The regular monthly meeting of the Mount Vernon Community School District School was held on March 8, 2022. The following topics were addressed during the meetings:
Approval Agenda: The meeting agenda was approved as written with no changes proposed.
Superintendent Report: Dr. Batenhorst spoke briefly about the importance of student and staff wellness, and reflected back on the COVID-19 pandemic as the two year anniversary of the onset of COVID-19 has been reached.
Public Comments: There were no public comments offered at the meeting.
Program Division
Health Services Update: Mount Vernon nurses Jenna Wear and Megan Krapfl provided a yearly update on the physical and mental health services they provide to the students on a daily basis. The nurses were praised for their outstanding work, especially during the COVID-19 crisis.
Update from the Wellness Coalition of Rural Linn County: Coalition leaders Kassy Rice and Ericka Johnson provided an update on the services being provided in both the areas of substance abuse prevention and intervention. The Coalition has had a positive impact on six rural Linn County communities, and has been exemplary in securing grants to fund their programs.
2022-2023 Calendar: Dr. Batenhorst provided the Board with the details of a new calendar option for the 2022-2023 school year. The Board approved this option for the 2022-2023 school year.
COVID-19 Update: Dr. Batenhorst provided an update on the COVID-19 cases data for the District, and shared the contents of a letter that was shared with the community regarding the District’s current COVID-19 reality. The letter includes details that allow visitors back into the schools. The District had no positive cases for students and staff being reported as of March 4, 2022.
Personnel Division: The Board approved the hiring of a series of certified and support staff members and coaches to fill currently open positions, and to fill open positions for the 2022-2023 school year. Dr. Batenhorst shared that the District has seen early success in finding quality candidates for open positions for next year.
Dr. Batenhorst also updated the Board on the progress in hiring a new School Business Official. A second round of interviews is being conducted on March 9, 2022, after being postponed due to inclement weather on March 7, 2022. A final decision is anticipated this week, and the Board will be asked to meet in a special session to approve the hiring recommendation.
Preparation for the Annual Review of the Superintendent: School Board President Nannette Gunn shared details regarding the annual review of the Superintendent that will take place in April of 2022. The evaluation will take place on April 11, 2022.
Facilities Division: An update was provided regarding the softball complex project, and a meeting of the Facilities Committee was scheduled for the next several weeks. Dr. Batenhorst also informed the Board that the Mustang Activities Complex proposal is going before the Mount Vernon Planning and Zoning Commission for review on March 9, 2022, and will be presented to the City Council on March 21, 2022.
Administrative Division: School Business Official Matt Burke provided the 2022-2023 State and Local Funding Summary to the Board for their review and discussion.
Reports: No reports were offered by Board members during the meeting.
Unfinished Business: No Unfinished Business was offered during the meeting.
Consent Agenda: All items in the Consent Agenda were approved as presented.
The next regularly scheduled meeting of the School Board is scheduled for Monday, April 11, 2022. The location will be the MVHS Library. A special meeting will be held on March 10, 2022, for the purpose of approving the hire of a new School Business Official.