M-P extends preschool lease at Parkside

By Mary Zielinski
The Mid-Prairie Board of Education Monday granted Wellman’s request to extend M-P’s lease at Parkside for an additional year and a half to June 30, 2016. Total cost for the extension is $10,000 payable July 23. However, approval was granted contingent upon the state continuing its preschool funding to the district.
Mid-Prairie entered into a lease for the Parkside space last year, with a lease to run through January 17, 2015. The district commitment to Parkside aided in obtaining an $800,000 Vision Iowa grant for the project.
Monday, it was noted that when the lease was first signed, the district had planned on using the space for a half-day. Now, the district will have morning and afternoon sessions for the foreseeable future. Funding has been and will continue to be from the state funds.
During the meeting the district received a detailed report from Exultant Energy about the energy audit done on four of the district’s attendance center, including the high school. No action was taken.
In other business, the board:

• accepted the resignations of Shirley Kos, special education associate at Kalona Elementary; Jodie Cue, flag coach; Chad Surom, yearbook advisor at the high school, and Derek Roberts, 8th grade girls basketball coach;
• hired Eric Thorton, 8th grade volleyball coach, $2,695; Robert Barrick, 7th grade volleyball coach, $2,769.55; Makenzie Mateer, Wellman Elementary special education teacher, $26,202; Theresa Blossom, Wellman Elementary media secretary, $11.13 per hour, replacing Carol Wilkins;
• terminated Calista Stout’s contract as teacher associate, effective April 30 and did not renew Abigail Schrock’s contract as a general cook;
• approved student teaching agreements with Bethel College, North Newton, Kansas and Iowa Wesleyan College, Mt. Pleasant;
• accepted the ethanol/diesel bid from Kalona Oil Company that calls for 8 cents over margin, if delivered and 6 cents if obtained at the pump;
• awarded the 2010-11 bread contract to Interstate Brands Company and the milk contract to Roberts Dairy whose total bid was $36,845.07, the lowest of three;
• approved a Facilities Usage Fee Schedule, calling for $35 per hour, a general increase of $1.50;
• set the milage reimbursement rate at 42 cents per mile, the same as currently paid by a 6-1 vote. Jim Hussey was opposed; and
• approved graduates from the Alternative Learning Center and Home School Assistance Program. They are Gretta Wolf, ALC; Justin N. Bontrager, Jonathan Wayne Hochstedler, Garilee McGlumphry, Josiah M. Nace, Hannah Marie Keating, Noel Lynne VandenBosch, Abigail Lou Martin and Judah Jared Walker, HSAP.