Minutes of November 3 meeting of Pleasant Valley School Board

Includes info on Jr high science curriculum changes

PV Board Minutes 11.3.03

MEMBERS PRESENT: Regular meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m. by President Debbie Dayman. Members present: Barsness, Dayman, Hoffmann, Messman, O'Hara, Schurr. Absent: Thornton. Also present: Jim Spelhaug, Mike Clingingsmith, Chris Harvey, Cyndy Behrer, Representative Joe Hutter, Brian Strusz, Ann Fairbanks, Mike Duncan, Amanda Maurer, and others.

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

COMMUNICATIONS: President Dayman welcomed visitors.

Cyndy Behrer thanked Great River Bank & Trust for their support of the Junior High's Spirit Gear business enterprise program. Additional T-shirts were needed recently for new Spirit Gear members and Great River Bank provided funding for them.

Ms. Behrer congratulated the PVCHS Cheerleaders for their third place finish in the state competition; the PVCHS Football Team for advancing to the state playoffs; the Boys Cross Country team for placing 8th in the state meet and Kenny Slocum who placed 12th overall; the Girls Cross Country team for their 9th place finish at the state meet; the Girls Swim team for placing 2nd at the MAC/District Meet; and the 45 students who are going to be initiated into the National Honor Society Tuesday evening.

Dr. Spelhaug told the board that he, director of Operations Ray LaFrentz, and district architect Steve Zbylicki met with the Bridgeview faculty and the High School's wellness, coaching and music faculties last Thursday to receive input on additional details for the expansion and renovation projects at Bridgeview and the High School.

He thanked the faculty who have or who are preparing to submit grants totaling over $630,000. He said there are a lot of people working hard to provide other sources of income during difficult budget times. Grants will or have been submitted as follows: $160,000 - Scott County Regional Authority; $350,000 - Iowa Demonstration Construction Grant

Program; $25,000 - Star Schools; and $95,000 - Carver Grants. Work is also beginning on two grants to support service learning.

CONSENT AGENDA: Motion by O'Hara, second by Schurr that the Consent Agenda be approved as presented. All Ayes. Motion carried. The Consent Agenda consists of the following: approval of the minutes of the October 20, 2003, Regular Board meeting; the resignation of Jean Rittmer as an elementary teacher at Cody effective the end of the 2003-04 school year; the probationary employment of Bob Anders as a school bus driver and Georgene Zust as a special education aide at Pleasant View; and the employment of Jeremy Bowling as assistant varsity wrestling coach.

EXPENSES APPROVED: Motion by Barsness, second by Messman that General Fund warrants be issued in the total amount of $111,948.91 in payment of invoices presented. All ayes. Motion carried.

Motion by O'Hara, second by Hoffmann that Nutrition Fund warrants be issued in the total amount of $4,980.17 in payment of invoices presented. All ayes. Motion carried.

Motion by Schurr, second by O'Hara that Elementary/Junior High Activity Fund warrants be issued in the total amount of $17,172.24 in payment of invoices presented. All ayes. Motion carried.

Motion by Schurr, second by O'Hara that High School Activity Fund warrants be issued in the total amount of $14,951.74 in payment of invoices presented. All ayes. Motion carried.

JUNIOR HIGH SCIENCE CURRICULUM: Junior High Science Department teachers Ann Fairbanks and Mike Duncan presented an overview of new science curriculum being implemented in seventh and eighth grade. With this implementation, the junior high has moved from an integrated science curriculum to a more content specific approach, focusing on physical science at the 7th grade level and life science at the 8th grade level. The adoption includes two distinct levels to meet the needs of diverse learners.

FINAL READING & APPROVAL OF BOARD POLICY 807.1, "FIXED ASSET CAPITALIZATION": Mike Clingingsmith, Chief Financial Officer, presented new board policy 807.1, "Fixed Asset Capitalization", for its final reading and recommended approval by the Board. This is a policy that the district's financial auditors, Hunt, Kain & Associates, P.C., have told us is now required because of the implementation of Governmental Accounting Standards Board Statement # 34 (GASB 34). One of the major components of GASB 34 is the requirement that governmental entities, such as school districts, capitalize and depreciate all fixed assets (with the exception of land). Prior to the implementation of GASB 34, only fixed assets in the district's Proprietary (Nutrition) Fund were capitalized and depreciated.

Motion by O'Hara, second by Barsness that the Board approve Board Policy 807.1, "Fixed Asset Capitalization" as presented. Roll call vote. Ayes - O'Hara, Schurr, Barsness, Dayman, Hoffmann, Messman. Nays - none. Motion carried.

2003-04 IOWA DEMONSTRATION CONSTRUCTION GRANT PROGRAM APPLICATION FOR THE BRIDGEVIEW ADDITION: Dr. Spelhaug and Mike Clingingsmith reviewed the Iowa Demonstration Construction Grant application being submitted in the amount of $350,000 for the Bridgeview addition. Grant applicants are to be notified by December 23, 2003 regarding application status. . Motion by Messman, second by Barsness that the Board approve the 2003-04 Iowa Demonstration Construction Grant Program application for the Bridgeview Addition. Roll call vote. Ayes - Messman, O'Hara, Schurr, Barsness, Dayman, Hoffmann. Nays - none. Motion carried.

FINAL ACCEPTANCE OF THE PLEASANT VIEW WATER MAIN & FIRE LANE PROJECT: Dr. Spelhaug informed the Board that the district is ready to close out the Fire Hydrant and Water Main Project at Pleasant View. All of the work on the project has been completed and the district has received the final request for payment from the contractor, Phoenix Corp. of the Quad Cities.

With the Board's final acceptance of the Fire Hydrant and Water Main Project at Pleasant View, Per Section 573 of the Iowa Code, a thirty day time line required for subcontractors to make claims against Phoenix Corp. of the Quad Cities will begin. The district knows of no claims pending. At the end of the thirty day period, the district will make final payment of money retained for completion of the project.

Motion by Schurr, second by O'Hara that the Board approve final acceptance of the Fire Hydrant and Water Main Project at Pleasant View. Roll call vote. Ayes - Schurr, Barsness, Dayman, Hoffmann, Messman, O'Hara. Nays - none. Motion carried.

DISCUSSION OF HOUSING GROWTH: Dr. Spelhaug and the Board discussed areas of housing growth (Highland Green, ValleyWynds, and The Highlands) located in the district. The impact of the student population from these areas on the four elementary attendance centers and the potential need to reassign these areas were discussed. Dr. Spelhaug will make further contacts with parents located in these subdivisions and the topic will again be discussed at the December 1st board meeting.

2004-05 SCHOOL CALENDAR DISCUSSION: Four options for the 2004-05 school calendar were reviewed. The calendars focused on the framework (start/end dates, major breaks) for next year's calendar. Two of the options had the school year starting on August 18 and two had the school year starting on August 25. Further refinements will be made and the subject will again be discussed at the December 1st board meeting.

The meeting adjourned at 9:10 p.m.

Next Board Meeting Monday, November 17, 2003 7:00 PM Belmont Administration Center

IMPORTANT NOTICE TO PLEASANT VALLEY SCHOOL DISTRICT PARENTS OR GUARDIANS WITH CHILDREN ATTENDING NONPUBLIC SCHOOLS:

The 2002 Iowa Legislature made changes to the section of the Iowa Code related to Nonpublic Transportation Reimbursement. Per the changes made to Iowa Code Section 285.3, in order to qualify for parental reimbursement, a parent or guardian of a student attending an accredited nonpublic school who furnishes transportation for the student in accordance with this section, shall submit a notice of nonpublic school attendance to the resident public school district, notifying the district that the student is enrolled in and will attend an accredited nonpublic school during the period for which parental reimbursement is being requested. The notice shall be filed with the resident public school district not later than December 1 for the first semester claim and May 1 for the second semester claim each year. Forms which must be filled out in order to qualify for this parental reimbursement are available at the Belmont Administration Center, 525 Belmont Road, Riverdale, Iowa 52722 and on the district website at http://www.pleasval.k12.ia.us. Information needed to complete the form includes the parent or guardian's name and address, the name, age, and grade level of the student, the name of the nonpublic school and its location and the number of miles one way to transport the child from home to school. Iowa Code Section 285.1, subsection 3, limits the number of students that may be eligible for parent reimbursement to a maximum of three (3) elementary students and one (1) high school student per family.

Before the holidays, the PV Booster Club's Spartan Clothing will be on sale Dec. 13th, at the high school guidance office from 8:00-2:00.

Throughout the holiday season, holiday order forms are available on the PV website, www.pleasval.k12.ia.us, or at all of the school offices. The Deadline for holiday orders is November 7th. We cannot guarantee delivery before the holidays on orders received after Nov. 7. Pickup for holiday orders is on Saturday, December 14th from 8:00-2:00 p.m. at the H.S. Guidance Office. Mark your calendars!

Call Cathy Linn 332-4847 or Marsha Kline 332-6137 with questions.

44th Annual Christmas Dance Sponsored by The Friends of Pleasant Valley December 13, 2003 Starlite Ballroom, Fairgrounds, Davenport, IA Dinner 7:00 - 8:30 p.m. Dancing 8:30-12:00 Midnight Music by "Monkey Around" Dinner/Dance Tickets $30/couple, $15/single Dance Only Tickets $15/couple, $8/single Shuttle service available from Carriage Place Addition, Deerbrook, and Crow Creek Park - $5.00/person. A portion of proceeds will be donated to the Pleasant Valley Schools Educational Foundation Scholarship Fund. Call Suzy VenHorst, 332-5986, for further information & reservations.

Pleasant Valley Schools Foundation Alumni Data Base If you are an alumnus of Pleasant Valley Community Schools, we would like to hear from you. We are developing an alumni data base and will make this available for class reunions. Please let us know your address and phone number and year of graduation so you can be kept informed of your class events. Call (563)332-5550 or e-mail harveychris@pleasval.k12.ia.us.

4th Annual PV Athletic Booster Club Fall Social & Fund Raiser November 14 Tanglewood Pavilion 7:30 - 10:30 PM Cost: Free Will Donation

Fun, food, & exciting silent auction items and a chance to test your knowledge playing PV Sports Trivia. Dr. Spelhaug will discuss the plans for the new Wellness Center. Bring your friends, your checkbook and your enthusiasm to support PV Sports!

OPEN ENROLLMENT NOTICE Parents/Guardians considering the use of the open enrollment option to enroll their child or children in another public school district in the state of Iowa should be aware of the following dates:

JANUARY 1, 2004 - Last date for regular open enrollment requests for the 2004-05 school year.

SEPTEMBER 17, 2004 - Last date for open enrollment requests for entering kindergarten students for the 2004-05 school year.

Parents/guardians of open enrolled students whose income falls below 160% of the federal poverty guidelines are eligible for transportation assistance. This may be in the form of actual transportation or a cash stipend.

Parents should be aware that open enrollment may result in the loss of athletic eligibility.

For further details, contact 332-5550.