The Mt. Pleasant Community School District Board is scheduled for a regular meeting at 6:00 p.m. in the second-floor Board Room at Central Campus. The meeting will not be livestreamed, but the packet states it will be recorded and posted afterward.
Key Items on the Agenda
District Goals and Professional Learning
The Board is expected to review the proposed 2026–27 district goals and the professional learning plan designed to support them. Dr. Angie Butler is scheduled to discuss how professional learning at the district and building levels will align with those goals.
District administrators plan to work with individual buildings throughout the year to assess progress. The district goals also may serve as a basis for teachers and administrators developing their individual professional learning plans. Under new business, staff recommends approving the district goals as presented.
Salem School Closure Planning
The superintendent's report includes an update on the planned closing of Salem school. Superintendent Sharon Dentlinger and Principal Ashley Hoyer expect to work on the closure throughout the year while recognizing and celebrating the school's impact on the community, district and surrounding area.
Plans described in the packet include consulting other districts that have closed schools, communicating with staff and the community, identifying resources for students and employees, and potentially holding community roundtables to hear and address concerns. The Board and community are expected to receive continuing updates during the closure process.
Harlan Statue
The district is considering what to do about the James Harlan sculpture currently located at Central Campus. The sculpture was moved from the U.S. Capitol to the Iowa Wesleyan campus under a 10-year loan agreement reached in 2014 with the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs; both that department and Iowa Wesleyan ceased to exist in 2023.
The State Historical Society of Iowa, identified in the packet as the successor entity for the agreement, has asked whether the district wants a new contract allowing the sculpture to remain on campus. A new agreement generally would make the district responsible for insurance, damage and certain conservation costs. The packet states that, after considering the statue and additional costs, district administration is not planning to renew the agreement to keep the statue.
Central Lee Athletic Conference Request
Central Lee Community School District has requested admission to the district's athletic conference beginning with the 2028–29 school year, with middle school competition beginning in 2027–28.
The packet says that if all schools agree, the request would advance to the state's Conference Realignment Committee for review and could be fast-tracked if all parties agree. Factors under consideration include travel distance, the number of teams and sports Central Lee offers, competition level, media presence and opportunities for students in other activities.
Policy and Governance
First Reading of Board Policies
The Board is scheduled to review proposed policy additions and edits. The agenda recommendation is to discuss and approve the policies as presented.
Items identified for review include:
- Policy 503.11 — Disruptive Behavior, including regulations addressing building-level procedures and students with Individualized Education Programs.
- Policy 504.06 — 8th Grade Student Participation in High School Sports.
- Regulation 701.05-R(1) — Fiscal Management: Financial Metrics, which the Board is being asked to review and potentially edit following a meeting with financial representatives from the Iowa Association of School Boards.
The packet says Policy 503.11 is connected to current legislation in SF 2428. The supporting material states that Policy 503.11 was previously adopted June 25, 2026, and revised July 8, 2026.
The disruptive-behavior materials establish procedures involving classroom removal, due process and students with disabilities. Among the provisions, an IEP team meeting is required immediately after a student with an IEP is removed for nonviolent disruptive behavior, and another meeting is required if the student is removed five or more times within 15 consecutive school days. The policy also provides up to three days of paid physical-recovery leave for a teacher injured because of a student's violent disruption, with additional leave subject to Board consideration.
Student Handbooks
Staff recommends approval of the district's high school, middle school, elementary and preschool handbooks. Administrative teams review the handbooks annually to incorporate new policy, update information and clarify practices for students and families.
Legislative Priorities
The Board is expected to discuss the district's priorities for organizations that advocate for schools at the Iowa Statehouse. The packet includes a survey intended to collect Mt. Pleasant's priorities, and the Board may discuss both the listed issues and additional priorities it wants to recommend to advocacy groups.
Consent Agenda
Staff recommends approval of personnel and open-enrollment items as listed in the consent agenda.
The personnel action document includes:
- The resignation of Abigail Garmoe, Van Allen Special Education Paraeducator, effective August 6, 2026.
- Proposed selections, pending applicable background checks and licensure, for paraeducator positions at Van Allen, Harlan, Lincoln and the middle school, along with a middle school boys wrestling coach.
- Transfers for Katrina Gipple, from Van Allen Paraeducator to Harlan/Van Allen STEM Paraeducator, and Kim Moeller, Special Education Paraeducator, from Lincoln Elementary to Van Allen Elementary.
Financial and Operational Items
Minutes and Claims
Staff recommends approving the minutes and claims as presented, including minutes from the July 20 regular meeting. The packet states that no financial report will be provided because of the year-end closing process.
Summer Projects
Under unfinished business, Chad Venghaus is scheduled to present an update on the district's summer project list and the status of that work. The packet text does not provide additional project-specific details or costs.
2026–27 Fundraising Plan
The Board will receive the annual list of fundraisers for consideration. The packet also describes a procedural change: future fundraiser requests are expected to be placed on the consent agenda for monthly approval so fundraising activities can be presented to the Board on a more appropriate timetable.
Beginning of the School Year
The superintendent's report identifies several upcoming events as the district prepares for the 2026–27 school year:
- August 12 at 8:00: New teachers welcomed to the district.
- August 17 at 8:00: All teachers welcomed back.
- August 20, 4:00–6:30: Open house in town.
- August 21 at 8:00: Support staff welcomed back.
- August 21, 4:00–6:30: Open house at Salem.
Closed Session
The agenda calls for a closed session under Iowa Code 21.5(1)(a) to review or discuss records required by state or federal law to remain confidential. The packet references Iowa Code 282.5 concerning readmission after student suspension or expulsion.
Following the closed-session item, the agenda lists consideration and action on the readmission of a student. Because the matter involves confidential student records, the packet does not provide identifying information or further details.
What to Watch at the Meeting
Several agenda items could shape district operations during the coming school year. The Board is scheduled to consider the 2026–27 district goals, student handbooks and policy changes while also receiving updates on Salem's closure, summer projects and the Harlan statue.
The policy review is particularly substantive, covering disruptive classroom behavior, eighth-grade participation in high school sports and the district's financial metrics. The meeting also provides an early look at how the district intends to manage Salem's closure over the coming year, including community communication, student and staff resources, and opportunities to address concerns.
