The Perry School Board met in regular session Monday.

At the meeting, the Board heard from Learning Supports Director Laura Skeel and three teachers spoke to the Board about the Iowa Culture and Language annual conference.

Area Education Association transition team members Veronica Coy and a representative from the AEA then spoke about their objectives and supports for students.  Their goal is to make sure all students are set up to be successful in life.

Elementary science teachers and Curriculum Director Kevin Vidergar then presented information on the National Science Teachers Association regional conference.  Now that there are new science standards being implemented, the teachers learned to teach from the mindset that science is everywhere and it can be incorporated into several different subjects and lessons.

Directors Kyle Baxter, Marjean Gries and Linda Andorf shared what they learned at the Iowa School Board convention.  Gries says she went to the Every Student Succeeds Act sessions to learn about the program that has replaced No Child Left Behind.  She says she feels the testing is more flexible than the last federally mandated requirements.  Baxter attended the legislative priorities workshops where they decide what the IASB’s lobbyists will focus on.  Andorf says she learned about at risk students and what they need to be successful.

A resolution in support of the “The Promise of Iowa” public education campaign was then approved. This was launched by the Iowa Association of School Boards to focus attention on the future of Iowa public school students and rally support for investments in public education.

School bus specifications were then approved as presented by Transportation Director Troy Griffith.  Andorf inquired about the need for seatbelts in the school buses.  Griffith says the state of Iowa does not require seatbelts for anyone other than the driver and equipping the vehicles with them would likely cost at least $4,500 per bus.  The District is looking to purchase a 77 passenger bus with Physical Plant and Equipment Levy funds.  Griffith says the bid he put out is very similar to the ones he has used for the last several years.  He will be back next month for approval of a bus purchase.

The Clyde Kirkman, Jack Whiton and Phyllis Bielfeldt Memorial scholarships were then combined into one miscellaneous scholarship that will be awarded in May.  All three scholarships have been inactive for years and together they total $425.06.

Board policy revisions were then approved as presented, as were IASB policy primer amendments, the hiring of a long term special education substitute teacher at the elementary, early graduation requests and personnel changes.  The District reduced special education staff last spring due to declining numbers.  Now the elementary is in need of an additional instructor.  The District will plan to realign staff in the fall to coincide with student numbers and needs.

For more on the meeting and things happening in the District, tune into today’s Perry Fareway Let’s Talk Dallas County when we speak with Superintendent Lynn Ubben.