Riverside Comm School District Packet Summary — 2026-08-19
Meeting: 08/19/2026 - 06:30 PM Riverside Community School District Regular Board of Education Meeting Board Meeting
Scheduled time: 6:30 PM
Location: Riverside Carson Elementary School — Media Center, 330 Pleasant Street, Carson, Iowa 51525
The Riverside Comm School District Board of Education is scheduled to consider personnel, facilities, financial, student-representation, consortium, and policy matters. The agenda also includes discussion of class sizes and classroom-space policy, along with presentations on the start of the 2026–2027 school year.
Key Items on the Agenda
Class Sizes and Classroom Space
The board is scheduled to discuss class sizes for the start of the 2026–2027 school year. Board Policy 606.1 calls for annual review of class sizes and places responsibility on the superintendent to make recommendations based on factors including district finances, staffing levels and qualifications, and other considerations relevant to the board.
The board will also review Policy 606.06 on insufficient classroom space. The policy provides for case-by-case determinations using factors such as grade level, educational programming, available licensed staff, student-teacher ratios, physical space, facilities, district finances, special-education requirements, sharing agreements, and other relevant conditions.
Literacy Leadership Team Contracts
The consent agenda includes proposed 2026–2027 Literacy Leadership Team contracts connected to the Comprehensive Literacy State Development Grant and Riverside's Local Literacy Plan.
- The K–2 team would include Kyley Henningsen and Jalie Ravlin. The agreement calls for approximately 100–130 hours of leadership work beyond the regular contracted teacher year, including curriculum review and evaluation of Science of Reading-aligned instructional materials. Each K–2 team member would receive a $4,300 stipend.
- The grades 3–12 team would include Kara Plagman, Ashley Houser, Callie Kallsen, and Ronda Long-Birdsall. Their agreement anticipates approximately 75–90 hours of additional leadership work, with a $3,500 stipend for each member.
- Both agreements include literacy leadership meetings, professional learning, learning walks, data review, support for instructional materials, and building-level leadership responsibilities.
Student Representatives to the Board
The board is scheduled to consider approving student representatives for the 2026–2027 school year. The packet recommends selecting two to three Student Council representatives, who would attend the next board meeting.
Reconsideration Committee
The board is also scheduled to approve members of the district's reconsideration committee for 2026–2027. The packet describes a six-member structure consisting of a licensed employee, teacher-librarian, administrator, and three community members, with the respective appointments made by the superintendent or board as specified by policy.
Major Financial and Facility Items
$9,872 High School Compressor Replacement
Staff recommends replacing a faulty compressor in a Valent air-conditioning unit at Riverside Community School District High School for $9,872. The proposal from Rasmussen Mechanical Services calls for removing and replacing the compressor on circuit A, evacuating and recharging the circuit, and starting and checking the unit after the repair.
The quoted $9,872.00 covers the equipment, materials, tools, labor, supervision, and services identified in the proposal. Sales tax is not included, and the proposal notes that additional repairs could generate a follow-up quote if other problems are identified once the circuit is operating.
District Tax Rate
The board is scheduled to consider approval of the district's overall tax rate for the 2026–2027 school year. This item returns after the July meeting, when the board's prior minutes state that action was tabled until the rate was finalized.
The August packet includes a final state aid and levy/tax certification program summary as supporting material. The agenda text itself does not state the proposed overall tax-rate figure.
Bank Depositories
The board is scheduled to approve bank depositories for the 2026–2027 school year. The supporting depository document lists the following maximum amounts:
- Arbor Bank — $15,000,000
- PMA Financial Network (ISJIT) — $6,500,000
- First Interstate Bank — $5,000,000
- Rolling Hills Bank & Trust — $5,000,000
- TS Bank — $3,000,000
- Midstates Bank — $2,000,000
The supporting document is headed "Depository Banks – 2025-2026," while the August agenda identifies the action item as approval of depositories for the 2026–2027 school year.
July Financial Reports
The consent agenda includes the July 2026 financial report, bank reconciliation, activity fund report, revenue report, and expenditure report.
The district's July financial report shows total ending balances of $2,894,962.06 across the listed funds, compared with beginning balances totaling $3,476,965.10. The report records $1,800,713.32 in receipts during the month, along with accounts-payable, payroll, and other activity.
Agreements and District Operations
Facility Use Request Returns After Being Tabled
The board is scheduled to reconsider a facility-use request that was tabled at the July meeting while additional details were gathered. The agenda states that Trevor Gipple is seeking use of the softball field and batting cage to give lessons to Riverside athletes from August 2026 through August 2027.
The supporting facility-use agreement establishes conditions for scheduling, facility priority, insurance, liability, maintenance, security, and other requirements associated with use of district property.
Child Saving Institute Consortium Agreement
The board is scheduled to consider a 2026–2027 consortium agreement involving the Child Saving Institute, formerly referenced on the agenda as Children's Square.
The agreement establishes a jointly administered instructional arrangement for participating school districts whose students use programs at the Child Saving Institute's Herbert J. Lavigne Learning Center and Heartland Family Service's Therapeutic School. These programs provide specialized educational services, including programming for students with behavioral, emotional, and special-education needs.
Council Bluffs Community School District would serve as host and fiscal agent. Member districts remain responsible for their resident students' educational obligations, including special-education responsibilities, and would be billed for applicable program costs under the agreement.
Milk and Bread
The board is scheduled to act on milk and bread arrangements for 2026–2027. The agenda states that Anderson Erickson has been awarded the dairy bid and that the district will continue using Martin Brothers for bread.
The Anderson Erickson bid is based on July 2026 pricing and includes an escalator provision allowing prices to change with milk-market and supplier costs.
Riverside Rodeo
Staff recommends continuing to recognize Riverside Rodeo as a school-related activity. The item appears on the agenda for board action.
Farm Account Authority
The board is scheduled to consider transferring authority for the district's Farm Account to Mason Geer, grades 7–12 agriculture teacher, and the board president. The packet recommends approval of the transfer.
Level 2 Investigator
The agenda includes proposed approval of the Pottawattamie County Sheriff's Department as the district's Level 2 investigator under Board Policy 402.3R(1).
Personnel and Consent Agenda
The broader consent agenda includes prior meeting minutes, bills and claims, July financial reports, and personnel matters. Staff recommends approval of the consent agenda as presented, although individual items may be removed for separate discussion and action.
Personnel items include:
- Literacy Leadership Team contracts for six staff members.
- Fall/winter coaching and activity assignments, including Jason Armstrong for head junior-high football, Ben Arrowsmith for junior-high basketball, Kayla Harris for high-school Student Council, and Brooke Flathers for junior-high Student Council.
- A proposed 1/8 addition to Jamie Meek's base contract because she will teach third-grade science and lose her preparation period.
- Proposed hiring of Saedy Cope and Yezabella Terwilliger as special-education paraprofessionals for 2026–2027.
- Acceptance of George Volz's resignation as coach/sponsor for Riverside Sports Television.
- Acceptance of Saedy Cope's resignation from her kitchen position as she moves to a paraprofessional position within the district.
- Acceptance of Kayla Harris's resignation from junior-high girls basketball coaching.
Policy and Governance
First Reading — Five-Year Policy Review
A group of policies is presented for introduction and review as part of the district's five-year policy-review process. The agenda specifically identifies this stage as no action required.
First-reading drafts include policies or related documents addressing the substance-free workplace, licensed employee organization affiliation, early retirement, bereavement leave, political leave, jury-duty leave, classified employee professional-purposes leave, and classified employee unpaid leave.
Second Reading — Legislative and IASB Updates
A much larger group of policies is scheduled for a second reading/board hearing, also identified as no action required at this meeting. The packet explains that updates reflect both scheduled policy review and changes arising from Iowa's 2026 legislative session.
Topics include:
- Public meeting notice requirements.
- Board elections.
- Equal employment opportunity and employee eligibility screening.
- Open enrollment.
- Student expression and free speech.
- Student conduct and disruptive behavior.
- Special-education procedures.
- Student activities and athletic participation.
- Physical education.
- Gifted and talented screening and programming.
- Technology and instructional materials.
- Student guidance and counseling.
- Medication administration.
- Public records.
- Responsible technology use and social networking.
Among the proposed additions are new policies or regulations addressing disruptive student behavior and uniform procedures for gifted and talented programming. The packet also identifies proposed rescission of Policy 603.04 on Multicultural Gender Fair Education and Policy 603.10 on Global Education as part of the policy update materials.
Third and Final Reading — Action Required
Another policy group has reached its third and final reading and is scheduled for board approval. The packet proposes rescinding several existing policies that are not based on Iowa Association of School Boards sample policy, including:
- 902.5 — Students and the News Media
- 902.6 — Employees and the News Media
- 905.4 — Community Use of School District Buildings and Sites for Private Profit
- 905.5 — Sunday Use of District Buildings and Sites
The final-reading materials also include updates to policies governing the treasurer, fund transfers, financial records, fiscal management, debt management, investments, purchasing and bidding, public-purpose expenditures, financial reporting, records, technology and data security, community groups, public conduct on school premises, transportation in private vehicles, facility use, and district operations during public emergencies.
The materials include new or substantially revised provisions related to federal-funds compliance and employee time-and-effort reporting. These provisions address internal controls, procurement, documentation, reporting, and the allocation of salaries and benefits charged to federal programs.
Start of the 2026–2027 School Year
The presentation portion of the meeting includes introduction of new staff and an update from Superintendent Alynn Coppock.
The superintendent's packet update highlights several upcoming dates:
- August 19: New-student and sixth-grade orientation at 6:00 PM at the middle/high school.
- August 21: Open House/Welcome Back Conferences.
- August 24: Students begin school at 8:10 AM; early dismissal is scheduled.
- August 25: Another early-dismissal day.
- August 26: Wednesday PLC dismissal schedule.
- August 27: First full day of school.
- August 31: Preschool begins.
The superintendent's update also identifies several facility projects, including mud jacking near the donor wall, electricity for the greenhouse, review of bids for middle/high-school curb repairs, and consideration of replacing two commercial water heaters at the middle/high school.
Homecoming
The packet lists 2026 Homecoming for September 14–18, with related events including:
- September 16 — Coronation at MHS at 7:00 PM.
- September 17 — Hall of Fame induction ceremony at MHS at 2:30 PM.
- September 18 — Pep rally at MHS at 9:00 AM.
- September 18 — Parade in Carson at 2:00 PM.
- September 19 — Homecoming dance at the Oakland Community Center from 8:00–10:00 PM.
Public Participation
The agenda includes an Open Forum under Board Policy 215R. District residents may address the board about district programs and activities that are not on the agenda, while people wishing to speak about an agenda item may do so when recognized by the presiding officer.
The packet states that comments are generally limited to five minutes. It also notes that board members will likely not respond during Open Forum but may refer matters to the administration for further study and recommendation.
What to Watch at the Meeting
Several items involve decisions or reviews that could carry forward into district operations during 2026–2027:
- How the board evaluates class sizes and whether any conditions raise concerns under the district's insufficient-classroom-space policy.
- Whether the board authorizes the $9,872 high-school HVAC compressor replacement.
- Action on the finalized 2026–2027 district tax rate, which was tabled at the prior meeting pending finalization.
- Whether the previously tabled softball-field and batting-cage facility-use request moves forward.
- Board action on student representatives, the reconsideration committee, consortium participation, and other operational agreements.
- Final action on the third-reading policy package, alongside continued review of the extensive second-reading policy updates stemming in part from 2026 Iowa legislation.
The official public-body source for this packet is the Riverside Comm School District meeting page provided through Simbli.
Official Meeting Source URL:
https://simbli.eboardsolutions.com/SB_Meetings/ViewMeeting.aspx?S=100110&MID=32370
Public body's meeting/document listing page:
https://simbli.eboardsolutions.com/SB_Meetings/SB_MeetingListing.aspx?S=100110
Provider: simbli
Provider Meeting ID: simbli-32370
Civic Translator summarized publicly available meeting materials.
