The Perry Community School District Board of Education heard a wide range of reports and took several actions during their monthly meeting at the PHS Brady Library Monday.
The meeting began with Gary Czerniakowski from Perry Senior High and Carol Ryerson from Perry Middle School discussing what they had learned at a Dec. 20 Title IX conference hosted by Ballard High School.
Czerniakowski noted that most people believe Title IX to be about safeguarding and promoting equal participation in sports for females, when in truth there is much more to the issue.
“It is actually about students being given access to educational opportunities and educational program opportunities regardless of their sex, race, ethnicity, religion or sexual identity,” he said. “This can include any number of factors, with any harassment or bullying that might effect access certainly falling under Title IX.”
He noted that the conference had been led by the lead lawyer on the topic for the Kansas City School District, and that it was stressed districts have several steps in place that can be of help regarding Title IX issues.
The first is to have policies that cover and bullying and harassment, which Czerniakowski noted are already established in Perry.
It was also noted each district should have a designated Title IX coordinator. For Perry schools, that responsibility currently lies with Angelica Cardenas, whose title is officially “Equity Coordinator.”
“I think it would help us if we added Title IX coordinator, on an official capacity, to her title because it is something she already does and it would help someone looking specifically for that kind of resource,” Czerniakowski said.
He further noted the Perry has already implemented the third step as well, which is to have updated procedures existing to handle any nature of Title IX complaint.
Ryerson said a focus had been placed on documenting each step of the process should a complaint be filed or questions arise.
“We have the steps in place and are confident we can handle any cases, but documentation at each step is important,” she said. “That was one thing they really stressed to us — document, document, document.”
The board also heard from TLC (Teacher Leadership and Compensation) coordinator Shannon Cline, who focused on the mentoring program currently in its inaugural year.
“We sent surveys out (to teachers) and received a very positive response, especially to the mentoring program,” he said. “Most of the teachers we have spoken with say they like the opportunity to share ideas with each other and see if there are things they can implement in their own classrooms.”
Cline noted TLC Instructional Coaches had made 535 classroom observations to date, and that the goal of 1,000 such visits before the end of the school year was well within reach.
He praised the work of the 15 mentors in the district and said improvements were being made and growth seen as everyone became more comfortable with the system.
Perry junior Alexis Garrido spoke to the board on behalf of the Junior Prom Committee. Garrido noted the 2017 prom is scheduled for April 29 at Lake Robbins Ballroom, where a sit-down dinner will also be served.
After Prom will be held at the High School, with a variety of entertainments scheduled, including inflatables, a hypnotist, temporary tattoo artist and more.
Garrido listed an impressive array of fundraisers already held by the committee, with some still to come. He noted the group had already raised enough money to cover the main costs of the prom, and was before the board seeking a donation which would be used for decorations and other small items.
The board, matching what it has done it past years, then voted to donate $500 to the committee.
Middle School Principal Shaun Kruger and Superintendent Lynn Ubben then shared their experiences at the two-day Iowa Superintendents Financial Leadership Conference.
Kruger said presentations he had attended focused on proper terminologies, Iowa Code, funding levels, budgeting issues and more.
Ubben explained she had attended sections on collective bargaining issues with an emphasis on insurance. She said it was discussed whether in the future Iowa may want to consider moving to a statewide school insurance plan, something that would resemble an IPERS-style plan.
“Some years you just use more insurance than in others — that is the way it is,” she said. “One advantage of an IPERS-like system would be that it would spread risks and costs.”
The board also heard from Connect 2 Careers, with career planner April Wyant and program manager Jodi Spurger-Tate on hand to discuss the statewide program, which seeks to help students and former students ages 14-20 to explore career opportunities. The program is federally funded, with Perry part of eight-county Region 11 (of 16).
Currently in Perry a young lady (identity withheld by the program) is helping in the classroom of kindergarten teacher Sarah Bryan. Her example was used to help explain to the board what Connect 2 Careers aims at achieving, which is chiefly to give those they help an early look at a career choice.
Several members of the board approved of the work and goals of the program, with Bryan praising the help she has received, noting “she is really learning and loves what she is doing, and the kids just love her.”
The PCSD Board of Education meets the second Monday of each month in the Brady Library at Perry High School at 6 p.m. Members of the public are welcome at all meetings.
