Highlights from the November 6th Board of Education Meeting
Below are highlights of the November 6th Board of Education meeting.
Please remember, these are just highlights and should not be considered the official minutes.
During the Board of Education regular meeting held in the Linn-Mar High School lecture hall last night (November 6th) the board discussed the recent Facilities Advisory Committee meeting. During the facilities meeting, members of the board and administration met with OPN Architects to discuss what options are available to the district moving forward.
Addressing immediate needs at Bowman Woods, Indian Creek and Wilkins Elementary, followed by future renovations to Excelsior Middle School is a top priority for the district. The committee will continue to work with OPN to identify what projects could be completed during the 2018 construction cycle. The committee’s goal is to present these projects to the board during the December 20th regular meeting which will begin at 5:00 PM. Note: The December 11th work session has been canceled so folks can attend the 7:00 PM Holiday Concert at the high school.
The district will also take an inclusive look at the 10-Year Facilities Plan. Included in planning conversations will be specifics on the notion of a second high school and an 8th elementary school.
Superintendent Shepherd watches Ms. Condon’s French II class play a hilarious word game with a fly swatter!
By focusing on the immediate needs of our elementary schools and taking a comprehensive look at the 10-Year Facilities Plan, a new bond referendum would be postponed to September 2018 at the earliest. Doing so enables the district to have more time to inform the community of the plan and continue conversations regarding a future bond referendum.
The board also discussed the importance of Iowa legislators extending the Secure an Advanced Vision for Education (SAVE)and what it means for district funding. The extension of SAVE would provide much needed bonding capacity and offset some of the costs associated with facilities. SAVE funding could provide the school district with $15-20 million and allow the district to look at ways to reduce the overall cost of any future bond request.
Additional information regarding the school district’s plan can be found on the Linn-Mar website.
School Board members Bob Anderson and Tim Isenberg visit with Ms. Lemer in her Ag, Food and Natural Resources class.
HS Visit: The board also discussed their recent visit to the high school. The board members separated into small groups to tour six different learning spaces. Classes visited included music, foreign language, science, art, and history. To conclude the visit, board members enjoyed lunch in the food court.
Highlights from the 17.11.06 Board Book were also discussed during the meeting.
The next meeting of the Board of Education will be held Monday, November 20th. To view the full agenda and exhibits; visit the Board/Policy website.