The Atlantic School Board approved the implementation of a Needs Assessment/Culture and Climate Survey, to be commissioned by Tony VanderZyl, Surveys and Research Coordinator with the Iowa Association of School Boards. VanderZyl said last month, the survey, which would cost $1,400, would be presented to teachers, staff, students and parents. It would be done online, and completely anonymous.

The survey will feature 19 standardized questions, plus 10 new, School Board questions, for a total of 29. Among the questions the board wanted to see on the survey, is:

• Are the District’s frequency and methods of communication adequate?
• “I feel comfortable bringing a concern staff member or administrator.”
• The District provides a safe learning environment?
• The District values input from parents, students, and staff (Three separate, break-out questions).
• Does the District leadership promotes a process of continuous learning for staff?
• Are Teachers effectively use technology tools for teaching and learning?
• Are our graduates well prepared for the rigors of life after high school?

The surveys will be prepared as quickly as possible and sent made available before Spring Break, if not sooner.

Representatives with the Atlantic School District’s Education Association – representing the Certified Staff – and Board of Education, met Wednesday night to present their opening proposals with regard to the Collective Bargaining Process. Speaking on behalf of the Education Association, Mike McDermott explained their proposal includes a $300 increase to the base salary, or a total of three-percent package increase.

Atlantic School Board & Education Assoc. reps. and Board Atty. Emily Ellingson meet to discuss Collective Bargaining proposals (Ric Hanson/photo 2/25/20)

He said “Some of the rules and regulations have changed over the years…but that’s the traditional schedule we’ve used since about 1974. That’s what our members are comfortable with, but we are open to analyzing their schedule as well.”

For its part, the Board of Education, proposes a base increase wage for 2020-21, of 1.68-percent. Their “Alternative Compensation Model” in lieu of the Certified Schedule in the current Master Contract. The District also proposes making changes to the distribution of TSS (Teacher Salary Supplement) funds, which it says will result in No Loss of Money for any employee sitting on the current salary schedule. Some employees will see a significant increase in the combined salary from the TSS re-distribution plan, but no employee will experience a loss in the combined salary.

The District also proposes a two-year agreement, but the Education Association wasn’t prepared to discuss that right away. Mike McDermott said Wednesday night was the Association’s first look at the District’s proposal, and it’s something they will take back to their Union members to examine the numbers and conduct their own calculations.
He said the District’s salary schedule proposal is based off of a flat dollar amount.

He said “Any mathematician will tell you that a flat dollar amount doesn’t necessarily help some of your veteran teachers. We also we have what’s called a STEP increase [where] you get a little bit more when you’re a younger teacher. You drop down a STEP and receive a few more funds.”

That, he says is very important to a beginning teacher. The STEP increase would be eliminated in the District’s proposal. Both sides will meet again in a closed session at the Middle School on March 18th, beginning at 3:30-p.m. In the meantime, both sides will continue to crunch the numbers. McDermott had high praise for ACSD Business Manager Sarah Sheeder, who he said has been “Outstanding to work with,” and he thinks that will continue moving forward.

Cass County Wellness Coordinator Brigham Hoegh reports the Atlantic High School will host a Youth Mental Health Symposium on Wednesday, March 18 from 5:00-7:45 PM. All middle school and high school students and parents in Cass County are invited to attend. Any other interested members of the public are welcomed and encouraged to attend as well.

The free event will include a meal sponsored by area businesses, door prizes, and free childcare. Motivational speaker Joe Beckman will talk about the importance of human connection at a time when loneliness is at an all-time high, and a series of short presentations will be given on issues affecting students today including anxiety, healthy relationships, and mental health awareness.

Organizations from Cass County and across the state will be at the event providing resources to students, parents and community members. Atlantic High School Counselor Sarah Elm says the event addresses a critical need. “We are seeing a huge need for awareness about mental health in our community at all age levels; students and families are struggling more than ever. We need to reduce the stigma, and offer support, and we hope this event will start those conversations,” shares Elm.

A large donation was made by the Atlantic Community School Foundation to cover the cost of the speaker. Several sponsors donated to cover the cost of the meal: Full Circle Therapy, ZION Recovery Services/Southwest Iowa Mental Health Center, Therapy Place, and Cass County Health System. Attendees will be entered into drawings for $500 in gift card door prizes donated by the Family Crisis Support Network.

Doors for the event open at 5 PM with a community resource fair and revolving presentations in the high school gym. At 6:30 PM a light supper will be served in the commons while Beckman shares his message with attendees. Childcare will be provided on-site for the duration of the event.

For more information, including sponsorship and volunteer opportunities, please reach out to Sarah Elm at selm@atlanticiaschools.org or 712-243-5358. While there is no cost to attend, and pre-registration is not required, those needing childcare are encouraged to RSVP to Sarah Elm or fill out this Google Form.

The Adams County Sheriff’s Office is asking for your help in finding a man wanted on warrant for two counts of Attempted Murder. Authorities say on January 12, 2020 a 911 call was placed to the Adams County Sheriff’s Office in reference to a shots fired call in the 1500 block of Quince Avenue. The suspect was identified as Dillon Allen Paul Lester. Authorities believe Lester was in possession of a firearm and fired multiple rounds at the victims.

Photos of Dillon Paul Lester

A vehicle matching the description of the suspect vehicle was located along the road in Des Moines later that day. The vehicle contained spent ammunition and a blown out back window. Deputies made contact with Lester and a female shortly after the incident, but he was uncooperative and has since been unable to reach.

Lester has previous felony convictions and should be considered armed and dangerous. He is believed to be hiding out in Des Moines but also has connections to Creston and Algona. Recent photographs of Lester are attached and include images of his tattoos.

Anyone with information on Lester’s whereabouts can call the Adams County Sheriff’s Office at 641-322-4444. If you see Lester, please do not approach him and immediately dial 911.

(Radio Iowa) — A survey finds nearly a quarter of Iowa’s high schoolers vape and critics say new federal regulations on e-cigarettes are having virtually no impact toward heading off the epidemic. Matt Myers, president of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, says the new policies are “entirely inadequate” and will not help stop a new generation of Iowa kids from becoming nicotine addicts.

“There was a great deal of publicity about the new federal rule prohibiting the sale of certain flavored products, but literally thousands of flavored e-cigarette products remain on the market,” Myers says, “including many that are called single-use or disposable that look like a flash drive but have as much nicotine in them as a full pack-and-a-half of cigarettes.” Studies find more than 80-percent of kids who use tobacco started with flavored products, while 97-percent of youth e-cigarette users puffed on a flavored e-cigarette in the past month.

Myers says the packaging and the flavors clearly target youth, including cotton candy, strawberry and mango. “There’s a bill pending in the U.S. House of Representatives that would ban the sale of all of the flavored products that have led to over 20% of Iowa’s high school students to using these products,” Myers says. “It’s called the Reversing the E-Cigarette Youth Epidemic Act and to vote on it is absolutely critical.”

Myers says the new federal policies are “riddled with loopholes” and he notes, thousands of flavored e-cigarette products remain available at more than 100-thousand locations nationwide, including convenience stores, gas stations and vape shops.  “It was a positive step, raising the age to 21, but we all know that if you make a product that’s highly appealing to kids, they’ll find a way to get it,” Myers says. “It was already illegal to sell to kids 18 and under, and yet over five-million American kids and over 20% of Iowa’s kids, have begun using these products.”

The figures are discouraging, he says, as about six-percent of Iowa high schoolers smoke traditional tobacco cigarettes. “The most recent survey shows that over 22% of Iowa’s high school students are using e-cigarettes,” Myers says. “That’s almost four times the number of high school students who are using cigarettes.” He encourages Iowans to call their members of Congress and urge them to vote for the pending legislation to ban all flavored vaping products.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (Sioux City Journal) — A Sioux City mother has complained to the local school board after she says her sixth-grade daughter suffered a broken arm and elbow at the hands of two other middle students carrying out a viral online prank. The Sioux City Journal reports that the woman told the board Monday night her daughter had been hurt on Feb. 7, when two West Middle School classmates cajoled her into a jumping contest, then kicked the girl’s feet out from under her, causing her to fall on her shoulder.

Called the “skull breaker challenge,” the prank was made popular on the social media platform TikTok and has led to reports of children across the country suffering serious head and other injuries.