Enrollment is up by 15 students, the West Liberty Community School Board of Education learned Monday night, Oct. 16, at their second board meeting of the month held in the District Office on Elm Street.
Superintendent Shaun Kruger reported the district population climbed to a record total of 1,250 students from pre-school through high school senior. The report unveiled that the district has 1,172.5 resident students along with 77.3 students who are residents but attend other Iowa school districts. There are also 54 non-resident students who attend West Liberty schools along with 27 pre-school four-year-old students attending pre-school programs.
Kruger said he was pleased with the figures, noting they are better than other neighboring districts.
In other business, the district reported a $998,000 error in a work order on a school athletic construction project, noting the mistake was made on the initial order and was to be corrected.
There was also a change order to add a data line to the new athletic field complex at a cost of over $4,000 to allow tracking of track and field competitions using modern timing devises.
The district also consented to signing onto a “Simbli” board policy system that is being used by about 90 other districts in the state already, which would automatically update policies rules on by the state government while collecting data on local policies The system is recommended by the Iowa Association of School Boards.
“It’s probably time to do this,” Kruger told the board, noting keeping up with policy changes can be a “mess.” He said it could take two to three months to adapt the current school policies into the new system.
Regarding personnel, the district accepted the resignation of Deb Kivi, high school office manager who is retiring at the end of the current school year. They also accepted the resignation of Veronica Rivera, the high school office and athletic secretary with the end of the school year.
Mikayla Weiershauser was hired as a new paraprofessional for the elementary school.
The board set the agenda for their next meeting, to be held Monday. Nov. 6, at 6 p.m. at the district office, noting there will be a report from superintendent Kruger while the board will also look at approving modified supplemental amounts for open enrollment out, LEP beyond five years and increasing enrollment.
The meeting ended with a closed session regarding the future of the former Early Learning Center building.