Added levy will fund retirement of H-M-S bonds

The property tax levy for retiring a portion of the Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn Community School's bond debt will be increased during the upcoming fiscal year.

The school board voted on Monday to increase the debt levy to generate $130,000. The revenue will be used to redeem a portion of the Series 2018 bonds after June 1, 2026.

Superintendent Patrick Carlin said the revenue will help H-M-S "stay on target" to redeem a portion of bonds that were issued to finance construction of new facilities. The funds will be added to the $90,000 levied in 2019 and the $80,000 approved in 2022 that are held in an escrow account.

• 2023-24 contracts issued

Contracts for 2023-24 will be issued to certified and non-certified staff. Certified salaries will reflect a 3.11 percent increase on the base. The district agreed to pay the nine percent increase in health insurance costs.

Additional contracts were issued to Julia Storm, high school social studies teacher; Kirstin Riedemann, elementary teacher; and Rose Rankin and Carly Ward, special education teachers. Tamara Heerde will fill an associate position and Jaden Kleinhesselink will join the high school football coaching staff.

The board accepted resignations from Sara Ho and Elizabeth Rieke, special education teachers; Abby Dulin, Spanish teacher; Michelle Essing, elementary associate; and Steve Waechter, middle school football coach.

Principal Nate Hemiller said the high school Spanish position will be "very difficult to fill," as will the special education positions.

Also approved were student teacher agreements with Morningside University and the University of Northern Iowa. According to discussion, H-M-S is interested in having as many student teachers as possible.

• New calendar finalized

In other business, the 2023-24 school calendar was finalized. H-M-S will participate in a shared professional development day with neighboring districts, so the Feb. 19 date on the calendar presented last month is replaced with the joint PD day on Feb. 9.

Carlin said the shared day was added after staff indicated a desire to attend it.

H-M-S will again participate in the AEA cooperative purchasing agreement. Through it the district is able to order a portion of the food, small wares and ware wash items it needs for the nutrition program.

Certified Testing Services, of Storm Lake, will provide construction materials observation and testing for the high school ball field improvement project. The cost is estimated to be approximately $4,100 to $4,600.

Three out-of-state trip requests were approved. Cost of the May 23 trip by seventh and eighth graders to the Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha, Neb. will be paid by Parents In Education (PIE). The high school jazz band and choir will participate in a festival at the University of South Dakota and the high school baseball team will attend a game at the College World Series in June.