Tri-County welcomes new school year, board members and teachers

   Tri-County Community schools held their first official meeting of the 2016-2017 school year, swearing in board officers and discussing the first few weeks back in class for students.

            The Board opened with the retiring of the 2015-16 Board of Education and approving the minutes of the August 31 Work Session Meeting, which introduced and prepared new board members Mary McCammant, Ryan Hull and Chad McKain. The board moved to adjourn the meeting, concluding the 2015-16 Board.

            Board Secretary Shelley Koehn, acknowledging the Board had a quorum, called the regular meeting to order. Elections for Board President and Vice-President immediately proceeded, with Matthew Steinke voted as President and Regina Garber voted as Vice-President and both sworn in under Oath of Office. Board Secretary Shelley Koehn and Board Treasurer Stacy Kolars were appointed following the election of a Board President to preside over the meeting. The Board scheduled their meetings for the third Monday of each month at 5:30 inside the Tri-County Central Office. Lynch Dallas Law Firm was chosen as legal counsel for Tri-County, with the official paper being The News-Review. TruBank will act as the school’s depository for their activities fund, while County Bank will be the school’s depository for all other funds, including the general fund and PPEL.

            Board Treasurer Stacy Kolars reported that Tri-County’s revenue overall was up by 13.6 percent, and many other areas of the financial report appeared satisfactory. Despite new renovations to the school over the school, Kolars said the district’s PPEL fund is healthy, but expenditures were up in the summer months with necessary maintenance, custodial and overtime expenses. The addition of seven new students to Tri-County will bring additional funding next school year. Following the financial report, the Board approved the hiring of Amy Leer as a Bus Driver and Linda Hockey as a one-on-one Special Education Associate.

            Senior class sponsor Amie Van Patten presented the planned senior class trip to the Board. The class had chosen to take their trip to the Wisconsin Dells on May 7. The seniors will be staying at Kalahari Resort/Indoor Waterpark, and will attend events such as a Buddy Holly show, tour The Dells, go on a wildlife expedition, eat at Buffalo Phil’s one day and check out the rides and activities at Knuckleheads. 24 seniors have expressed interest in attending the trip. A fundraiser Van Patten held at her business, Neighbors Gas and Grill, has helped to cover the final expenses needed for the trip. The senior class still has pop can fundraiser planned, with the money possibly going to their commencement. The trip was approved later in the meeting.

            Five new staff members were asked to attend the board meeting and each introduced themselves: Aaron Coghlan, who is teaching Health/PE; Morgan Dietrich, who is teaching high school Agriculture and is the FFA sponsor; Jennifer Eubanks, who is teaching 1st grade and Special Education; Maria Sanchez, who came from Spain to teach Spanish and Andy Thomas, a Tri-County graduate teaching general junior high education.

            Tri-County Principal Clay Harrold and Guidance Counselor Linda Bayliss reported that college classes are well underway, with 13 students in Composition and 14 in Public Speaking, for example. Indian Hills approached Bayliss and Steinke about offering the same classes as they have done in the past, but do so with Albia Schools via the ICN room. Bayliss explained that 23 credits is the limit a student can take a semester while in high school. Nursing and Career Academy students will also share the ICN room for college classes.

            Principal Harrold reported that the start of the school year has started off well, with students adjusting well to his system and stated that no major issues had occurred. One student at the very beginning had difficulty with the dress code, but otherwise Harrold said behavior and tardiness have yet to be an issue.

            Superintendent Dennis Phelps discussed updating door security at Tri-County in the near future, placing it as a non-action item. Phelps and Harrold wished to have a keycard system put into place, with readers at the lower elementary building, south doors, weight room, locker room and the doors to the playground. One keycard would be able to open any of these doors. Estimates were pinned closed to $18,000.

            Mary McCammant volunteered to represent Tri-County on the Keokuk County Conference Board. The Board chose to table the decision of choosing a delegate for the Iowa Association of School Boards until the next meeting on Monday, Oct. 17. The Board approved the senior trip discussed earlier. Superintendent Phelps asked the new members of the Board if there was anything they wished to discuss at the end of the meeting. With no questions being asked, the Board adjourned.