The West Liberty School Board of Education approved a new iJAG program for the high school, learned many first grade students will be asked to attend Summer School in order to get back on track and got an update on construction projects in the works for the district Monday, May 3, at the District Office of the Superintendent.
After learning more about the program through the past two meetings, Principal Brenda Arthur-Miller’s proposal to begin an iJAG program next school year for juniors and seniors “at risk” of not graduating or having a path to career success was approved by the board.
The administrator said there are an estimated 42 students the district is concerned about not making the diploma ceremony, calling them the “targeted group” that can be helped by the Iowa Jobs for America’s Graduations program at a total cost of $22,500, just 21 percent of the total cost of the program.
Students would attend a special class giving them direction and education toward careers, with the possibility of leading them toward internships and careers in needed occupations.
The district and the IJAG non-profit organization will be looking for a year-round instructor for the program – preferably bilingual – that will not only be working with students, but local business and industry. Arthur-Miller said the ideal candidate will have “local roots” and was excited about approval of the new program.
In a related move, the board also approved an agreement with the Eastern Iowa Community Colleges to provide college credit courses at the high school for students in a program known as “College Connections.” giving juniors and seniors credits toward college degrees, mainly through Muscatine Community College.
At the present time, four teachers offer classes toward college accreditation including Zach Morris in agriculture, Mark Plum in Spanish, Melanie Clark in social studies and Ashley Smith in music education.
The program is a continuation of what has been offered in the past for students involved in the program. Superintendent Dr. Diego Giraldo praised the program, calling it a “pipeline” to higher education and a “great opportunity.”
Construction update
The board viewed a concept drawing of the newly proposed Early Learning Center to be built directly north of the elementary school to include seven classrooms (instead of five as first reported).
A late week meeting in April with ELC Director Lindsay Meeker and Elementary School principal Jenny Laughlin forced a change to the design to add two more classrooms to the initial design and about 1,000 square feet, building toward north toward the Simpson Memorial Home complex. FEH Design project manager Tyler Riley said a mistake was made as classrooms were “miscounted.”
Although the board approved the initial concept, Riley said his company would need five to six months before they were at a point of taking bids for the construction project, noting there is a lot of work still to be done and he didn’t want to set a winter timeline for construction to begin.
He estimated the design would be completed by August, including exterior decisions, while the company also gets soil borings, with bids going out to contractors in December, looking at starting construction next spring.
The new structure will be connected to the elementary school but will house only pre-school and special education students, with kindergarten students being moved to the elementary school.
The elementary school will lose their fifth grade classes as those students will be welcomed to the new middle school addition with the new school year – that $2.3 million project on target for an August completion according to the designers and Dr. Giraldo. The present ELC facility will be emptied and likely sold by the district.
The estimated cost of the new facility is $3.45 million with an additional six classroom remodeling of the present elementary school to cost another $750,000, bringing the total cost to $4.2 million. Financing the cost of the construction will also be in the board’s future, along with the construction of a new north side playground for the school to be paid for separately.
The new school building will have a separate drop-off drive off Wilson Street to eliminate congestion at the elementary school and make things safer. A sidewalk will also be built around the new school to give students access, several classrooms having doors to the outside.
In a related issue, the district approved two additional expenses on the middle school construction, including just under $7,600 for a wall to split a classroom into two portions at a request of the district while another $3,600 was approved for construction of a closet space. Dr. Giraldo said he’s been watching progress on the construction at the middle school closely, noting everything seems to be on schedule for both the new band room and the eight-classroom addition.
Elementary update
Elementary School Principal Jenny Laughlin gave an update on progress for students in first through fifth grades, pointing out Summer School will focus on the growth of first grade students, many who missed their last four months of valuable basic kindergarten learning when the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the school system last Spring.
She said many of those students also struggled with virtual learning in math, reading and social emotional learning and called it “important” they don’t fall behind in learning many of the “basic skills” they will need moving forward.
Laughlin said she’s like to see other students getting Summer School help as well, but said funding is limited as well as staff. She said although the summer school in the past has included four grade levels, her staff has talked that the best use of funds toward the present first grade class.
The principal said it’s important to “help” the first graders at risk, noting they haven’t had a “calming school year” yet in their young lives, noting not only did they get their kindergarten lessons cut short, but the hybrid model that included virtual education didn’t do them any favors as well.
She said those students might have missed as much as seven months of education. “We need to hone in on them. We will see a demise if we don’t go after it now,” Laughlin said of an estimated 85 students, noting the “top level” students in the class won’t have to attend the summer classes.
In her full report, Laughlin said students took ownership of their role in the pandemic, keeping their face masks on without complaint while teachers and maintenance crews did their job in sanitizing rooms, lockers and door knobs. She said the tracing process of those getting COVID-19 with school nurses was also front and center every week.
She also said the kids learned fast about the hallway highway, where students walking in one direction had to stay to the right, something that is continuing to be utilized. Laughlin said students adapted to lunch and snack breaks and “we’ve had fun with it.”
She said there were few problems with discipline during the year, noting problems were actually less than in years past.
She said the fact social emotional learning curriculum was part of the educational process this year helped the situation and said each classroom was set up with a “calming corner,” where a bean bag chair was placed for students having trouble.
Laughlin said communication with families has been good, with feedback between teachers and parents stronger than ever because of Google Classroom and SeeSaw virtual computer programs. “It’s been a great thing,” the principal said, complimenting her staff at adapting to learn and use virtual education because of the pandemic and the hybrid model used by the school.
Other business
The board also approved a fundraiser for the high school volleyball program under Brittney Boffeli, noting about 30 students will be providing a volleyball youth camp from June 28-July 1 for girls in second through eighth grade, teaching skills, leadership and knowledge of the game.
The group hopes to earn $1,000 by hosting the camp, to be used for clinics, camps, warm-ups, technology, coaches’ clinics, equipment and hotel expenses.
Dr. Giraldo said he’s been in constant contact with the new incoming superintendent, Shaun Krueger, providing updates and preparing for his start on June 1.
Giraldo will be leaving the district in the next few weeks, utilizing earned vacation time and moving back with his family in suburban Chicago. He has served the district the past two years.
The board also approved the resignation of Katlyn Clark as the high school English language arts instructor and GSA sponsor for the end of the school year. A resignation was also accepted for elementary school DL Spanish component instructor Yasmin Zakhour.
The next meeting of the board will take place Monday, May 17, beginning at 6 p.m. at the District Office.