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.

The waters of Duck Creek provide the canvas for a fall portrait of yellow, brown and orange leaves.

Unofficial Minutes of the November 6, 2006 Regular Meeting of the Board of Education (pending approval)

1. Call to Order.

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 6, 2006. President Anderson called the meeting to order at 7:00 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, Weigle. Members absent: Director Tinsman.

Other officials present: Marty Lucas, Superintendent; Dr. Carol Webb, Assistant Superintendent; Maxine McEnany, Director of Business and Financial Services; Cindy Ferguson, BEA Representative; Cara Voelliger and Nick Hunt, Student Representatives; and Colleen Skolrood, acting Board Secretary.

Construction is nearly complete on the first phase of the $1.36-million Moencks Road upgrade. The roadway from Valley Drive to Sunrise Golf Course was the first half of the improvement. Next year, the roadway from Sunrise to Crow Creek Road is scheduled for completion. For more information about the Moencks Road improvement, Click Here.

A second and goal for Bettendorf turned into a 97-yard fumble recovery and touchdown for Cedar Rapids Xavier, giving the Saints a 21-14 victory in the state 4A football semifinal Friday night (11/10).

The Bulldogs were poised to score the go-ahead touchdown with less than two minutes to play, but the one-play turnaround left Bettendorf fans stunned. The Saints move on to play Southeast Polk, a 27-14 winner over West Des Moines Valley.

The Bulldogs scored in the first period after intercepting the Saints on their 29-yard line, but Xavier tied the game up just before the half after a 68-yard drive.

Bettendorf finishes the season at 10-2, while Xavier remains unbeaten at 12-0.

The late afternoon sunlight and yellow and brown leaves create a pastoral scene along Bettendorf's Duck Creek.

MEMBERS PRESENT: Regular meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m. by President Dayman. Members present: Adams, Dayman, Huegel, Messman, Paulsen, and Witters. Absent: Schurr. Also present: Jim Spelhaug, Cyndy Behrer, Mike Clingingsmith, Chris Harvey, Tony Hiatt, Jolene Mullins, Katie Selden, and Mary Louise Speer.

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

A steelworker is framed by the steel beams along the front of the new HyVee Food Store under construction at Middle and Utica Ridge Roads. Once complete next year, the new store will replace the existing grocery just to the south. For additional photos, click on the "Read More" link below.