VINTON — The March meeting of the Vinton-Shellsburg School Board on Monday, March 24 began with a Difference Maker Presentation.
We are proud to recognize Amber Pattee as this month’s Vinton-Shellsburg Difference Maker! Amber has been named District Coach of the Year by the Iowa Girls Coaches Association (IGCA)—a prestigious honor voted on by her coaching peers. Since 1984, the IGCA has recognized outstanding coaches, and this award is among the highest accolades a coach can receive.
Amber’s dedication and leadership have made a lasting impact on our bowling program, leading to increased participation for both boys and girls. Under her guidance, Vinton-Shellsburg has celebrated incredible success, including a state boys team title and multiple individual bowling champions.
Her commitment to our student-athletes, both on and off the lanes, is truly inspiring. Thank you, Amber, for your hard work and for representing Vinton-Shellsburg with excellence!
Administrator/Director Reports
The Vinton-Shellsburg administrators reported on a variety of academic, extracurricular, and operational updates. At the high school, ACT testing faced technical difficulties but was successfully completed in small groups, 24 new members were inducted into NHS, and spring activities, including track, speech, and FFA competitions, are underway. Parent-teacher conference attendance was low, especially among upperclassmen, and student scheduling for 2025-26 is in progress. At the middle school, students participated in a Rock, Paper, Scissors event to celebrate the end of the quarter, ISASP goal-setting meetings were held, and track season has begun with strong participation. Attendance interventions included postcards, letters, and parent meetings. Tilford Elementary had an impressive 98% conference attendance rate, hosted instructional rounds, and is in the hiring process for next year. Shellsburg Elementary also had high conference attendance (96%) and has been actively hiring for key positions, including a new head secretary. The school’s Jump Rope for Heart initiative engaged students in learning about heart health and will conclude with an assembly featuring fun competitions and student recognition.
New Aerator Purchased – A new aerator has been acquired to improve turf maintenance across our fields and yard spaces.
Grass Seed & Fertilizer – Ordered and applied for spring field preparation to maintain healthy playing surfaces.
Tree Removal at Shellsburg Elementary – The project has been successfully completed, improving safety and aesthetics around the school.
Prairie Grass Burn at Karr Athletic Complex – Conducted with the assistance of the Vinton Fire Department—a big thank-you to them for their support! This burn will help restore and maintain the natural grass area.
Bus Purchasing Plans – Evaluating options for upcoming bus purchases. New tariffs will impact pricing, requiring careful budget planning.
Replacement Needed – Route Bus #5 – This bus is due for replacement. We are exploring cost-effective options while ensuring we maintain a reliable fleet for student transportation.
Superintendent Report
Nutrition Bidding
Last week, we held an informational meeting for companies interested in bidding on our nutrition request for proposal (RFP). I provided background information and an overview of the district before leading a tour of each school’s kitchen. I received positive feedback on the cleanliness of our kitchens.
The following companies attended: Opa, Chartwells, SFE, Lunchtime, and Taher. Bids are due on April 10th, and we will review and score submissions accordingly.
Current School Calendar Update:
4 days of School Days Missed (2/6, 2/12, 3/5, 3/17)
5 days of Late Starts (12/16, 1/21, 2/5, 2/13, 2/18)
Make Up Day Was Monday, February 17th
29.5 Total Hours Missed, still well above 1,080
Certified Staff Had a Conference Prep Work Day on Friday, March 7th. June 2nd will now be a day for all staff. June 3rd certified staff work day.
Legislative Update:
We still have no word on any type of compromise or even discussion about setting SSA for the new budget year.
General Business of the Board
Contracts Approved
School Information System
Approved the switch to Alma SIS- Alma SIS is a comprehensive school data and operations platform designed to bring modern software tools to facilitate efficient staff workflows and provide actionable data to the right people at the right time. Alma will replace our current PowerSchool SIS.
Educational
Inter-Agency Contract for Special Education Instructional Program for the 2024-2025 School Year with Clayton Ridge Community School District.
University of Northern Iowa’s contract for teaching field experience for the next three years: 2025-2026, 2026-2027, and 2027-2028.
GWAEA Induction Coach Agreement for New Teachers
Morningside University Agreement for placement of student teachers.
Upper Iowa University School District Clinical Placement Agreement
Benefits
ISEBA Voluntary Dental for the Administrators Dental
Business Operations
Iowa Local Government Risk Pool Commission Program Participation Agreement
Marco Egold Fax contract. This will replace our existing fax service and will be a cost-savings for the district.
Frontline: Time Clock/Sub Module
Shellsburg Elementary
H&H Fun Rides- Contract with Shellsburg Elementary for an obstacle course for Spirit Day
Personnel Approved
2024 -2025 Personnel
Coaches:
Becky Lutgen — MS Girls Track Coach
Bridgitte Duffy — MS Boys Track Coach
Tammi Griffith — MS Boys Track Coach
Contract Modifications:
Dan Thomsen — add Certification Differential Pay
Substitutes:
Emily Grimm — Teacher
Emma Hearn — Associate
Emma Townsley — Associate
Resignations:
Taylor Elliot — Substitute Bus Attendant
Mackenzie Ibrahimovic — 1st Grade Teacher Tilford Elementary
Krystal Geiger — Part-Time Food Service
Koal Marshall- Basketball and Track end of 2024-2025 season
Aaron Zuspann — Freshmen Boys Basketball Coach
Tasha Channel — Food Service Tilford Elementary
2025-2026 Personnel Approved
Transfers:
Lauren Wittmer — transfer from Special Education Associate to Head Secretary at Shellsburg Elementary
Shelley Haisman — transfer from 3rd Grade Teacher to Interventionist at Tilford Elementary
Certified Staff:
Carley Beck — Tilford Elementary Special Education Teacher
Coaches:
Whitney Bowen — Varsity Girls Swim Coach
Approved to Hire Summer help to scan historical documents from paper to digital records
Approved Open Enrollments for next school year
Bids Approved
Transportation Approved a bid to purchase a replacement bus for #5 at a cost of $155,150
Technology — Approved a bid to move from a cellular communication plan for the school buses
to a WiFi system for the buses. This is erate eligible (80% off) and will save money compared to the cellular plan.
Disposals Approved
Gateway PRI (for old phone system not currently being used)- Asset Tag #24001519
Staff Laptop (beyond repair) to be used for parts- Asset Tag #24000867
An old charging cart that is no longer being used- Asset Tag #24001553
Two old projectors that are no longer usable- Asset Tags #24000034 and #24000031
Travel — Approved 2026 Music Trip to Florida
Fundraiser — Approved Soccer Cookie Dough + treats
FFA Student Presentation on Greenhouse Project Planning
Approved Softball Batting Cage Project
The board approved the construction of the softball batting cage and publicly thank the Booster Club, Vinton-Shellsburg Youth Softball Program, and Grimm Construction for their donations for the project.
Approved the 2025-2026 Academic Calendar
Approved Final FY2024 Audit
Public Hearing for Flexibility Account Transfer
Approved Senior Laptop Sale Approval
Policy Review — The board reviewed various policies.
The Board Moved into Exempt Session to Discuss Contract Strategies as Allowed by Iowa Code 21.9
Next Board Meeting — Monday, April 21, 2025
The next meeting date will be the second hearing for the certified budget. It again will be a double agenda with a 5:00 p.m. hearing start.