South Tama School Board- seated- Michelle Yuska, president and Mark McFate, vice president. (Standing, l-r) Jackie Dvorak, Alan Kline and Penny Tyynismaa. -South Tama Schools photo

On Monday night, Dec. 19, the South Tama School Board approved an employee retirement incentive with the amount of $7,200.

According ot regulations school board must officially decline to offer a retirement incentive policy if the board does not want to offer the program in any given year.

The decision to decline or to offer should be based on various factors such as the district’s ability to pay, past practice, the number of people it would potentially impact and the benefit to staff.

Support Levy

Every five years the board has the opportunity for the renewal of the Instructional Support Levy. This is a combination of property tax and an income surtax.

This is used for any general fund purpose.

Superintendent Mary Jones recommended the approval of the Resolution to Consider Continued participation in this program.

A public hearing has been set for Jan. 23, 2017.

River Hills School

Discussion was held at the Lied Center Consortium meeting on Wednesday, Dec. 7, with some proposed modifications to the Consortion agreement being approved.

The agreement will establish a consortium to jointly administer an instructional program at River Hills School located within the boundaries of the Cedar Falls Community School District. Some of the sections affected in the agreement include the Fiscal Agent, Administration, Joint Meetings, Staffing Financial Provisions.

Based on the district enrollment report to the State, the district is eligible to apply to the School Budget Review Committee for us to $245,959 modified supplement amount for At Risk/Dropout report.

The board approved the report and the application for $245,959.

Set Advisor committee Meeting sates

The SIAC (School Improvement Advisory Committee) serves as an advisory group with the purpose of enhancing the relationship between the district and community.

The committee meets to review district needs assessment data and make recommendations to the school board regarding major educational needs, student learning goals, and long range goals and indicators for content areas.

The SIAC Committee members are board approved and the committee is required to meet at least once a year. T

his year the committee meet on the first Wednesday of every month at the Partnership Center from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m.

Committee members representing staff and administrators are Ben Adams, Karen Mixdorf, Sarah Fitzsimmons, Jessica St. John, Heather Chamberlain, Michelle Wiegand, Marsha Keahna, Brent Bagnall, Jon Huebner, Derek Dixon, Deloris Ryan, Laura Galvez, Angie Knowles and Michael Volk.

Student representatives are Mitchell Knock, Garrett Arp, Saylor Upah, McKenna Knock, Enriqueta Diego, Gloria Youngbear, Jesus Razo.

Parent and Community members are Michelle Evans and Sally Slaven. The committee is also seeking board members to serve.

In other business:

contracts approved were for Annie Lucas as District Wide Media Services effective December 12, 2016. Emily Keppler as Assistant Varsity Girls Tract for 2017 and Lori Dvorak for District Wide Substitute Teacher effective Jan. 1, 2017.

bills approved for payment on Dec. 19 totaled $1,290,681. This included $675,547.85 for the November and December payments to Garling Construction for construction of the new addition to the STC High School and $9,619 for the November and December payments to Struxture Architects for work on the building. Among other payments were open enrollment to BCLUW Community School $6758.16, Benton Community School $13,828.48, East Marshall College Tuition $161,281.26, North Tama County CSD $10,605.48.