April 19, 2024

NCSD to seek public input on school boundaries

Board to vote on marketing firm, 28E agreement

By Jason W

Newton Community School District board of education Vice President Travis Padget and President Sheri Benson converse at a recent meeting. The board is set to take action on several items at Monday's regular meeting, and a district boundaries forum will take place at 6 p.m. Wednesday at DMACC. (Jason W)

There will be at least two opportunities next week for citizens to give input about changes set to take place within the Newton Community School District — and to learn a great deal more about those changes.

The NCSD board of education is set to hold its regular twice-monthly meeting at 6:30 p.m. Monday in the Emerson Hough conference room. From 6 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday in DMACC-Newton’s second-floor conference area, the district will host a special public input forum regarding the school boundaries to be drawn as the district reconfigures for the 2016-17 school year.

Monday’s first item will actually be at 6 p.m. as Rob Schwarz and Dave Stoakes of the Kansas firm RSP & Associates will make a board leadership presentation about public input on school boundaries.

As is always the case, there will be a public forum as part of the regular board meeting.

One of the action items on Monday’s regular agenda include consideration of a contract with BasicLeigh Communications for writing, marketing and public relations counsel. At last week’s board work session, Leigh McGivern, the owner of the firm, said she felt a Feb. 2 bond election for the rebuild of the Berg Complex is much more aggressive than choosing the state-permitted April or September dates, considering the board has not even approved schematic drawings.

Other action items include releasing sealed bids on three older district vehicles that have been advertised for sale and consideration of a 28E Agreement with the City of Newton.

Wednesday’s forum at DMACC will focus on the re-drawing of district boundaries for 2016-17, as Emerson Hough, Thomas Jefferson, Woodrow Wilson and Aurora Heights are all scheduled to become kindergarten through fourth grade schools. The entire fifth and sixth grades will attend the new Berg Intermediate School that is currently known as Berg Elementary.

RSP & Associates will have at least one representative at that forum.

FRK Design is tentatively scheduled to make presentation on Thursday, unveiling the first printed plans for the Berg Complex, based on recent input from a bond committee.

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

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