School board appoints three to special committee

By Rick Morain

Jefferson Herald

The Greene County Community School Board of Education at a special meeting April 27 appointed three community members to a committee that will discuss reconsideration of instructional materials for the district as requests for such discussion arise.

The board appointed Jan Scharingson, Tracy Deal, and Matt Wetrich to the eight- member committee. Earlier superintendent Tim Christensen had named licensed school employee Julie Neal, media specialist Jenny Fisher, and elementary principal Scott Johnson to the committee. High school principal Brian Phillips had named students Katrina Heupel and Hallie Monthei.

In other action, the board approved revisions to district policies on public participation in board meetings and general concerns by citizens.
The board approved the hiring of Heather Vander Wilt as middle school art teacher, placed appropriately on the salary schedule, and David Wright as activities director at $85,000 with administrator benefits for a 260-day contract.

Prior to the instructional materials committee appointments, the board went into closed session under Iowa Code Section 21.5(1)(i): “To evaluate the professional competency of an individual whose appointment, hiring, performance, or discharge is being considered when necessary to prevent needless and irreparable injury to that individual’s reputation and that individual requests a closed session.”

The closed session lasted slightly less than 1 ½ hours. The board took no action when it returned to open session. Iowa law forbids public bodies to take action while in closed session.

Present for the first part of the April 27 meeting were board members Steve Fisher, Cindi Daubendiek, John McConnell, and Bonnie Silbaugh. Board member Michelle Fields arrived in time to participate in the closed session and the appointment of the three community members to the instructional materials regulation committee.

The school board’s regular meetings are held the third Wednesday of every month at 5:15 p.m. in the board room of the middle school on Ram Drive in Jefferson.