May 2013 Board of Directors Meeting Recap

The May meeting of the Heartland AEA Board of Directors was held May 14, 2013. 

Public Forum, Board Appreciation and Transportation Requests 
• No one was present from the public to speak during the public forum. 
• Dr. Vincent noted that it was School Board Recognition Month and thanked board members for their dedicated service to the Agency. 
• Transportation requests were received from the Des Moines Public Schools and Bondurant-Farrar Community School District. 

Oath of Office 
Oaths of office were given to Mr. Pete Evans, new board member for Director District 6, and Ms. Chris Jeffryes, Heartland AEA Executive Assistant, as secretary pro tem. 

Discussion Items 
Board Committee Reports and Activities 
The Board Policy Task Force will meet again in June. Second Reading of Board Policy Series 300 Board members discussed if the drafts of the 300 series policies need to include language regarding changes to the Agency’s organizational structure. The policies currently discuss approval of administrators and if changing the organizational structure should require board approval. 

Iowa Association of School Boards (IASB) Membership Dues 
Board members discussed renewing the IASB membership dues or if similar services could be obtained through Iowa School Finance Information Services (ISFIS) instead. Several members felt that IASB’s services were good and that the services between IASB and ISFIS were not comparable. The Board will take official action at the June 11 meeting. 

Summer Maintenance Update and Long-Range Facility Plans 
Mr. Kurt Subra, Chief Financial Officer, shared an outline of the Agency’s summer maintenance schedule for the Adel, Ames and Johnston REC buildings including brick work, parking lot and sidewalk repair, painting, etc. Routine maintenance is done to keep the facilities properly maintained. 

Mobile Science Lab (Project SEMI) 
Dr. Vincent updated board members on the progress of selling the mobile science lab. The Agency is working on possibilities with Iowa State University. She has spoken with the director of the School of Education, Dr. Reynolds, about interest in a partnership with the Agency on the trailer. Conversations are continuing, but there is no concrete proposal at this time. 

Action Items 
Chief Administrator Contract Recommendation 
A MOTION was made by Ms. Borgen and seconded by Mr. Halliburton to set the chief administrator’s contract for three years. Motion passed. 

Mobile Science Lab (Project SEMI) 
A MOTION was made by Dr. Bell and seconded by Ms. Wilson that the selling of the mobile science lab will be resolved by July 31, 2013, or the Agency will pursue other bids. Motion passed. 

Chief Administrator Comments 
• The legislature is still in session but could possibly end by next week. There is no new information on the AEA funding cuts. 
• The State is working on adopting Iowa Core Science Standards. The standards are raising questions nationally and in Iowa. Specific members of the legislature have met with AEA leaders to ask about their support for the standards. 

Board Member Comments 
• Dr. Bridgewater attended a Collaborating for Kids meeting in April and was thrilled to see the collaboration that is taking place between the Department of Education, AEAs and leaders from several Iowa school districts. 
• Mr. Halliburton asked about sharing the work going on in the Colo-Nesco CSD at the Association of Educational Service Agencies (AESA) or IASB annual conferences. It would be a good example of how a struggling district can utilize an intermediate educational agency. 
• Dr. Bridgewater asked that an update on the IAEP and IEC be added to the June agenda.