Mount Vernon Community School District School Board News Brief

September 12, 2022

The regular monthly meeting of the Mount Vernon Community School District School Board was held on September 12, 2022.  The following topics were addressed during the meetings:

Public Hearing Related to the Proposed Mustang Activities Complex:  Per guidelines for building projects, a public hearing was offered for members of the public to offer their thoughts regarding the proposed activities complex project that is now out to bid.  No members of the public offered comments during the hearing.  Bids will be opened on October 7, 2022.

Approval:  The meeting agenda was approved after a few amendments.

Superintendent Report:  Dr. Batenhorst spoke about the positive beginning of the school year, and also reflected on the losses of a staff member and community member who was highly supportive of the district.

Public Comments:  No public comments were offered during the meeting.    

Program Division:  

ISASP Results:  Dr. Batenhorst reviewed the results of the Iowa State Assessment of Student Progress (ISASP) with the Board, sharing that the performance of Mount Vernon students on the assessment remains very positive.  The Board was able to review longitudinal results from three years worth of testing for its students.  The performance of Mount Vernon students continues to exceed that of students across the state and in the immediate area.

Personnel Division:  The Board approved the hiring of a series of support staff members and coaches for the 2022-2023 school year, and approved a 3% yearly increase on the base salary of the nurses for achieving National Board Certification in nursing.  This annual increase will remain in effect as long as this certification is maintained and updated as needed.      

Administrative Division:  The Board approved the Second Reading of a series of policy updates, while also immediately approving the mandatory policy related to Title IX and sexual harassment.  As part of the approval of this policy, Dr. Batenhorst was approved as the Title IX Coordinator for the district.  

Reports:  Board members offered reports from the WeTap parent group at Washington Elementary, the Booster Club, and the Policy Committee. 

Unfinished Business:  The Board discussed attendance at the upcoming IASB Convention, and discussed plans for finalizing their School Board goals for 2022-2023.      

Consent Agenda:  All items in the Consent Agenda were approved as presented. 

Next Meeting:  The next regular meeting of the School Board will take place on Monday, October 10, 2022.  The meeting will start at 6:00 p.m. and will include time for the Board to work on its goals for 2022-2023.