Kerri Nelson Outgoing South Tama Schools superintendent

On Monday, April 20, the South Tama County Community School Board met with G. Tryon & Associates to conduct the superintendent search to replace Kerri Nelson, who will be leaving the South Tama system June 30.

Nelson, South Tama superintendent for the past seven years, has accepted the position as school superintendent at Shenandoah in southwest Iowa.

The contract for the superintendent search will be for $10,175. G. Tryon & Associates have worked for the South Tama schools before. The board approved this contract.

Tryon’s schedule shows advertising through GT data bank, Teach Iowa, GT web site from April 22 through May 5. Receiving and processing applications will take place April 23 through May 5.

A board meeting will be held Wednesday May 6 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. for an application update, to concur on selection criteria and finalize an interview schedule. Screening and making reference calls will take place between May 5 and May 15th.

Another board meeting (in closed session) will be held Tuesday, May 19, from 5 to 8 p.m. to select three-five finalists. The board will meet again on Thursday, May 21 for an all-day meeting to interview the finalists and select two finalists.

On that same day Thursday, May 21, from 5 to 6 p.m. the consultant will meet with focus groups.

All-day meetings are scheduled for May 27 and 2 for the Board and focus groups to interview two finalists. The following day, May 29, from 5 to 7 p.m., a board meeting will be held to select the finalist. This could be a closed session.

On May 29 the finalist will be announced.

A Tryon representative said the school board will have at least ten applications or a maximum of twelve applications for the board to review.

“Celebrate My Drive” Reccomendations

Two students, Talon Lamb and Sadie Smith were present to give a program on “Celebrate My Drive” which reflects on the campaign the students put on in earning a $100,000 award from State Farm Insurance earlier this school session. A student committee was formed from the Freshman, Sophomore, Junior and Senior grades.

This committee representing their classes made suggestions as to how the money should be spent. Some of the ideas included renovation of the school library including computers, water bottle fountain, Band instruments, new dresses for the girls in Harding Street, some to the speech department including large group, individuals, Thespian Society, Drama Club and Plays and Musical Department. Other ideas included Block House Improvements, Soccer field entrance and score board, and others.

Personnel

Personnel changes approved include contracts for Lacy Starits- elementary special education teacher, salary of $37,007 and Sarah Dostal, 4th grade elementary teacher, salary of $40,574 with both positions effective Aug. 13; and Riley Rutledge assistant high school softball coach, effective May, $2,856.

Resignations approved were for Terry Guenther-Mayer as high school Agriculture and FFA Advisor and Raven Deuth as elementary ELL teacher, both effective the end of the 2014-15 school term; and Rachel Youngbear as high school cook was accepted, effective immediately.

Food Purchase Agreement

In other business a renewal of the agreement with the Iowa Association for Educational Purchasing for 2015-2016 was approved. This document renews the agreement for the purchasing for South Tama’s nutrition program food and supplies. The IAEP’s bid process provides reasonable assurance the district is in compliance with federal procurement regulations.

Every two years the school district must have a valuation to identify the cost of non-pension health benefits offered to retirees and estimate the cost impact that differing age groups have on the benefits provided. The Iowa School Finance Information Services will provide this service for $5750. The board approved ISFIS for this project.

Superintendent Kerri Nelson told board members the replacement of computers for staff is included in the replacement scheduled for this year. Nelson said most of the computers are at the end of their useful cycle (about 11 years).

However, Nelson said machines that remain in good repair and are usable will be repurposed for student use. Including the discount per unit, the cost for Apple Inc. purchase is $119,691, less a discount of $2,500, making the total cost $117,131.

A contract from Ames Environmental/REW Services, Slater, Iowa, in the amount of $3,948 for removing asbestos at the high school was approved. This work is to be done beginning on June 15 and shall be completed by June 17.