and sidewalk work near the library entrance.
HES parking lot chip and seal.
Morey reported that he held off on a new bay door at the bus barn and additional concrete work there due to the costs of the chip and seal.
He said another project in the works was a new storage shed for HMS that the wood shop students were building. He said that project would get up and going again after school started.
The project for security cameras on doors at the west campus buildings and the bus barn were on hold as they were waiting on parts. He said the new fire reporting system would be installed at the same time.
Board members asked Morey if all maintenance/custodial positions were filled and he said he was short one at the HHS and one at HES.
Morey also reported that the picnic tables donated by the Class of 1970 had been put together and will be installed at the stadium prior to the first football game.
He told the board that the new scoreboards will be installed at the HHS on Aug. 27 and should take just one day. New digital score tables will also arrive at that time.
Following a presentation on the 2022-23 budget by Superintendent Moser, the board unanimously approved the budget for publication with all board members present and Ian Schuetz joining via Zoom.
The overall mils are decreasing by .231, however due to the over $6.8 million increase in Assessed Valuation which brings in more money per mil, there will still be a 4% increase in the budget. Last year the mil rate was 48.749 and this year the proposed mil rate is 48.518.
A hearing where the school district will indicate the need to exceed the revenue neutral rate will be at 6 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 12, with the regular budget hearing to follow at 6:10 p.m. that evening — prior to the regular board of education meeting. Superintendent Moser said the budget will be published in the Hiawatha World and be available on the district’s website.
Superintendent Moser also reminded board members of a work session set for Aug. 31.
Board members provided a Special Education report, where they discussed funding and a need for paras, stating all teaching positions were filled.
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