Newton schools to reconfigure for 2016-17 school year

Monday night’s Newton Community School District covered a lot of topics, but only a few major decisions. The most prominent decision made at the meeting, held in the Newton High School multi-purpose room, was for the district to implement its new reconfiguration plan beginning at the start of the 2016-17 school year.

Board member Robyn Friedman made a motion to begin the new arrangement in 2017-18, with Donna Cook seconding it, but the motion was defeated, 5-2. That was followed by a motion by board member Andy Elbert to begin in 2016-17, with a second from Nat Clark, and that motion passed, 5-2, with Friedman and Cook voted against it.

“If our bond issue (to rebuild the Berg complex) doesn’t pass, and doesn’t pass a second time, what will we do if Berg gets even worse before we can renovate it?” asked Friedman during the discussion, iterating one of her many concerns about beginning reconfiguration too early. “Let’s see how a bond issue is felt in our community. I fully believe we should rebuild Berg — making sure all the pieces are in place first.”

Superintendent Bob Callaghan explained that a renovation — which would take at least two years — would have to be done in phases if the bond issue doesn’t pass, while a new build of Berg can be done without moving any students around.

When asked by Callaghan when the district should begin moving forward with reconfiguring, Director of K-8 services Jim Gilbert said “I think we should start tomorrow.” While his remark garnered laughter at that moment, there certainly is some serious work for the board, administration and many other people in the district in order to make the reconfiguration happen smoothly.

Cook seemed disappointed in the lack of any visual aids related to a timeline at the meeting. At its April 27 meeting, the board and Callaghan, largely at the urging of Cook and Friedman, agreed to come up with more information about the events of a reconfiguration.

“Maybe my expectations were too high, but I expected to see a timeline like this one,” Cook said, pointing to a timeline from an unrelated item.

Not the least of the work ahead is renovating the former Hy-Vee building on First Avenue West, where the district’s administration and Basics & Beyond program will need to move in order to free up the Emerson Hough building. After discussing many details about the artist’s renderings and specifications to the building Monday, the board voted unanimously to approve Frevert, Ramsey & Kobes to oversee a $2,425,000 project to renovate the former Hy-Vee building.

The board also heard from three Newton High School students and one parent who had apparently heard a rumor the district is planning to make changes to advanced-placement classes. One of the students, NHS junior Jake Bennett, reminded the board how important science classes are as not only pre-requisites for top colleges, but as a part of getting into specific college programs.

“We go beyond the basic criteria to graduate or get into college,” Bennett said. “Taking AP chemistry will greatly improve my chances of getting into the (University of Iowa) sports medicine program. You, as board members, were elected by these parents to do the best things for us students, and the best thing is to keep AP classes.”

However, during a presentation of staff assignments for 2015-16, Callaghan said no decisions have been made to eliminate any courses. Newton High science teacher Sarah Curry is resigning and moving out of state, creating a vacancy in her department, but that vacancy is marked “hold” on the certified personnel report presented Monday.

There will be eight NCSD positions eliminated by attrition — not filled after a resignation or retirement — but Callaghan and Human Resources Director Laura Selover both said there will no cuts before the district learns its overall budget situation. A special budget meeting is scheduled at 6:30 p.m. May 26 in the Emerson Hough building’s conference room.

The state legislature has still not approved a funding formula for 2015-16 state aid, so the board will have to make some types of adjustments. Callaghan presented a detailed staffing assignment list that includes involuntary transfers for three teachers, two special education teachers, a school nurse, two paraprofessionals, a secretary and a custodian.

That’s in addition to several voluntary reassignments. Staff reductions will include elimination of the district’s two transitional kindergarten positions (a program the state has decided to no longer fund) and the elimination of one school nurse position.

Curry’s science teacher spot, along with a sixth-grade position and a Berg Middle School special education position, are marked “hold” until the budget is settled. The personnel reports were approved by a 6-1 vote, with board vice president Bill Perrenoud voting against them.

The board is set to hold a regular meeting June 8 at Emerson Hough. In other action Monday, the board:

• Was updated by Callaghan and Director of Business Services Gayle Isaac on several financial issues related to ongoing teachers union negotiations. A proposal will be brought to the board for a public vote once closed-doors negotiations result in an agreement.

• Heard reports from staff members at Thomas Jefferson Elementary School and Newton High School regarding specific programs there.

• Heard a presentation from Selover and Deb Rose of the Teacher Leadership and Compensation Grant Committee.

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