Following a brief Public Hearing Wednesday evening at the high school in Atlantic (during which there were no comments from the public), the Atlantic School Board voted 4-0 (With Board member Jenny Williams absent), to approve a Resolution for five-year extension of the Instructional Support Levy (ISL) for the Atlantic Community School District. The move took place as part of a regular meeting of the Board of Education. Board President Ali Bruckner said the ISL is a continuation of the current ISL until FY 2024, and is unchanged from the past five-years with regard to the property and income surtax. Moneys received by the District for the [ISL] may be used for any general fund purpose, but will not be subject to collective bargaining [pursuant to Iowa Code], and will not be used for employee pay or benefits.

In his report to the Board, Superintendent Steve Barber said Travis Squires with Piper-Jaffray has created a financial document with valuable information designed to help the District with the Certified Budget Process, different scenarios for Capital Project Financing and other pertinent data. Barber said also, with the CAM School District’s Business Manager of 30-years taking an early retirement incentive, created a need that may be filled by a sharing opportunity. Barber said Atlantic can provide support to the CAM School District through Operational Sharing, which would be beneficial two both Districts, especially with regard to a financial director. He said talks are underway to make the transition and what the responsibilities would be the shared person would have and the support staff in both schools, yet still maintain the same level of effective and efficient quality. In an Operational Sharing agreement, the minimum cost split is 80-20, as the Atlantic Community School District needs more than 50% for a financial director

In other business, the Atlantic School Board approved the resignations of Ginger Bechtold, 6-12 Media Specialist/Teacher; Whitney Hoegh, 4th Grade Teacher; Virginia Jordan, 5th Grade Teacher, and Ben Winford, District Maintenance. He said Bechtold and Jordan have been with the District for many years. The Board also discussed Summer 2018 Capital Projects, and acted on approving a Resolution pertaining to improvements of the District’s Athletic Facilities, which calls for the current athletic fields at the Middle School to remain intact, with improvement being made to the current sites without the need to relocate. It also specifies the goals and commitments toward the project, the establishment of a timeline and deadlines within the timeline.