At the Sheldon Community Schools Board Meeting Wednesday night, a great deal of time and debate was devoted to the amended 28E agreement that the City of Sheldon had sent back to the Sheldon Community Schools for their approval.

The proposed 28E Agreement concerns the development of athletic fields north of the Sheldon High School Football Field, adjacent to Highway 18. The original agreement draft had called for the City to transfer ownership of the land to the School District once the 28E Agreement was signed by both parties and filed with the Iowa Secretary of State. The City changed that wording to delay transfer of ownership until such time as the development of the Capital Improvement Project plan is completed, a construction bid let, and the construction contract is approved. The School Board felt that this would delay the start of the project, because some of the work that could be done yet this summer would have to be postponed, since the District wouldn’t want to spend money on property that they didn’t own.

After lengthy discussion, the Board voted to send the 28E Agreement, with the original wording, back to the City Council for reconsideration, with Superintendent Robin Spears appearing before the City Council at that time to verbalize the District’s concerns to the City. That vote was 3-2 in favor, with Board members Susan Rensink and Kecia Hickman casting the dissenting votes.

The School Board also heard an update on the location for the KeBecca Special Education Program. Originally the District had contracted with Hope Haven to house the program for the 2012/2013 school year. However, recently the Special Education Department of the Iowa Department of Education had informed the District that in order for it to be a Sheldon Community School District program, it must be housed within the Sheldon District. Superintendent Spears told the Board that after several discussions with the Special Education Department, they had decided that Sheldon would, in fact, be able to make the program a Sheldon District program, even though it would be held in the Rock Valley Community School District, if the Rock Valley District gave their permission to do so. Spears said that he is now waiting to hear back from Rock Valley, and expects to know more next week.

Spears told the Board that the East Elementary School KIDS (Keep Improving District Schools) Committee had their first meeting on June 20th. They’re still looking for more parent/citizen members to join the committee, which is tasked with coming up with a plan for an expansion of the current East Elementary building. The current building no longer has the space needed to house the expanding elementary enrollment, as well as an increase in programs that the District is mandated to provide. On a related note, the Board voted to approve the construction, at a cost of approximately $16,000, of a temporary wall on the west end of the East Elementary multi-purpose room. This would create another classroom space that could possibly house the Elementary Vocal Music program. Spears told the Board that this was a short-term measure, something the District could do to temporarily help ease the overcrowding conditions at the school.

In other action, the District approved the contract of Eric Maassen as Head High School Volleyball Coach, approved the hiring of Tricia Meendering and Joanna Hinkey as Special Education Instructional Associates, and approved Walt Pruiksma as Concession Stand Manager for the upcoming school year. The Board also approved Superintendent Spears recommendation to dispose of the elementary textbooks that have been replaced, by giving them to two local churches to be donated to non-profit organizations so that they might be put to good use.

The Board set their August meeting for Wednesday August 15th at 6:00 p.m. in the high school library, before adjourning into closed session for the Superintendent’s Evaluation.