Published: March 17, 2008 08:56 am      

Central not ready to outsource transportation

DEWITT — Though the Central Community School Board will remain open to outsourcing transportation in the future, Board President Kurt Rickard does not want to rush into a decision.

“I’m not inclined (toward outsourcing) and the bulk of the board is not,” he said at the regular school board meeting last week.

Current transportation director Dolores Bergert is retiring at the end of this school year, thus leaving the district open to new direction if desired. Board members were not favorable to outsourcing unless it would result in significant savings and cited several other issues involved.

Board member Jim Irwin noted the district’s responsibility to students as well as the need for savings, and board member Dona Bark said the “big thing was the loss of control.”

“Safety doesn’t just happen in school buildings,” she added.

“It also happens to and from school.”

While thanking the administration for researching the issue, board member Dennis Campbell said the limited information he had seen would not lead him to voting for outsourcing.

Business Director Jan Culbertson said a company had been consulted and a probable savings of 5 percent was suggested, but since competitive bidding would be needed, it was difficult to put a number on costs.

She also said there was concern for present transportation personnel, particularly with Iowa Public Employees Retirement System benefits.

Included in the discussion was sharing duties with another district.

Superintendent Carol Hansen, who recommended replacing Bergert with a full-time person, was directed to post the position at least for the present time.

Central High School Principal Brad Oates presented information on a model core curriculum, which would follow an Iowa core curriculum that is expected to be adopted in the future. It will be a part of professional development in the district. Rigor (knowledge) and relevance (application) are the key elements of lessons, he said.

An additional new course at the high school was approved. The elective Personal Finance II will be a 45-minute class expanding the prerequisite Personal Finance I and will be taught by Kay Goddard.

The board approved a $150,000 cash reserve levy as part of the previous budget workshop and notice of a public hearing set for April 9 for the 2008-2009 budget. There will also be a budget amendment for the current budget to include additional revenue which then can be spent.

Family Resource Center Director Jenny Kreiter reported on summer programs and thanked the community for donations which support the programs. Reading and math programs will be offered for elementary students and a photography class is tentatively scheduled to target students first through 12th grades. All are at no cost to the district, she said.

The board accepted the resignations of high school language arts teacher Kathy Wilke and family and consumer science teacher Tracy Schopmeyer and recalled Jamie Nielsen as an Ekstrand Elementary special education teacher.

Terri Smith was transferred from freshman girls basketball coach to seventh grade girls basketball coach, Denise McAleer from freshman girls volleyball coach to eighth grade girls volleyball coach, and Erin Ahnquist resigned as assistant varsity volleyball coach.

The board approved a cooperative girls soccer agreement with the Calamus-Wheatland district for 2008-2009 and, as recommended by a lawyer, dissolved a board committee on real estate.

Hansen noted a district health fair from 9 a.m. to noon April 5 at the middle school/high school. She said everyone was welcome

Hansen and Central Community Schools will be recognized at the FFA Leadership Conference in Ames on April 14.