Meeting Overview
The Pocahontas Area Community School District Board of Education is scheduled to hold its regular meeting at 7:00 p.m. on July 13, 2026, in the PAC MS Science Room (Room 815). A 5:30 p.m. work session with Denovo Construction Solutions is scheduled beforehand to review progress on a potential bond campaign.
The regular-meeting agenda includes agreements and bids for the 2026–2027 school year, curriculum and student-fee decisions, strategic planning, proposed school infrastructure financing, personnel matters, and a requested closed session concerning real estate.
Key Items on the Agenda
Approximately $5.9 Million in Proposed Revenue Bonds
The board is scheduled to consider a resolution setting a hearing date on the proposed issuance of approximately $5,900,000 in School Infrastructure Sales, Services, and Use Tax Revenue Bonds.
A separate agenda item calls for consideration of a resolution setting a hearing date on the proposed use of SAVE revenue for an Athletic Facility Infrastructure Project. The packet text does not provide the proposed hearing dates, detailed project scope, or financing terms.
2026–2027 Agreements and Lease
Several agreements are scheduled for board consideration:
- A 2026–2027 agreement with THRIVE Academy.
- A 2026–2027 lease agreement with the Pocahontas Foundation for the Rialto Theater.
- A 28E Agreement with Iowa Central Community College for 2026–2027.
- An agreement with North Central Iowa Mental Health Center, Inc. (UnityPoint Health–Berryhill Center).
The packet identifies these agreements as discuss/approve items but does not provide additional terms or financial details in the extracted text.
Curriculum Purchase and Student Fees
The board is scheduled to discuss and consider approval of an HS/MS Language Arts curriculum purchase.
The agenda also includes consideration of student fees for 2026–2027. The extracted packet text does not specify the proposed curriculum cost, individual student-fee amounts, or whether any fees would change from the prior year.
Strategic Plan
The board is scheduled to discuss and consider approval of the district's 2026–2027 Strategic Plan. The extracted packet text identifies the plan as an agenda item but does not provide its goals, measures, or other substantive details.
Eighth-Grade Participation in High School Athletics
The agenda includes discussion and possible approval of an HF 2591 interpretation concerning eighth-grade students participating in high school athletics.
The extracted packet text does not state the proposed interpretation or describe how it would affect eligibility or participation.
Financial, Procurement and Property Items
2026–2027 Bids
The board is scheduled to consider several operating bids for the coming school year:
- Milk bid for 2026–2027
- Bread bid for 2026–2027
- Natural gas bid for 2026–2027
The extracted packet text does not identify bidders, recommended vendors, bid amounts, or contract values.
Used Chromebooks and Other District Property
The agenda calls for discussion and possible approval of the public sale of used Chromebooks, with P. Trimble identified in connection with the item. A separate item covers items for auction or disposal.
The board is also scheduled to receive a technology update.
Student and School Operations
2026–2027 Handbooks
Two handbooks are scheduled for discussion and possible approval:
- 2026–2027 Elementary School Parent/Student Handbook
- 2026–2027 Regional Learning Center (RLC) Handbook
The extracted packet text does not identify specific proposed handbook changes.
Personnel
The agenda includes personnel matters involving hires for Teacher Leadership and Compensation (TLC) positions at the elementary and HS/MS levels. Listed assignments include co-coordinators/instructional coaches, elementary and HS/MS Building Leadership Team positions, and elementary and HS/MS mentors.
The packet identifies individuals for these positions by initials only.
Open Enrollment
An outgoing open-enrollment item is listed on the agenda. The student is identified only by initials in the packet.
Consent Agenda
The consent agenda includes:
- Minutes
- Invoices
- Financial report
- “What’s Going Well” reports covering the elementary school, HS/MS, and district
These items are presented as part of the consent agenda for the board's consideration.
Public Communication
The agenda reserves up to 20 minutes total for public communication with the board. Individuals wishing to speak are instructed to notify the board secretary before the meeting or sign up in person at least five minutes before the meeting begins.
Speakers are generally limited to five minutes each, although the time may be adjusted depending on the number of speakers or other circumstances. The packet states that the board's role during public comment is to listen rather than respond to questions or engage in discussion.
Superintendent and Committee Updates
The superintendent's scheduled update includes:
- Finance Committee
- ITEC ADA Workshop
- Pocahontas County Fair
Committee work and updates are also expected to cover early retirement, facilities, job descriptions, negotiations, and public relations. The early-retirement item calls for scheduling a committee meeting date, while the public-relations topics include Denovo committee meeting dates and coverage for the fair.
Closed Session and Real Estate
The agenda includes a request for a closed session under Iowa Code §21.5(1)(j). The cited provision concerns discussion of the purchase or sale of particular real estate when premature disclosure could reasonably be expected to increase the government's purchase price or reduce the price it would receive for property.
The agenda subsequently lists discussion and possible approval of a recommendation from the closed session. The packet does not identify the property, proposed transaction, or anticipated recommendation.
What to Watch at the Meeting
Among the most consequential scheduled items are the first procedural steps toward approximately $5.9 million in school infrastructure revenue bonds and a separate hearing related to using SAVE revenue for an Athletic Facility Infrastructure Project. The board's earlier 5:30 p.m. work session on progress toward a potential bond campaign adds a broader facilities and financing context to the evening.
Other decisions to watch include the proposed HS/MS Language Arts curriculum purchase, 2026–2027 student fees and strategic plan, the interpretation of HF 2591 regarding eighth-grade participation in high school athletics, and multiple agreements and operating bids for the coming school year.
The board calendar lists the next regular meeting for August 10, 2026, at 7:00 p.m. in Laurens.
