The Atlantic Community School District Board of Education met Wednesday evening and approved a list of nine resignations and contract recommendations (see the list below). Superintendent Steve Barber thanked those individuals who are retiring or leaving for other reasons, and mentioned those individuals will be recognized during a ceremony on June 3rd, beginning at 8-a.m.

Barber mentioned he read an article that mentioned that, nationwide, the effect of COVID and remote learning is likely to result in a 25% teacher attrition rate. Typically, that’s only around eight-percent. The Board learned from the Superintendent, Atlantic’s Graduation rate for the 2020 four-year cohort (last year’s graduates) and the 2019 graduates (the five-year cohort) is above the State average. Barber said the rate was 97.85 and 96.74, respectively, compared to the statewide average of 91.8 and 93.8.

Drop-out rate data was not available for grades 7-12 statewide, but for Atlantic, the rate was 2.32%, with the 9th thru 12th grades 3.69% and 2.2%. Elsewhere during the meeting, the Board received a Facilities Update from Superintendent Barber and Facilities Coordinator, Bob Sweeney. Barber said the main focus of late has been the baseball and softball fields. He said they expect the fields will be ready in-time for the first varsity games on May 27th.

The key factor, he said is the grass, which was over-seeded late last month. With warmer temps, he said the grass should grow and be ready for action. Bob Sweeney said progress is being made on those fields, despite what “the drive-by’s on Maple Street and the observations from the parking lot from the hill on the baseball softball diamonds,” are saying. He said also, the southernmost bleachers are installed, work on fencing continues, and other work is underway.

In other business the Atlantic School Board approved a sharing agreement with the Griswold CSD for the services of Transportation Director, with Griswold paying 20% of the costs. The also approved of the disposal of laptop computers by allowing the Senior class the opportunity to purchase their Apple computers they have used the past four-years, for $125. And, they set May 12th at 6-p.m. as the date/time for a Public Hearing on the 2020-21 Certified Budget.

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Resignations approved: 7th Grade Middle School Special Education Teacher Ashley Coffman; ESL Coordination/Teacher & TLC Facilitator Brielle Cerven; Special Ed. Teacher Hannah Ridder; Junior Varsity FB Coach/ MS Track Coach, Joe Brummer;
Special Ed. Paraeducators: Tesla Cleaver; Vanessa Proehl; Becky Kirchhoff, and Jordan Franken; and School Bus Route Driver Clair Acker.

Contract Recommendations that were approved include those for: Holly Esbeck, HS Social Studies Teacher; & Matthew Best, HS Physical Education & Weight Training Teacher/ JV Football Coach. And, the following Winter Sports Coaches were approved:

Tim Duff: Head HS Wrestling
Oran Perkins & Adam Smith: MS Wrestling
Head HS Girls Basketball Coach: Dan Vargason
JV Girls BB Coach: Shelby McCreedy
Freshman Girls BB Coach: Katy Christensen
MS Girls/Boys BB: Terry Hinzman & Trace Peterson
Head HS Boys BB Coach: Jeff Ebling
JV Boys BB: Jeremy Blake
Freshman Boys BB: Derek Hall
Boys/Girls Swimming: Dean Junker
F/BB/WR Cheerleading: Michella Bartholomew.

The Board also approved renewing sharing agreements for the 2021-22 school year, including: Girls Swimming – Audubon & Clarinda (Atlantic will act as the host school); Boys Swimming – Audubon, Clarinda & Red Oak (Atlantic will host); Wrestling – CAM (Atlantic hosts); Girls Soccer – CAM, Exira-EHK (Atlantic hosts).