March 18, 2024

Berg reading teachers take spotlight

Lifelong Newton resident objects to facility proposals

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comp:000054c4beb2:000000624d:6419 4 Newton Community School District Meeting, Jan. 26, 2015 JoAnne Price discusses Literacy Night. <iframe width="420" height="315" frameborder="0" id="tout_embed" src="//www.tout.com/embed/touts/scsj3e"></iframe>

A few times per year, the Newton Community School District leadership makes trips to various campuses for board meetings.

Monday night, it was Berg Elementary School’s turn.

Berg Principal Jolene Comer introduced the four reading teachers at her kindergarten through third-grade school, and allowed each one to talk about unique tactics, arrangements or formats that each felt have become helpful elements.

Comer relished the opportunity for who she called the “Fab Four” reading teachers — JoAnne Price, Brenda Newell, Lora Caves and Krista Baumgartner — to present their experiences to the board.

“We always want to share things that we feel are working well for us,” said Comer. “It’s always nerve wracking to speak in front of a board. Fortunate, these ladies are very passionate about the importance of reading skills.”

Comer said her school’s first Family Literacy Night last month got more than 400 attendees. Each reading teacher covered several elements during Monday’s presentation. Price discussed the different computer device apps that parents can download to supplement the school’s reading program.

“We were able to download more than 400 apps for parents to take home that night,” Price said. “The parents, kids and teachers all had a positive experience at Literacy Night.”

Newell talked about students who are in reading groups that are getting dismissed from reading programs for a positive reason: meeting benchmarks. She acknowledged some students don’t have the same reading opportunities at home, and the “Book in a Bag” program allows students to choose a level-appropriate book to take home.

“We’re trying to make sure everyone gets support,” she said.

Baumgartner said each grade level at the school has its own selection of level-appropriate books, and were given books to take home over the holiday break in order to remain sharp.

“We care deeply about the success of students who are on all levels,” Baumgartner said. Caves said a book exchange is part of how students stay involved with books that are new to them, and how older students are asked to donate books they’ve “outgrown.”

Caves also said she greatly values the co-teaching sessions that have taken place this school year. Only one person signed up for the public forum part of the board meeting. Lifelong Newton resident Gary Osborne voiced his objection to both the re-build and the renovation of the Berg Complex proposals discussed in recent Daily News stories.

“Berg is probably one of the youngest of the buildings we have, and all of the sudden it’s not viable for usage?” Osborne said. “Engineers and architects: I don’t like them. All they know how to do is build a school and spend a lot of money. Why can’t it be looked at for not having to replace the whole darn thing at one time?”

The board scheduled a reconfiguration and public-finance work session for 6:30 p.m. Feb. 3 in the Emerson Hough conference room. It’s open to the public.

The next regular board meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 9 in the Emerson Hough building’s conference room. In other action Monday:

• Superintendent Bob Callaghan and board president Sheri Benson were among those who traveled to Des Moines on Monday to interact with individuals involved in the Iowa State Legislature’s 2015 session. Among various potential financial good news and bad news, much of which involves pending legislation, was an important conversation involving Callaghan, Benson and Rep. Dan Kelley. Callaghan said Kelley explained that the Sept. 1 waiver and calendar discussion, which has been high-profile of late, could be a public distraction as the legislature makes heavy decisions about hundreds of millions of dollars of key education budget items.

• Callaghan announced the retirement of bus driver Karen Illingworth, who has worked for the district for 37 years.

• Student representative Drake Rhone, a member of the Newton High School speech team, announced every single member of the squad qualified for a Feb. 7 state competition in Cedar Rapids on the basis of Saturday’s district performance.

• Student representative Colby Lawson reminded the board and the approximate 15 others in attendance that Legacy Night, when former coaches David “Rowe” Rowray and Buzz Levick will be honored, is this Friday when the Cardinal girls and boys hoops teams host Dallas Center-Grimes.

• Callaghan and Benson recognized the district’s 2014-15 Newton Community Educational Foundation’s Excellence in Education Award winners: Jen Elbert, Marla Cory, Kim Vanderlaan, Cori Latchman, Deborah Rose, Desia Kies, Alyssa Lewis and Scott Garvis.

• Callaghan reminded everyone in attendance that Feb. 16 — President’s Day — will be a regular school day to make up for the cold-weather cancellation of school on Jan. 7. The school calendar does not have any more school days in it, he said, so the board might have to extend the school year beyond May 28 if there are any more snow days this year.

Contact Jason W. Brooks at 641-792-3121 ext. 6532 or jbrooks@newtondailynews.com