At a nearly four hour-long meeting Monday, the Newton Community School District didn’t end up taking many actions. However, a few of those actions were unclear in terms of what impact might actually occur.
One of the actions was to vote 5-2 to hire a public relations firm for the September 2016 bond election to rebuild the Berg Complex. However, board member Donna Cook’s motion didn’t indicate a particular firm be awarded a contract, or that a budget or any other parameters be established.
Cook explained she was making a motion to direct administration to hire a PR firm to promote and market the district’s attempt to pass a general-obligation bond of more than $24 million. She said she trusts Superintendent Bob Callaghan and Business Services Director Gayle Isaac to make prudent choices within the district’s budget.
“Between the penny pincher (pointing at Isaac), and the competitive one (pointing at Callaghan), they’ll figure it out,” she said.
Callaghan mentioned he spoken with about four people regarding PR for the bond issue. One had a conflict of interest and another had no experience with school bonds, so that left the district with Leigh McGivern, who has already presented at NCSD meetings twice, and Sarah Opie, a Des Moines-area PR consultant, as the only two he mentioned by name.
Board member Andy Elbert and Board Vice President Travis Padget voted against the motion.
Another long discussion involving a motion by Cook happened toward the end of the meeting. Cook was unhappy a public forum in which another consulting firm, RSP & Associates, will present its 2016-17 proposed elementary boundaries, is scheduled for Dec. 10, in conflict with a concert event at Thomas Jefferson Elementary School.
Cook moved to have Callaghan contact RSP and see if another trip to Newton can be made to gather public input on a date besides Dec. 10. After lengthy dialogue, Board President Sheri Benson decided to allow a vote, even though the Dec. 10 public input forum was not indicated on the agenda as a potential action item. The measure passed, 4-3, with Benson, Elbert and Padget voting against it.
In other action Monday, the board:
• Heard from Selover, Callaghan and several principals regarding teacher and specialist staffing for 2016-17’s reconfigured district alignment that includes the four K-4 sites. Callaghan assured everyone that preferences from teacher survey data gathered earlier this fall weigh heavily in deciding where each teacher will be next year. Principals planned to meet with each teacher Tuesday to discuss 2016-17 staffing and roles.
• Recognized Aurora Heights Elementary PTA member Jamie Dalasta, who helped the school earn a $10,000 award from Campbell’s BoxTops Labels for Education. More will be featured about the award in an upcoming issue of the Newton Daily News.
• Voted unanimously to hire Allender Butzke Engineers, Inc. for construction testing on the site of the administration remodeling project at a cost of about $14,000.
• Held a 35-minute analysis discussion about a recent board work session that addressed several elements of the district’s 2016-17 reconfiguration into four K-4 campus.
• Heard both of the Newton High School student representatives, Jordan Henning and Elizabeth Raper, introduce themselves. It was the first time this school year any student representatives have been able to attend a board meeting.
• Held a 40-minute discussion about the highlights of the Nov. 18-20 Iowa Association of School Boards Convention in Des Moines. Several helpful words from speakers were mentioned. Elbert pointed out one speaker encouraged the use of the website Pinterest for “not so much the artsy-fartsy stuff, but for education.”
Contact Jason W. Brooks at 641-792-3121 ext. 6532 or jbrooks@newtondailynews.com