The Oskaloosa Community School District Board of Directors is scheduled to meet at 6:00 p.m. on August 11. The packet includes proposed action on facilities planning, a temporary $350,000 interfund loan, a $139,667 school bus purchase, FY 2027 insurance costs, several district handbooks and policy updates, personnel recommendations, and a superintendent contract extension.
Key Items on the Agenda
$350,000 Interfund Loan for Building Trades
The board is scheduled to consider a temporary transfer of up to $350,000 from the Physical Plant and Equipment Levy (PPEL) Fund to the Building Trades Fund. District leadership says the Construction Trades home is unlikely to close until September, creating a potential cash-flow deficit across the June 30 fiscal-year boundary.
The proposed resolution calls for the Building Trades Fund to repay the principal plus 1.55% annual interest by October 1, 2026. The superintendent recommends approval, and the agenda identifies this item as requiring a roll-call vote.
Leadership also proposes making this type of authorization a routine May or June action when a Construction Trades home sale is expected to close after July 1. If a transfer is not needed in a particular year, the resolution could be disregarded.
Middle School Improvements Planned for 2027
The packet advances planning for Phase 1B middle school improvements in summer 2027, including a new gym floor, door and window replacement, and fire alarm upgrades.
The board is scheduled to consider amending its existing construction-management agreement with Boyd Jones Construction to cover the summer 2027 project. A supporting Boyd Jones amendment describes a construction start of approximately May 1, 2027, with substantial completion targeted for September 1, 2027.
The board is also scheduled to consider a design agreement with TenFold Architecture + Engineering. The packet says TenFold previously served as the primary architect for the middle school renovation and that design costs for this phase would be paid with bond money.
The board is expected to consider a TenFold Architecture agreement connected with future improvements to Community Stadium. The packet describes longstanding concerns about the stadium's safety, sustainability and functionality and notes that the facility continues to serve junior high athletic contests, varsity practices and community events.
Planning materials identify possible work involving bleachers, the press box, concessions, locker rooms, restrooms, turf, lighting, fencing, parking, sidewalks and accessibility. TenFold's preliminary planning scope includes site and phasing diagrams, project-component planning, three renderings, cost modeling and a project schedule.
The TenFold stadium study carries a $45,000 fixed basic-services fee, plus reimbursable expenses. Its planning schedule runs through September 2026.
A community planning group has also been working on a long-term vision for the stadium. Its materials identify priorities including accessibility, safety, modernization, support for multiple school programs, community gathering space, school identity and the potential to host larger events.
Major Financial Items
One New Gas School Bus for $139,667
The district's five-year facilities plan calls for replacing two school buses in FY 2027, but staff recommends buying only one initially as the transportation department evaluates gas-powered buses.
The superintendent recommends purchasing a new standard school bus from School Bus Sales/Blue Bird for $139,667. The packet's bid comparison lists that as the lowest new standard-bus quote, compared with $150,024 from Thomas and $152,502 from HBC.
If the gas bus proves to be a good fit for district operations, the packet says the district could consider purchasing the second planned bus later in the fiscal year.
FY 2027 Insurance Renewal
The board is scheduled to consider an updated FY 2027 rate through the Iowa Public School Insurance Program (IPSIP) for property and casualty and workers' compensation coverage.
The superintendent recommends an FY 2027 total of $780,537.76. Supporting invoices show $593,027.76 for property and casualty coverage and $187,510.00 for workers' compensation.
The agenda says the revised quote reflects an adjustment associated with Crisis Advisory Coverage. The agenda narrative contains differing figures for the increase over the original quote — $251.30 in one sentence and $231.30 in another — so the packet does not provide a single consistent increase amount.
Elementary Roofing Payments
The board is scheduled to consider the first two pay applications for the 2026 Elementary School Building Envelope Improvements Project with Advance Builders Corporation.
The underlying contract amount is $296,000. Pay Application No. 1 requests $53,200 after retainage, while Pay Application No. 2 requests an additional $47,500. After the work represented in the second application, the payment documents show $106,000 in completed work, $5,300 in retainage, and a $195,300 balance to finish, including retainage.
Policy and Governance Items
Fall Policy Updates — Second Reading
The board is scheduled to consider a second reading of annual policy updates recommended by the Iowa Association of School Boards. The packet says many of the changes reflect revisions to Iowa Code and that the district's Policy and Finance Committee has reviewed them.
The materials include updates involving civil-rights complaints and a broad school-finance policy review. Finance-related materials address policies covering areas such as conflicts of interest, fund transfers, financial records, fiscal management, debt, investments, purchasing, federal awards, financial reporting, records, and technology and data security.
One draft change to Policy 203, Board of Directors' Conflict of Interest, notes that Iowa law now allows a board member to receive up to $20,000 from a district in a fiscal year under applicable circumstances, while allowing a board to establish a lower limit. The draft itself contains placeholder language for the amount, making the final local threshold an item to watch as the policy is considered.
Teacher Evaluation Handbook
The board is scheduled to consider the Oskaloosa Teacher Evaluation Handbook for 2026-2027. The Teacher Quality Committee reviewed the handbook on August 3, 2026 and recommends approval.
The handbook establishes a continuous-improvement approach tied to the eight Iowa Teaching Standards and the Iowa Instructional Framework. It includes individual professional growth plans, peer review, evidence collection, classroom observations and differentiated evaluation processes for new, veteran and intensive-assistance teachers.
Hiring, Selection and Employee Assignment Handbook
The superintendent recommends approval of the district's Hiring, Selection and Employee Assignment Handbook. The agenda says no changes are being recommended.
The handbook describes a standards-based hiring process intended to evaluate candidates using multiple forms of evidence rather than relying primarily on subjective impressions. It includes phased screening and interviews, scoring thresholds, structured references, candidate-performance measures and rules governing internal applicants, assignments and recruitment.
Activities Handbook
The board is also scheduled to consider the district's Activities Handbook, described as the central document governing athletic and activity operations and procedures.
Supporting materials address attendance and eligibility, conduct, communication and chain-of-command expectations, dual-sport participation, travel, social media and strength-and-speed programming. Among the proposed expectations, students generally must be in school before 11:00 a.m. to participate in practices or competitions, and three unexcused activity absences can result in dismissal from a team or activity.
Students, Staff and District Operations
Student Board Member Appointment
Two high school students applied for student board positions and were interviewed by a team of board members, teachers and administrators. The packet introduces Caden Toubekis as the senior student board member and recommends approval of Barrett Rinehart-Lynch for a two-year term as the junior student board member.
Personnel Recommendations
The consent agenda contains two resignations and a substantial group of proposed appointments. The resignations include the District Lead Nurse stipend position and an eighth-grade football position.
Proposed appointments span teaching, nursing, paraeducator, coaching, activities and Home School Assistance positions. Listed compensation includes:
- Rose Bogaard, High School Social Studies Teacher — $50,000/year
- Laura Steinke, Middle School Nurse — $51,473/year
- Michael (Sheaden) Cox, Work Based Learning Paraeducator — $21.50/hour, plus Middle School Activities Director — $10,000/year
- Jillian Philips, .75 Elementary Special Education Teacher — $48,600/year
- Full-time paraeducator recommendations ranging from $16.87 to $17.47 per hour
- Coaching and activity appointments with listed annual stipends, along with three part-time Home School Assistance teacher recommendations whose compensation is listed as TBD
These appointments remain proposed consent-agenda actions in the packet.
Superintendent Contract Extension
Following completion of the superintendent's evaluation, the board is scheduled to consider extending the superintendent's rolling contract through June 30, 2029.
The packet notes that the superintendent requested no compensation increase and no changes to contract language. The Board President's recommendation differs on compensation, proposing a $1,500 annual salary increase to maintain what the recommendation describes as a sustainable market wage, while keeping the remaining contract language unchanged.
The meeting agenda includes an Activities Year End Report. The Activities Director is scheduled to present a year-end report and summary of work by junior high and high school activities on a strategic plan intended to advance the district's vision culture.
A separate Financial Updates item is also scheduled under the district's resource-stewardship focus area.
What to Watch at the Meeting
Several agenda items would commit the district to financial or facilities-related next steps rather than report completed board actions. Key decisions scheduled for consideration include:
- Whether to authorize the temporary $350,000 PPEL-to-Building Trades loan, with repayment and interest due by October 1.
- Whether to move forward with construction-management and architectural work tied to the 2027 middle school improvements.
- Whether to continue formal planning for Community Stadium, including the TenFold design engagement.
- Whether to purchase the district's first proposed gas-powered school bus for $139,667 before deciding later whether to buy a second FY 2027 replacement bus.
- Whether to approve the $780,537.76 FY 2027 IPSIP insurance cost.
- Whether to approve the second reading of the fall policy updates and the district's teacher evaluation, hiring and activities handbooks.
- Whether to extend the superintendent's contract through June 30, 2029, including the Board President's proposed $1,500 annual salary increase.
The packet lists the next regular board meeting for Tuesday, September 8, 2026, in the Board Room of George Daily Auditorium. A 5:30 p.m. closed session is also scheduled that day for the board's annual review of the Emergency Operations Plan, which the packet identifies as required by Iowa Code.
