2025.4.14 Board Minutes

 

Bennett CSD School Board Meeting

April 14, 2025

7PM

1. Call to Order - 7pm

1. Roll Call - Present: Director Reynolds, Director Giebelstein, Director McGhee, Director Bjurstrom. Absent: Director Dani Pratt. Also present: Superintendent Shane Knoche, Principal Jeremiah Costello, Board Secretary Kylee Yoerger, Heather Sivia, Juli Miller, Stacey Hennings, Catalina McLaughlin. 

2. Mission Statement - Read by Principal Jeremiah Costello

3. Approval of Agenda - Director McGhee moved, seconded by Director Bjurstrom to approve. Motion carried 3/0.

2. Public Forum - Staff member Catalina McLaughlin voiced concerns with being short staffed and about job duties being reassigned. 

3. Consent Agenda - Director Giebelstein moved, seconded by Director McGhee to approve. Motion carried 3/0.

   1. Minutes from March 10, 2025 Meeting

   2. Financial Report as of Feb 2025 (including Nutrition Fund) 

   3. April Bills/Additional Bills totaling 59,947.37

   4. Hires & Resignations - Preschool Teacher Megan Thompson hired, Library Aide/Para Karis Horstmann retired

4. Public Hearing

   1. FY2026 budget public hearing - Director McGhee moved, seconded by Director Bjustrom to enter into session at 7:28pm, due to no public comment closed at 7:29pm

   2. 2025/2026 school calendar public hearing notice - Director McGhee moved, seconded by Director Bjustrom to enter into session at 7:29pm, reviewed two calendar options, closed session at 7:43pm

5. Administrative Reports

   1. Jeremiah - Thank you Miss. Karis for her years of service. Food Pantry served 38 households in the month of March. ISASPs Testing is completed for this year. Huge thank you to staff members who facilitated testing. We have hired a Preschool Teacher for the 2025/2026 school year. Attended Leading for Impact to collaborate with other educators. Thank you to everyone who attended the family breakfast. CRDC is 100% complete. Thank you to our staff members for welcoming Cal-Wheat’s staff coach who visited to learn about Amplify. E-Rate has been completed. PerMar has been installing new cameras and new keypads. 

   2. Shane - Miss. Karis’s retirement lunch was wonderful to see with staff and Karis’s family all in attendance. Thank you to Miss. Karis for her years of service and her working many roles in the district!

6. Informational Section

   1. Insurance Information and Legislative school funding and impact

7. Old Business - none

8. New Business

   1. Set date for FY2025 budget public hearing - set for next board meeting 5/5/25 at 7pm

   2. Approve FY2026 budget - Director Bjurstrom moved, seconded by Director Giebelstein to approve. Motion carried 3/0.

   3. Approve Calendar A or Calendar B - tabled until the May Board Meeting

   4. Review current shared operational sharing agreements - Director Giebelstein moved, seconded by Director Bjurstrom to approve. Motion carried 3/0.

   5. PPEL election Canvas of Votes - Director McGhee moved, seconded by Director Giebelstein to approve. Motion carried 3/0.

   6. Possible exempt session: support staff salary discussion per IA Code Ch.21.9 - tabled until future Board Meeting

   7. Possible exempt session: negotiation strategy session per IA Code Ch.20.17.3 - tabled until future Board Meeting

Second  Reading
IASB #	Title of Policy	Replaces Bennett # if different from IASB
IASB #	Title of Policy	Replaces Bennett # if different from IASB

 

9. Committee Reports

   1. Policy - set next meeting

   2. Facilities/Operations - set next meeting with Ian, Chad, Greg need to post 

   3. Negotiations/Interest Based Problem Solving - Dani, Chad

   4. Finance - set meeting with Amanda and Greg

      1. 5 year look 

      2. Set time to meet

10. Board Comments/Correspondence - Director McGhee requested a more defined student dress code policy before the 2025/2026 school year. 

 

Director Giebelstein moved, seconded by Director McGhee to adjourn. Motion carried 3/0.