The steel work on the new Armstrong Elementary School, Bettendorf, provides a structural outline of the $9-million facility along Central Avenue at 33rd Street. For a webcam of the construction site, CLICK HERE.

Unofficial Minutes of the December 4, 2006 Special Meeting of the Board of Education (pending Board approval)

The Board of Directors of the Bettendorf Community School District, in the County of Scott, State of Iowa, met in open session according to Iowa law for their regular Board meeting at the Administration Center, 729 21st Street, Bettendorf, Iowa, on December 4, 2006. President Anderson called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.

Colleen Skolrood, Board Secretary, verified that the meeting notice had been posted and mailed to the media as required by law.

Members present: Directors Anderson, Crockett, Ehrmann, Tinsman, Weigle. Members absent: Directors Mayer, Justis. Other officials present: Marty Lucas, Superintendent; Maxine McEnany, Director of Business and Financial Services; Celeste Reuter, Director of Communications; and Colleen Skolrood, Board Secretary.

PV Board Minutes 12.04.06


MEMBERS PRESENT: Regular meeting was called to order at 5:00 p.m. by President Dayman. Members present: Dayman, Huegel, Messman, Paulsen, Schurr, and Witters. Absent: Adams. Also present: Jim Spelhaug, Cyndy Behrer, Mike Clingingsmith, Chris Harvey, Bill Barker, Debbie Menke and Ray LaFrentz.

Residential construction in Bettendorf is down 18 percent through November, compared to the same 11-month period last year.

A total of 147 residential building permits were issued through November, compared to 180 for the same period in 2005. For November, 11 permits were issued compared to 22 in 2006.

While residential construction has slowed, commercial construction through November totaled $48.7 million, up dramatically from $10.6 million for the same 11 months in 2005. Because of the much higher commercial construction, city revenues from permit fees is up nearly $150,000 so far in 2006, totaling $692,929.

To download a complete building permit report, CLICK HERE.

MEMBERS PRESENT: Regular meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m. by President Dayman. Members present: Adams, Dayman, Messman, Paulsen, Schurr. Absent: Huegel and Witters. Also present: Jim Spelhaug, Cyndy Behrer, Mike Clingingsmith, Chris Harvey, Jim Wichman, Michael Strobbe, Darcie Kress, Erin Thiessen, Rebecca Yerington and others.

AGENDA APPROVED: Motion by Schurr, second by Adams that the Agenda be approved as presented. All ayes. Motion carried.

Kids make the most of their day off from school, enjoying a slide down the 23rd Street hill in Middle Park. With between 5 to 8.5 inches of snow in the area, all schools closed for the day (12/1). The heavy snowfall was the first measurable snow of the winter season.

Unofficial Minutes of the November 20, 2006 Regular Meeting of the Board of Education (pending Board approval)

The Board of Directors of the Bettendorf Community School District, in the County of Scott, State of Iowa, met in open session according to Iowa law for their regular Board meeting at Bettendorf High School, 3333 18th Street, Bettendorf, Iowa, on November 20, 2006.

President Anderson called the meeting to order at 7:04 p.m. and the Board recited the Pledge of Allegiance. Colleen Skolrood, Acting Board Secretary, verified that the meeting notice had been posted and mailed to the media as required by law. Members present: Directors Anderson, Crockett, Ehrmann, Justis, Mayer, Tinsman, Weigle. Members absent: None.

Unofficial Minutes of the November 20, 2006 Special Meeting of the Board of Education (pending Board approval)

The Board of Directors of the Bettendorf Community School District, in the County of Scott, State of Iowa, met in open session according to Iowa law for a special Board meeting at Bettendorf High School, 3333 18th Street, Bettendorf, Iowa, on November 20, 2006. President Anderson called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m. Colleen Skolrood, Acting Board Secretary, verified that the meeting notice had been posted and mailed to the media as required by law. Members present: Directors Anderson, Crockett, Ehrmann, Justis, Mayer, Tinsman. Members absent: Director Weigle.

Site work is under way for the new city Special Events Center south of State Street at 20th Street. The $17-million center will be more than 50,000 square feet and connect to the new Isle of Capri hotel, shown in the background, via a skyway bridge over the railroad tracks. Under the proposed agreement with the Isle, the city and Isle will split the cost of building the facility and the Isle will manage the facility, absorbing any operating losses. The city will have three "free" days of usage each year, under the proposed agreement. The city council earlier this month delayed action on a downtown streetscaping project until the agreement with the Isle is finalized. Click on the "Read More" link for additional photos.

If you wonder how your property taxes for schools are spent, how much teachers earn (on average for first-year, experienced and veteran educators) or where student enrollment is expected to go in the coming years, then read the new Iowa "Condition of Education Report." The 250-page report is guaranteed to make you a more educated citizen and voter when it comes to school issues.

Some highlights from the report:
• The percent of students eligible for free and reduced price meals reached a new high of 32 percent, up from 25 percent a decade ago.
• Iowa ranks third in the nation with 71 percent of the children under age six coming from families with working parents.
• Total statewide school enrollment over the next five years is predicted to decline a total of 1.9 percent.
• The number of "Limited English Proficiency" students has doubled in the past 10 years to 17,176 in 2005-06.
• The number of open enrolled students in the state has increased from 2,757 in 1990-91 to 23,155 in the most recent school year.
• The average full-time teacher salary was $41,996 in the 2005-06 school year.
• The average full-time teacher salary in the Mississippi Bend Area Education Agency District 9 (which includes Bettendorf, Pleasant Valley and North Scott school districts) was $43,498 in 2005-06.