Exploring the options

The status of broadband channels controlled by the Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn Community School was discussed by the school board on Monday.

Educational Broadband Service (EBS) channels are allocated by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for advanced wireless service. Those bands are licensed only to accredited educational institutions and nonprofit entities whose missions are educational.

Evertek, Inc., of Everly, asked the district in 1993 to apply to the FCC for a license for four broadband channels. When the application was approved, H-M-S leased the channels to Evertek and, in return, the district received free internet access.

Superintendent Patrick Carlin explained that Evertek would now like to either extend the existing agreement or purchase the broadband channels.

"Extending that agreement until we fully understand it might make sense," he said.

The proposed amendment would extend the agreement until March 20, 2033, and then renew it in 10-year increments through March 19, 2063. Evertek would continue to have exclusive right to use the capacity of H-M-S's channels for any lawful purpose.

"I do not know that there is an advantage either way," Carlin noted. "If we did not have someone available to make them useful, they are useless to us."

"If there's no problem with where we are at, just keep going," Board Member Kyle McCarter said.

The consensus of the board was to explore extending the agreement rather than selling the broadband channels to Evertek.

• Contracts, driver's ed

Contracts were issued to Adrienne Reitsma, part-time evening custodian at the middle school; Kimberly Baartman and Morgan Mueller, associates; and Josh Van Dam, volunteer bowling coach.

H-M-S will share the services of a human resources director and school business officer with Sheldon. Carlin said additional state funding that H-M-S receives for operational sharing is "a huge incentive."

In other business, H-M-S will offer driver's education classes beginning on Nov. 12 and continuing through Jan. 27. Brad Zeutenhorst is the instructor. The schedule includes morning and evening classes, with driving lessons scheduled after school and on Saturdays. The fee for the program is $375.

Requests for out-of-state trips by student groups were approved. FFA students are attending the national convention at Indianapolis, Ind. this week. High school band and choir students will be traveling to Nashville, Tenn., March 27-31, 2026.

• Reading plans, PLC alignment

A new state law requires that every K-6 student who is persistently at-risk in reading must have an individualized plan. Principal Ashley Benz said the law is similar to previous legislation requiring those plans for students in grades K-3. There are new requirements for how the district documents interventions, and it must gain parental input and provide reading resources to be used at home.

Middle school staff is working to align what the district says it will teach in each subject area with what is taught, and that what is taught aligns with grade reports. Principal Heidi Douma also reported the staff is developing ways to individually support students for conduct and positive behaviors in the classroom.

High school students generally performed well academically during the first quarter. Principal Blake Wendt said there was a large decrease in the number of students needing academic intervention.

Staff also attended District Curriculum Accommodation Plan (DCAP) training, specifically looking at H-M-S's Career and Technical Education (CTE) programming.

"We came away from the meeting with great enthusiasm and insight as to how better to serve our students through our CTE programming," Wendt noted.