The GMG Community School District Board is scheduled to hold its regular meeting at 6:00 p.m. on August 10. The agenda includes a public hearing on continued participation in the Instructional Support Program, construction change orders for the JR/SR High School project, several policy actions, a three-year auditor appointment, personnel items, and preparations for the start of the 2026-27 school year.
Key Items on the Agenda
Instructional Support Program
The board is scheduled to hold a public hearing on a proposed resolution to continue participation in the Instructional Support Program. The packet says no petition had been filed since the previous meeting and describes approval of the resolution as the final step after the public hearing.
The proposed resolution would continue the program for five years beginning with the fiscal year ending June 30, 2028. Funding could be used for any general fund purpose, and annual additional funding would be capped at 10% of regular program district cost plus applicable budget adjustments.
The packet says continuing the program would not increase the district's current levy rate. The proposed funding mechanism includes state aid and a combination of instructional support property tax and income surtax, with the board determining the surtax percentage each budget year.
JR/SR High School Construction
The board is scheduled to consider change orders associated with the Green Mountain-Garwin JR/SR High School 2026 Facility Improvements project. The agenda summarizes four changes:
- Brecke Mechanical Change Order 1: $2,795 for state-required changes after plan submittal. The attached change-order document specifies an increase of $2,795.77.
- Brecke Mechanical Change Order 2: $10,114.76 for a second-floor steam expansion joint.
- NAI Electrical Change Order 1: a $1,327 reduction associated with state-required changes after plan submittal.
- Garling Construction Change Order 1: approximately $81,055 for state-required changes. The attached change-order document specifies an increase of $81,055.35.
Based on the amounts in the attached change-order documents, the four changes have a net increase of $92,638.88. The Brecke and NAI documents state that contract time would be unchanged; the Garling change-order form also indicates no change in contract time.
The superintendent's report says construction work was continuing in preparation for footings and demolition of the existing area. It also reports that the Garwin City Council had granted district traffic requests making Park Street between 3rd and 4th streets, as well as the alley north of the school, one-way westbound. Other requested traffic and parking changes require 30 days' notice, with changes expected after Labor Day on September 7.
Groundbreaking and First Day of School
The district is preparing a groundbreaking ceremony tied to the secondary-school addition and the first day of school on Monday, August 24. The superintendent's report describes an 8:15 a.m. ceremony expected to last roughly 30 minutes, while the separate agenda item concerning shirts lists the ceremony at 8:00 a.m.
The board is scheduled to consider spending roughly $1,100 to $1,200 to provide groundbreaking T-shirts to district staff and board members. Shirts are also being created for purchase by the public and students.
Policy and Governance Items
Digital Instruction Policy
Staff recommends approval of revisions to Board Policy 605.04, Technology and Instructional Materials, and Exhibit 605.04-E(1), with the second reading waived.
The packet says the revision incorporates a 60-minute digital instruction limitation for elementary students enacted during the most recent legislative session. The accompanying exhibit addresses programming decisions involving instructional technology initiatives.
Student Discipline and Classroom Removal
The board is also scheduled to consider new Board Policy 503.11 and Regulations 503.11-R1 and 503.11-R2, again with a recommendation to forego a second reading.
The packet says the policies are needed to comply with SF 2428 and Iowa Code and establish requirements involving student discipline and nonviolent and violent classroom removals. One regulation addresses procedures for general education students and another addresses students with an IEP. Building-level policies and procedures are also expected to be adopted in accordance with the board policies and state law.
Series 300 and 400 Policy Review
The agenda includes a second reading and proposed approval of the district's Series 300 and 400 board policies. The packet says policies must generally be reviewed every five years, with some reviewed annually, and that most of these policies have been aligned with Iowa Association of School Boards Primer policies following the district's transition to Simbli.
The extensive review covers administration and employee-related policies, including superintendent and administrator responsibilities, employment practices, employee conduct, technology use, leave, compensation, benefits, evaluation, and other personnel matters.
Major Financial Items
Financial Position
The School Business Official is scheduled to present the monthly financial report, projections, and account balances. As of August 7, the packet lists:
- General Fund: $1,314,668.11
- PPEL: $1,419,301.63
- Activities: $20,244.38
- SAVE: $615,919.33
- Nutrition: $303,084.18
The FY26 monthly financial review reports $6,285,952 in expenditures through June against an annual expenditure budget of $6,750,243, or 93.12%. It reports $6,446,239 in revenue received against a $7,053,664 annual revenue budget, or 91.39%.
The report lists a current UAB ratio of 32.5% and a current solvency ratio of 11.7%. The agenda identifies board goals of maintaining a solvency ratio between 7% and 20% and a UAB ratio between 10% and 25%.
Monthly Bills
The board is scheduled to consider approval of the monthly bills. Among the larger individual items in the August 9 bill report are $62,736.12 for the 2026-27 Iowa LGRP Risk Pool, $18,992.21 for electricity from Alliant Energy, $10,106.53 to Nikkel & Associates for a change order, $6,380 for removal of asbestos-containing materials, and $5,400 for the FY25 audit.
Three-Year Auditor Appointment
Staff recommends appointing Barr & Company, LLC as district auditor for three years following a request-for-proposals process. The packet says Barr & Company submitted the only response.
The firm's proposal sets an all-inclusive maximum audit fee of $13,000 per year for each of the years ending June 30, 2026, 2027, and 2028. Its proposed schedule calls for fieldwork in August and September, report preparation and draft review in November, and final delivery no later than December 31.
Consent Agenda and Personnel
The consent agenda includes the district's annual Chromebook purchase and personnel actions.
The Chromebook proposal covers 40 HP Fortis G1m 11-inch Chromebooks at $313 each and 40 academic Chrome OS management licenses at $32 each. The total quote is $13,800, with shipping included and taxes exempt; the quote expires August 28, 2026.
Personnel items listed for consideration include contracts for:
- Scott Chaney — Assistant HS Football Coach
- Hannah Homeyer — Assistant HS Volleyball
- Noah Teske — Cross Country
- Chris Orr — Elementary Teacher
The consent agenda also lists the resignation of custodian Colton Reed and Brad Cox as a volunteer HS football coach.
The superintendent's report says the elementary teaching position is for 5th/6th grade social studies/science and remains subject to licensure requirements and a Board of Educational Examiners waiver. The district was also still seeking an elementary guidance counselor and interviewing for a night custodian.
Open Enrollment
The board is scheduled to consider 2026-27 open-enrollment requests. The packet lists incoming students from Marshalltown at the PreK, kindergarten, fourth-grade, sixth-grade, and eighth-grade levels, with two requests attributed to a family moving out of the district into Marshalltown.
One outgoing request is listed for a junior attending CAM Connections Academy.
Back-to-School and Facilities Updates
The superintendent's report says elementary lobby tile replacement and concrete replacement in front of the main entrance were underway and expected to be completed by the end of the week. Custodial staff were also finishing summer cleaning before staff and students returned.
Key upcoming dates in the packet include:
- August 12-13: New teacher orientation.
- August 18: All staff return.
- August 20, 5:30-8:00 p.m.: K-12 Open House, with the elementary session from 5:30-6:30 and secondary session from 7:00-8:00. Food trucks and activities are planned at Garwin park.
- August 24: First day of school, with a 1:30 p.m. early dismissal and the groundbreaking ceremony that morning.
What to Watch at the Meeting
The most consequential scheduled actions center on the district's finances, construction program, and state-driven policy changes. The board is expected to consider whether to continue the Instructional Support Program for another five years, act on nearly $93,000 in net construction change orders, and review policies addressing elementary digital instruction and student classroom removals.
The meeting also comes shortly before the August 24 start of school and the groundbreaking for the JR/SR High School addition. Alongside those preparations, the packet identifies continuing staffing needs, planned traffic changes around the Garwin school site, and several financial indicators that the board has established as ongoing monitoring priorities.
