School board approves MMS handbook changes
FFA officers to represent MHS at leadership retreat
By JESSICA BERNHARDT
Staff writer
Four Marion-Florence FFA officers were in attendance Monday night at the Marion-Florence USD 408 board of education meeting.
Mark Kukuk, Sam Ehrlich, Adam Cope, and Ryan Jones, along with sponsor Mark Meyer, asked the board to approve their request to attend the FFA leadership retreat in Colorado. They also asked the board to sponsor the cost of transportation.
There are seven male officers, plus Meyer, who will attend the conference. Each participant is responsible for a $50 deposit and recreation while in Colorado, as well as meals. The FFA Alumni pays for the lodging.
The board approved the request 7-0.
In other business:
— The board approved the resignation of Margie Nienstedt as bus driver, Jennifer Owen as junior class sponsor, Rex Ostmeyer as teacher and coach, and Kevin Moler as teacher and coach.
— Superintendent Lee Leiker provided the board with a construction update of the pool and gymnasium. Leiker said, "We have had some really good crowds (at the pool). There is an average of about 100 per day. It's never been overcrowded. The old pool was in the 50-per-day range so right now the excitement in this is bringing some of them out."
Problems with the water temperature, ionization system, and air handling system have been addressed and are in the process of being fixed.
Leiker said the slide for the indoor pool is running two weeks ahead of schedule.
"As far as the gym goes, tile work is being done in the bathrooms and they'll finish that this week and start the entry-way tile. The gym floor is being laid and they plan to have it down this week and sanded."
The completion for the building is expected to be totally done by mid — July. Leiker said, "If things go right we should be able to have volleyball camp in there."
— The board voted 7-0 to issue the City of Florence a $35,000 check pending the signing and filing of the deed for the Florence facilities.
The money is the unused portion of rent paid to the district by Marion County Special Education Cooperative.
Chris Sprowls, president, said, "I would like to see the city set up to succeed, not set up to fail. And I think this lets them succeed."
— Lifeguard salaries were approved. New lifeguards who have no experience will be paid $5.85 per hour. After the minimum wage increase July 24, they will be paid $6.55 per hour. Returning lifeguards or those who have experience will be paid $6.25 and $7.00 per hour, respectively.
— Transportation for Prairie View's summer program was approved. Leiker said the district provides the driver and the transportation and Prairie View reimburses the district.
— An out-of-district student request for Elizabeth Goentzel was approved, 7-0.
— Handbook changes for Marion Middle School were presented by principal Tod Gordon.
One change cleans up the policy of granting credit for unexcused absences.
Grading practices also were changed. Gordon said each individual teacher will put a policy together to address the concern.
Gordon said a big change is student eligibility. The old policy allowed students with two F's to improve one of the F's. The new policy is down to one F.
"If they have one F they have one week to raise the grade. If they don't raise the grade they won't participate (in extra-curricular activities)," he said.
The handbook states: "Students failing one class for two successive weeks will be ineligible to participate in extra-curricular activities. (The current policy allows students to fail two classes. The staff would like to stress the importance of academics as our first priority)."
Mandatory study period also was addressed.
Gordon said he is considering offering students locks to their hall lockers. "Last year I issued six students, three seventh graders and three eighth graders, a padlock for the last two weeks. They barely had enough time (between classes). But they found out they didn't go back to their lockers near as much."
The policy regarding electronic devices also has changed. Gordon said in the past if a student was found using their cell phone he would take it and keep it for a week or a month.
"It wasn't well-received by any parents," he said.
The new policy states that: "Cell phone use is not permitted during the school day. Violations will result in the loss of phone which will be returned to a parent or guardian."
Gordon said, "We made it simpler. They lose the phone and I call their parent. The parent comes and sits down with me and I give them the phone."
The board approved the changes 6-1 with Keith Collett opposed.
— The board approved the annual renewal with American Fidelity to administer Section 125 plan.
— A special meeting date for the end of the year was approved for 7:30 a.m. June 26.
— A 30-minute executive session was requested.
The board offered a contract to David Clark as the vocal music instructor for grades five through 12.
They also offered a contract to Jeff McMillin as high school social studies instructor and head boys' basketball coach.
Supplemental assignments
The following supplemental assignments were approved.
Middle school
— Casey Case, assistant football coach.
— Casson Schmidt, head girls' basketball coach.
— Rebecca Pederson, assistant girls' basketball coach.
— Lucas King, assistant wrestling coach.
— Ann Leppke, yearbook adviser.
High school
— Jeff McMillin, head boys' basketball coach.
— Ann Leppke, assistant volleyball coach and assistant track coach.
— Charlotte Waner, assistant track coach.
— Rebecca Pederson, assistant cross country coach.
— David Clark, vocal instructor.
