River Valley Comm School District Packet Summary — 2026-08-17
Meeting: 08/17/2026 - 06:00 PM Regular Board Meeting Board Meeting
Scheduled time: 6:00 PM
Location: Board Room, Jr/Sr High School, Correctionville, Iowa
Key Items on the Agenda
Proposed Sale of the Cushing Bus Barn
The board is scheduled to consider setting a public hearing on a proposed sale of district real property locally known as the Cushing bus barn at 200 Valley Street, Cushing, Iowa.
- The district has received a proposal to convey the property to Mark Schneckloth for $15,100.
- The property consists of Lots One through Six, Block Seven, Town of Cushing, Woodbury County, Iowa.
- Administration recommends setting the public hearing during the date and time established for the regular September meeting.
- The agenda identifies the proposed hearing as September 9, 2026, at 6:00 PM in the River Valley Community School District Board Room at 916 Hackberry Street, Correctionville, Iowa 51016.
- The proposed resolution would authorize the board secretary to publish notice of the hearing at least once, no fewer than 10 and no more than 20 days before the hearing.
This August agenda item is about setting the public hearing, not completing the property sale. The hearing would provide an opportunity to receive and consider objections and petitions regarding the proposed conveyance.
Possible Consolidation of Elementary Students in Correctionville
The principal's report says the district is continuing to consider moving PreK–6 students to the Correctionville building. The report frames a move to one location as a financial and operational consideration, noting potential benefits for shared staff, transportation, and staffing needs.
The report says the transition would require reconfiguration of classrooms, outdoor spaces, and storage. It also states that the Washta building currently works well for students; the packet does not present a formal action item approving a building transition at this meeting.
Early Exploration of Whole Grade Sharing
The superintendent reports having a preliminary conversation with Adam Bisenius regarding possibilities for whole grade sharing. After the school year begins and routines are established, they expect to examine factors including:
- Class sizes.
- Space requirements.
- Sports classifications.
- Other considerations relevant to identifying a beneficial arrangement for students.
The packet presents this as an early-stage exploration rather than a proposal scheduled for board action.
Financial and Consent Items
July Financial Reports
The consent agenda includes July 2026 financial statements covering the district's General, Management, PPEL, and SAVE funds, along with Activity Fund and Nutrition Fund financials.
The district's July financial statement reports a 2026–2027 operating fund budget of $4,872,037 and budget authority of $5,575,877. The operating fund shows $216,667.39 in July expenditures and a reported $5,359,209.61 budget balance.
Other reported July figures include:
- Management Fund: $1,404,446.27 reported budget and cash balance after July activity.
- PPEL: $581,790.82 reported budget balance and $584,179.46 cash in bank.
- SAVE: $51,367.21 reported budget balance, with $1,636,233.19 shown as the ISJIT ending balance.
- School Nutrition Fund: $30,771.79 reported July ending cash balance.
- Student Activity Fund: $58,064.90 reported fund balance.
These reports are included for board review as part of the consent agenda.
August Bills and Claims
The consent agenda also includes bills and claims presented for approval. The primary August board-bills report shows:
- $179,124.92 in General Fund bills.
- $540.88 in Management Levy Fund bills.
- $17,724.12 in Self Funding Insurance bills.
- $1,816.22 in SAVE bills.
- $9,522.84 in PPEL bills.
- $25.86 in School Nutrition Fund bills.
A separate additional-bills report lists $2,463.88 in General Fund expenses and $747.98 in PPEL expenses.
Among the larger individual expenditures in the primary bills report are $41,433.85 to Northwest AEA, $32,990.48 to Cherokee Chronicle Times for second-semester 2025–26 special education, $17,980.16 to Galva-Holstein Community Schools for second-semester open-enrollment special education, $16,221.51 to MidAmerican Energy for July electricity, and $16,211.70 to Electrical Automation for multiple building and mechanical-service items.
Personnel Items
The consent agenda includes one resignation and several assignments.
- Resignation: Penny Mcbride, elementary custodian.
- Kourtnee Fox: elementary custodian and transportation — $16.50.
- Isbella Hogeland: Jr/Sr High para — $16.50.
- Carly Ebert: Jr/Sr High para — $16.50.
The packet also lists open-enrollment applications and out-of-state, overnight, and Sunday events as consent items, but provides no additional substantive details for those items.
Academic Programs and Start of School
New Benchmark Reading Program
The principal's report highlights implementation of the district's new Benchmark reading program for elementary students as part of its Science of Reading work.
The report describes an instructional emphasis on explicit, systematic development of phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension, contrasting that approach with strategies associated with Balanced Literacy.
The curriculum report says the Benchmark materials received during the summer are ready for teachers to explore. Elementary teachers are scheduled for training on the new curriculum on August 24, and all teachers are expected to receive Science of Reading training that day.
Secondary Scheduling and Student Opportunities
At the secondary level, administrators report finalizing the master schedule and reviewing student transcripts. The principal's report says the district is also looking at course offerings and extracurricular opportunities with the goal of expanding what students can access within a small-school setting.
The superintendent similarly reports recent administrative work involving course offerings, credits awarded, state reporting requirements, open-house planning, back-to-school schedules, and professional development ahead of students' return.
Behavior Legislation
The director report notes discussion of new behavior legislation and says a team will be established during the first week back. The packet does not provide additional details about the legislation or a proposed board action associated with it.
Facilities and Compliance
State-Required Radon Testing
The superintendent reports that the district has not yet completed state-required radon testing and identifies July 1, 2027 as the deadline for having all buildings tested.
The packet outlines the district's planned response:
- The superintendent has contacted Energy Associates of Iowa for assistance.
- Two district employees are expected to attend training in Des Moines in October 2026.
- Testing is expected to occur in January or February 2027.
- Results would then be analyzed to determine whether mitigation is necessary.
- After the initial testing, the process must be repeated at least once every five years.
This information appears in the superintendent's report rather than as a separate action item.
Community and District Updates
The principal's report highlights Cruise with the Crew, scheduled for Monday, August 24, in partnership with the City of Correctionville and the Woodbury County Sheriff's Office. The event is planned to include an obstacle course for bikes, scooters and other people-powered wheels, safety education from the sheriff's office, and a free meal.
The report also recognizes elementary administrative assistant Jill Johnson for her work supporting students, families and staff and for managing PowerSchool across the district.
What to Watch at the Meeting
The most consequential formal action item is the proposed resolution setting a public hearing for the $15,100 Cushing bus barn property conveyance. Setting the hearing would advance the proposed sale to a later public process rather than finalize the transaction.
Beyond that action item, several longer-term district issues appear in administrative reports rather than as decisions scheduled for this agenda. These include the possible PreK–6 move to the Correctionville building, preliminary exploration of whole grade sharing, the district's financial reporting following completion of the Certified Annual Report in September, and the plan to complete state-required radon testing before the July 1, 2027 deadline.
