Meeting: 07/15/2026 - 07:00 AM July 15, 2026 - Regular Board Meeting Board Meeting-Regular Session
The July 15 packet includes a public hearing and proposed action on a stadium bleacher and press box project, a resolution that would place a Physical Plant and Equipment Levy (PPEL) continuation before voters, a large set of board policy revisions prompted by 2026 Iowa legislation, and the district's annual Emergency Operations Plan. District reports also include construction timelines, back-to-school dates, and an early-retirement policy discussion.
Key Items on the Agenda
Stadium Bleacher and Press Box Project
The board is scheduled to hold a public hearing on the Van Meter CSD Bleacher System and Press Box project. The project calls for a 15-row, 180-foot-long home bleacher system with an attached press box and an 8-row, 156-foot-long visitor bleacher system with an attached press box. The hearing provides an opportunity for comments or objections concerning the proposed plans, specifications, contract form, and estimated cost.
The district received one bid. Staff recommends awarding TownsEnd Company the following components:
- $828,500 for the home bleacher and 8-foot-by-60-foot press box.
- $52,800 for an alternate 10-foot-by-48-foot wider home press box.
- $446,715 for the visitor bleacher system and press box.
- The bid tab lists $1,275,215 for the two primary bid items and $1,328,015 when the press-box alternate is included.
Larson Engineering reviewed the bid and identified TownsEnd Company, also referenced as Southern Bleacher, as the apparent low bidder. The engineering firm reported satisfactory prior experience with the company's performance, workmanship, scheduling, and quality control.
PPEL Renewal and September Election
The board is scheduled to consider a resolution calling an election on continuation of the district's voter-approved Physical Plant and Equipment Levy (PPEL). The current voter-approved PPEL does not expire until June 2028, but the packet says an earlier extension is advised because of the possibility of borrowing against PPEL.
The proposed resolution would call an election for September 8, 2026. The ballot language would authorize the district for another 10 years to levy a voter-approved PPEL of up to $1.34 per $1,000 of assessed taxable property valuation, beginning with the levy collected for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2029.
The proposed ballot language identifies permitted uses including purchasing and improving grounds, construction and improvements to school buildings, technology and equipment, transportation equipment, energy-conservation projects, certain debt payments, libraries, and other legally authorized PPEL purposes.
Policy and Governance Items
Broad Policy Update Following 2026 Iowa Legislation
The board is scheduled to consider a substantial group of policy revisions tied to changes from the 2026 Iowa legislative session. The agenda recommends approval as recommended by the policy committee.
Among the proposed changes:
- Public meetings and records: Policy 210.05 would reflect revised public-notice requirements, while Policy 901 incorporates provisions addressing legal remedies for vexatious public-records requesters in limited circumstances.
- School board elections: Policy 201 reflects a change moving school board candidate filings from the district's board secretary to the county auditor.
- Eighth-grade athletics: Policy 504.06 includes optional language allowing eighth-grade students to participate in high-school interscholastic athletics under specified conditions. The packet includes proposed language involving a varsity head coach recommendation, Activities Director approval, and parent or guardian permission.
- Curriculum and counseling: Policies 603.01 and 607.01 reflect legislative changes affecting instructional-program language and requirements for developing school counseling programs.
- Physical education: Policy 603.06 incorporates a requirement concerning use of the Presidential Physical Fitness Test for students who are physically able, subject to implementation guidance described in the policy materials.
- Technology: Policy 605.04 and new Exhibit 605.04E1 address digital instruction and one-to-one devices. Draft language limits digital instruction for kindergarten through fifth grade to an amount not exceeding 60 minutes per school day, with the specific district limit still shown as a placeholder in the draft. The proposed framework also requires a technology-adoption checklist before adopting or renewing a one-to-one device program.
- Open enrollment: Policy 501.15 addresses updated reporting and eligibility provisions and includes language delegating certain open-enrollment approvals to the superintendent within board-approved parameters.
- Employee eligibility: Policy 401.01 incorporates employment-eligibility screening requirements.
- Gifted and talented programming: Policy 604.03 and new Regulation 604.03R1 establish uniform procedures for screening, identifying, and serving gifted and talented students.
- Student expression and religious exclusions: Policies 502.03 and 604.05 are being revised in response to legislation addressing protected student speech.
- Graduation: Policy 505.05 is listed for revision, with the agenda stating that graduation requirements for grades 9–12 will include meeting Work-Based Learning expectations.
The policy materials also identify Policy 603.04, Multicultural Gender Fair Education, and Policy 603.10, Global Education, as rescinded in the update package.
New Disruptive Behavior Policies
A significant portion of the policy package concerns new requirements for classroom disruptions. Proposed Policy 503.11 and Regulations 503.11R1 and 503.11R2 establish procedures for violent and nonviolent disruptive behavior, classroom removal, readmission, and students with Individualized Education Programs.
The materials include provisions that would:
- Allow teachers to remove students for defined nonviolent disruptions and require removal for defined violent disruptions.
- Require meetings between teachers and administrators before certain students return to the classroom.
- Require alternative learning arrangements for students removed from class.
- Establish additional procedures following repeated classroom removals.
- Require each attendance center to establish an oversight review committee for policies governing readmission after removal for nonviolent disruption.
- Provide specific procedures when a student with an IEP is removed for nonviolent disruptive behavior.
- Provide up to three days of paid physical-recovery leave for teachers injured by a student's violent disruption, with the board able to consider requests for additional recovery time when accompanied by a physician's note.
The proposed policies also address access to and review of IEP and Section 504 information by employees responsible for implementing student plans.
Early Retirement Policy Discussion
The superintendent's report includes a discussion of possible approaches to an early-retirement program. The packet identifies several questions for the board to consider, including affordability within short- and long-term management budgets, minimum age and years of district service, the number of participants, how frequently the program would be offered, insurance assistance, 403(b) arrangements, lump-sum payments, sick-leave payouts, and the length and structure of payments.
An attached draft draws from an earlier certified voluntary early-retirement policy. Among the terms appearing in that draft are:
- Eligibility beginning at age 55 with at least 10 complete years of continuous district service.
- A benefit equal to 40% of the employee's previous contract year's base contract for eligible certified employees and administrators.
- A potential unused sick-leave payment of $50 per day, with the certified-employee provision specifying up to 150 days.
- Monthly health-insurance assistance of $750 for eligible certified employees and $1,000 for eligible administrators, generally continuing until age 65, Medicare eligibility, or death.
- Payment of the 40% salary and sick-leave benefit over a four-year period.
These provisions appear in a draft based on an earlier policy, including dates and terms associated with prior program years. The agenda frames the July item as a discussion of options rather than a recommendation to adopt those terms as a new program.
Operations and School-Year Preparation
Construction and Summer Projects
The superintendent's report provides several target dates for ongoing summer work:
- South Gym floor sanding and painting had started, with completion expected the following week.
- Parking lot paving was targeted for July 24.
- Sidewalk completion was targeted for July 31.
- Occupancy was listed for August 1.
- Stairs were targeted for August 7.
Start of the 2026–27 School Year
The packet lists several upcoming school-year milestones:
- August 17: Teacher professional development begins.
- August 19 at 9:00 a.m.: Ribbon cutting/grand opening.
- August 20: Back to School Night.
- August 21: Fan Fest.
- August 24: First day of school.
Emergency Operations Plan
The board is scheduled to consider the 2026–27 Emergency Operations Plan. The packet says the plan requires annual approval and contains no changes, although the district is examining easier protocols to follow.
A copy is expected to be available at the meeting but, according to the packet, cannot be distributed. Staff recommends approval of the plan as presented.
Consent Agenda and Financial Items
The consent agenda includes June 17 meeting minutes, July bills, personnel transactions, contracts, and open-enrollment items. The packet notes that June 2026 financial statements are typically held until accruals are entered in July or August.
The July 2026 Bills report lists a total of $411,283.22. Larger individual entries in the report include $109,402.31 to Story Construction Co. for a project billing, $61,824.02 to GTG Construction, LLC for a pay application, $45,863.59 to Waukee Community School District for second-semester open enrollment, and $45,600.25 to SU Insurance for quarterly billing.
Personnel items list volunteer hirings for high school football and volleyball.
Waukee Athletic Participation Agreement
The consent agenda also includes continuation of an agreement with Waukee Community School District for participation in an athletic activity identified on the agenda as swimming. The attached agreement provides a framework allowing Van Meter students to participate in athletic activities offered by Waukee that are not otherwise available at Van Meter, subject to space availability.
Under the agreement, Van Meter pays Waukee for participating students based on annual expenses, while Van Meter determines transportation to and from Waukee. Students participating through the arrangement are subject to Waukee's applicable academic, disciplinary, and good-conduct requirements while participating in Waukee activities.
What to Watch at the Meeting
- Bleacher project scope and cost: The board has a public hearing followed by a separate action item on bids totaling as much as $1.328 million if both primary bid items and the wider home press-box alternate are selected.
- September PPEL ballot: The proposed resolution would send a 10-year, up-to-$1.34-per-$1,000 PPEL continuation to voters on September 8.
- Policy choices within the legislative update: The packet contains a large set of legally driven revisions, but some drafts also contain district choices or options, including language concerning eighth-grade athletics and technology use.
- Early retirement: The agenda calls for discussion of options, with cost, eligibility, participation limits, benefit structure, and timing among the questions identified for consideration.
- Construction deadlines: Several summer projects have target completion dates shortly before the August 24 first day of school.
The official public-body source for this packet is the Van Meter Community School District meeting page provided through Simbli.
Civic Translator summarized publicly available meeting materials.
