Ben Adams - Danny Phipps

Meeting on Monday night, June 15, the South Tama School Board approved a number of personnel changes.

Included was the transfer of Ben Adams from his current position as high school assistant principal and activities director to middle school principal with a salary of $93,000.

He replaces Eric Townsley who resigned.

Danny Phipps was named to the high school assistant principal and activities director post, at a salary of $89,000.

Phipps has been assistant principal at Muscatine High School for the past five years. He previously was a health and physical education teacher and sub-principal in the Clinton Community School District.

A native of Comanche, Iowa, he received a B.A. from St. Ambrose University, Davenport and an M.A. from, Western Illinois University, Macomb, Ill.

Phipps and his wife, Linda, plan to relocate here.

Contracts were approved for Carla Coates, middle school 6th grade math teacher at a salary of $41,496, Katie Andreasen, elementary and middle school talented and gifted teacher, $37,685; Clay Harrold, middle school Head 7th Grade football coach, $2,192; Bryan Anderson, 8th grade assistant football coach, $1,748; Lon Wilkerson, high school assistant boys basketball coach, $3,275; Crystal Kephart, middle school 8th grade literacy teacher, $37,685; and Jordan Johnson, elementary 3rd Grade teacher, $37,685.

Trisha Kriegel’s contract for Middle School and High School Nurse’s Aide was terminated, effective immediately.

Resignations approved were for Holly Kupka as head varsity volleyball coach effective June 1, Seth Koch, assistant 8th grade football coach, effective May 19, Connie Blocker as middle school cook, effective May 27, and Celeste Betz as elementary educational aide effective May 28.

Activity Books Reviewed

Board members reviewed the Elementary, Middle School, High School and High School Activities Handbooks. These had several changes.

Preschool

South Tama preschool changes shows Jen Gates as a new teacher. Assessment of the preschool pupils will be assessed with Gold objectives for Development and Learning as aligned with the Iowa Learning Standards. It records student progress in all developmental areas during three checkpoints throughout the school year. A teacher developed a Preschool Screening sheet. This is used three times a year to guide the teachers instruction and to communicate strengths and learning goals to families. Individual Growth and Development Indicators (IGDI’s) is given to every preschool child three times a year to identify children who are reading on grade level and those children who need additional help in reading.

Parents and legal guardians are always welcome to visit the preschool classroom. The change is to give 24-hour notice of your visit and please limit your visit to one hour. As a safety feature all visitors will need to check in at the elementary school office. Parent/Teacher conferences are scheduled two times during the year, once during the fall and once again in the spring. Home visits will be conducted at the beginning of the school year, giving the preschool staff a chance to meet and get to know your child. Home Visits are scheduled at the parents convenience. Teachers will be accompanied by an additional staff member.

Elementary

The Elementary Student Handbook had few changes. Under Absences additions are Students are counted tardy between 8:20 and 8:30 a.m. Students are counted 1/2 day absent if they arrive between 8:30 a.m. and 12:00.p.m. Students are counted 1/2 day absent if they leave before 3:20 p.m. Students are permitted up to 10 days excused absences per school year. After 10 excused absences, all future absences will become unexcused unless the student has a written professional excuse. Mediation will be set up for excessive absences. Families are considered in violation of the State of Iowa truancy laws if the mediation contract is not met. A complaint will then be filed with the Tama County Attorney. We want to insure that all our students have the opportunity to be successful, which includes being on time to school every day and staying all day.

Monthly newsletters will be sent home on the last school day of each month. The letter is sent home with the oldest child in the family. Newsletters are also available online at www.s-tama.k12.ia.us.

Students in third and fourth grade will have one-on-one ipad usage at school. If in the event that ipads are misused the penalty is as follows: 1st offense – loss of ipad for one day. 2nd offense – loss of ipad for one week, 3rd offense – loss of ipad for one quarter.

Middle School

Middle School changes under midterms show mid term dates as Friday, September 25, Friday, December 4, Wednesday, February 17, and Wednesday, April 20. Grades are due at 8:00 a.m. for the first nine weeks on October 30 , second nine weeks and first semester on January 20 . third nine weeks on March 24 and fourth nine weeks and second semester on May 25.

High School

In the High School Handbook under School Fees Drivers Education fees will be $360.00. The High School will pay up to $40.00 per student for each course. The student and/or parent/guardian will be responsible for pre-paying any amount in excess of the $40.00. Students whose families meet the income guidelines for free and reduced price lunch, the Family Investment Program (FIP), transportation assistance under open enrollment, or students who are in foster care are eligible to have their student fees waived or partially waived. Parents or students who believe they may qualify for temporary financial hardship should contact the High School Principal’s secretary, Julie Brezina, at 484-4345, or the District office Secretary, Sue Haughey, at 484-4811, for a waiver form.

A student who becomes ill or is injured at school will be sent to the school nurse. The school nurse will notify the parent/guardian once the extent of the illness and injury is determined. Once the student is at school, the school nurse will determine if the student is tool ill to remain at school. A student under 18 will only be released from school if permission is granted by the parent or guardian.

Changes in the attendance include Excused Tardy-Professional Appointment only. Each student is allowed 3 Tardies per semester. After 3 tardies a student will need to provide verification such as a doctors or dentists appointment. Family trips come under days missed from school and will count as the ten excused days allowed for parent to call in. Each student is given three tardies per semester. The 4th through the 9th Tardy student’s will receive detentions. The 19th tardy the student will receive ISS. Students who reach ten unexcused absences may be dropped from their assigned course work and assigned to Alternative school Students 16 or under may be subject to Truancy proceedings if a mandatory attendee.

In other business:

-A public hearing was held at 5:30 p.m. for public comments on the Child Internet Protection Act Policy (CIPA). This is required every five years. There was no comments.

-The first reading of the Technology Policy was discussed and approved. This covers computers, ipads, use of internet and other technology areas