Jerry Gallagher (right), a representative of the Donovan Group discusses informational strategy with members of the South Tama School Board and administration on Monday night, Oct. 7. From left are Mary Boege, district business manager and board secretary, Board Member Alan Kline, Board President Penny Tyynismaa, Superintendent Jared Smith and Board Members Jackie Dvorak and Ron Houghton. The Gallagher Group has been hired as a consultant to the board if a decision to bring a bond issue to pay for a new middle school building or Physical Plant and Equipment Levy, or both, before voters in March. Chronicle/John Speer

South Tama School District patrons can likely expect to receive a postcard survey in an effort to gauge their feelings toward plans for a new middle school building. Questions on the survey may also relate to renewal of the Physical Plant and Equipment Levy (PPEL) which has been turned down twice by voters in past years.

Jerry Gallagher, an associate with The Donovan Group, told STC school board members during their meeting on Monday night, Oct. 7, it was time to step up to “get public input” if the board decides to call for a bond issue, PPEL Vote or both in March of next year.

The Donovan Group was hired by the school board on Sept. 23 at a cost of $18,000 to provide communication services for the potential vote or votes.

South Tama Superintendent Jared Smith accepted the responsibility of putting together or “tweaking” questions for a survey for the board’s consideration at their regular meeting on Oct. 21. Smith said he found the cost of printing and postage for 3,500 questionnaires in the district would be less than $1,000.

Gallagher advised the survey needed to be conducted prior ot Thanksgiving and said other methods to gather responses need to be considered as well.

He also reminded in the effort the school “is not allowed to publicly advocate for a “yes” vote” under Iowa law but can only provide relevant information.”

Board members learned Monday a five-member committee will interview three architectural firm representatives on Oct. 17 as a step toward building a new facility.

The committee includes School Board member Jackie Dvorak, Mike Carroll, project executive for Estes Construction which conducted a South Tama school facilities evaluation earlier this year; Elizabeth Dolezal and Mike Haughey, members of the facilities study committee and Superintendent Smith.

Smith said current recommendations form idle schools are generally for sites with at least 25 acres.

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Board members did agree to take another look at the closed Iowa Juvenile Home / State Training School for Girls in Toledo.

Previously the existing school building on the campus was deemed unsuitable to fit the district’s needs when considered by the board and school officials.

High School Behavior

School board members approved first reading of an updated High School Handbook section dealing with behavioral issues. Supt. Smith said the changes were a result of some problems which arose during homecoming week.

He said some of the violations were judged to have required students to have been subject to longer term suspensions. As a result, actions to be taken for a number of infractions on the list entitled “discipline behaviors” have had an “interim setting” added to the actions taken.

The behaviors list of infractions numbers 48 with it running from “an inappropriate display of affection” to “weapon” and “combustible” offenses.

Actions by school officials in response to violations range from requiring an apology to obviously contacting law enforcement in serious or criminal matters.

In other business Monday the school board:

approved adding a second, full-time, certified substitute teacher to the staff. The position will pay the salary of a first year teacher with full benefits. Smith said the district advanced one full-time substitute who was employed on a half-time basis. He said the need for an additional staff member was important because the list of available substitutes short. In addition, Elementary Principal Brad Schweppe recommended the hiring in a written comment saying, in part, “I think we really put our kids at a disadvantage when teachers are gone and we have no sub or a sub who is not effective. hiring a full time sub allows us to control the quality of the people subbing for us.”

approved first reading of policy on employee retirement incentive which sets the deadline to notify the district of the intent to take early retirement by Jan. 1. The previous notification date has been Feb. 1.

approved an agreement for services with Tanager Place for therapist support for the 2019-20 school year.

approved final reading of a board policy setting details of expenditures for public purposes.

said they would consider a School Classification Equity Resolution at the Oct. 21 board meeting which asks the Iowa High School Athletic associations to form a committee to evaluate inequities “inherent in a system based solely on enrollment size without consideration of family and community capacity for support.”