The Western Dubuque Community School District Board of Education will meet on June 8, 2026, for a regular session focused on routine district governance along with several decisions that could have long-term operational and financial significance. Among the most notable business items are the proposed purchase of land adjacent to Cascade Elementary School, approval of a new service agreement with Keystone AEA, designation of district bank depositories for the upcoming fiscal year, adoption of legislative priorities, and the purchase of 89 teacher laptops.
The consent agenda contains a substantial number of personnel changes, including multiple coaching resignations, instructional staffing changes, administrative appointments, and the hiring of a new assistant principal/activities director. These staffing decisions will affect classroom instruction, student activities, athletics, nursing services, preschool programming, and district library operations during the coming school year.
Financial matters also include acceptance of two community donations totaling $9,000, approval of several cooperative agreements with educational and health partners, and standard monthly financial reports. While many consent agenda items are routine, several contracts support regional purchasing, nursing education, teacher preparation, special education, and emergency transportation planning.
The meeting concludes with a proposed closed session for the superintendent's evaluation as permitted under Iowa Code 21.5(1)(i). Members of the public will also have an opportunity to address the board during the Open Forum before formal action begins.
Major Discussion and Action Items
Purchase of Land Adjacent to Cascade Elementary
One of the meeting's most significant action items is consideration of purchasing property adjacent to Cascade Elementary School. Although the packet text does not provide the purchase price or parcel details, acquiring land next to an existing school often supports future expansion, improved traffic circulation, additional recreational space, or other long-term campus planning. The board is expected to consider formal approval of the purchase during new business.
Approval of 89 Teacher Laptops
The board will consider purchasing 89 teacher laptops. This represents a significant technology investment intended to support instructional staff. While the extracted materials do not identify the vendor or purchase cost, replacing or expanding teacher technology can improve classroom instruction, curriculum delivery, communication, and operational efficiency across multiple school buildings.
Keystone AEA Service Agreement
Board members are scheduled to approve the 2026-2027 service agreement with Keystone AEA. Area Education Agencies provide Iowa school districts with specialized educational services, professional development, special education support, and instructional resources. Approval ensures these services remain available during the upcoming school year.
Legislative Action Priorities
The board will discuss legislative priorities, providing an opportunity to identify state-level education issues that the district believes deserve attention from Iowa policymakers. These priorities often influence advocacy efforts involving school funding, educational programs, student services, and operational flexibility. The packet does not specify the individual priorities under consideration.
Personnel Changes Across the District
The consent agenda includes numerous resignations and appointments involving teachers, coaches, administrators, librarians, nurses, and preschool staff. Major appointments include:
- Mark Ressler as Assistant Principal/Activities Director at Cascade Junior/Senior High School with a salary of $101,500.
- Emily Lucie as District Librarian at $57,108.25.
- Noah Day as Health Teacher at Drexler Middle School at $50,000.
- Hannah Kluesner as Preschool Teacher at Farley Elementary.
- Jessica Caldwell as School Nurse serving Epworth and Peosta Elementary Schools at $62,000.
- Several football and wrestling coaching appointments for middle school and junior high athletics.
The agenda also accepts numerous coaching and staff resignations, reflecting ongoing staffing transitions before the new academic year.
Community Donations and Partnership Agreements
The board will consider accepting a $5,000 donation from the Western Dubuque Band Parents to purchase a marching band tuba for Western Dubuque High School and a $4,000 donation from the Farley Elementary PTO to purchase four televisions and associated programming used for school announcements and photo displays. These gifts demonstrate continued community investment in district programs beyond taxpayer funding.
Cooperative Agreements Supporting District Operations
Several annual agreements are scheduled for approval, including:
- Broker of Record authorization with Gallagher Benefit Services.
- AEA Cooperative Purchasing Agreement for 2026-2027.
- University of Dubuque Nursing Program agreement.
- Clarke University Teacher Education Field Experience Agreement.
- Special education contracts with local education agencies.
- Emergency transportation agreement with Linn County Emergency Management Agency.
Collectively, these agreements support employee benefits, purchasing efficiencies, educator preparation, student services, and emergency planning.
Financial Matters
The packet includes the district's May financial reports and bills and claims for board approval, although detailed financial statements are not included in the extracted text.
Financial actions specifically identified include:
- Approval of district financial reports.
- Appointment of bank depositories for fiscal year 2026-2027.
- Purchase consideration for land adjacent to Cascade Elementary.
- Purchase of 89 teacher laptops.
- $5,000 donation from Western Dubuque Band Parents supporting a new marching band tuba.
- $4,000 donation from the Farley Elementary PTO supporting four display televisions and announcement programming.
- Employment contracts including:
- Assistant Principal/Activities Director — $101,500.
- District Librarian — $57,108.25.
- Health Teacher — $50,000.
- Preschool Teacher — $41,975.
- School Nurse — $62,000.
- Multiple athletic coaching stipends ranging from approximately $2,363 to $3,151.
Policies, Ordinances, Resolutions, and Governance
No second-reading policy revisions or resolutions are scheduled for approval during this meeting.
Governance actions instead focus on routine annual responsibilities, including naming official bank depositories for the coming fiscal year, establishing legislative priorities, and approving operational agreements with outside organizations. These decisions help define the district's financial management practices and relationships with partner organizations.
The agenda also schedules a closed session for the superintendent evaluation under Iowa Code 21.5(1)(i), consistent with Iowa's public meeting laws governing personnel evaluations.
The meeting includes several recurring informational reports:
- Principals' Reports providing updates from district schools.
- Superintendent's Report covering district-wide administration.
- Special Education Report addressing services and programming.
- Elementary Literacy Report discussing literacy instruction and student learning.
The extracted text lists these reports but does not include their detailed contents or supporting presentations.
Personnel, Appointments, and Organizational Matters
Personnel matters represent one of the largest sections of the meeting.
The board will review multiple resignations affecting teaching, library services, school nursing, preschool instruction, and numerous athletic coaching positions across Western Dubuque High School, Cascade Junior/Senior High School, Drexler Middle School, Epworth Elementary, Peosta Elementary, and Farley Elementary.
New appointments fill several of these vacancies while also strengthening instructional leadership, student services, health services, athletics, preschool programming, and district library operations. Together, these actions prepare the district's staffing structure for the upcoming school year.
Projects, Facilities, Infrastructure, and Operations
The most significant facilities item is the proposed purchase of land adjacent to Cascade Elementary, which could support future campus needs.
Technology operations are addressed through the planned acquisition of 89 teacher laptops.
Operational planning also includes:
- Annual cooperative purchasing participation.
- Emergency transportation coordination with Linn County Emergency Management Agency.
- Special education service agreements.
- University partnerships supporting nursing students and teacher education field experiences.
These operational agreements help maintain educational services while strengthening regional collaboration.
The meeting provides an Open Forum during which residents may address the Board of Education regarding comments, suggestions, or concerns.
Individuals wishing to speak who are not already on the agenda are instructed to contact Superintendent Mark Frasher no later than 30 minutes before the meeting. Speaking time will be limited equally among participants based on the number of speakers.
The agenda explains that while citizens may raise concerns during Open Forum, official board action generally requires an item to appear on a published agenda. The district also encourages residents to first work through teachers, building administrators, and the superintendent before bringing unresolved concerns to the board.
Students and families may benefit from updated classroom technology, continued educational partnerships, expanded staffing, enhanced literacy and special education support, and community-funded improvements to music and elementary school communication systems.
Employees are affected by hiring decisions, coaching assignments, administrative appointments, and annual operational agreements that support benefits, professional partnerships, and district services.
Taxpayers have an interest in the proposed land acquisition, technology purchases, financial oversight, and annual designation of district banking institutions.
Community organizations continue to play an active role through charitable donations that supplement district resources for student programs and school facilities.
- What long-term purpose will the land adjacent to Cascade Elementary serve?
- What is the estimated cost and funding source for purchasing the property?
- What specifications were used in selecting the 89 teacher laptops?
- What is the total cost of the laptop purchase, including implementation?
- What priorities will the district advocate during the legislative action discussion?
- How will Keystone AEA services support district goals during 2026-2027?
- What factors contributed to the number of coaching and staff resignations?
- How will new staffing assignments affect students during the upcoming school year?
- Are additional technology upgrades planned after this laptop purchase?
- What measurable outcomes are expected from the district's literacy and special education initiatives?
Important Dates, Deadlines, and Next Steps
- June 8, 2026: Regular Board of Education meeting at the Administrative Central Office in Farley beginning at 6:00 p.m.
- June 8, 2026: Board consideration of land purchase, Keystone AEA agreement, legislative priorities, bank depositories, and teacher laptop purchase.
- 2026-2027 School Year: Annual agreements with Keystone AEA, Gallagher Benefit Services, University of Dubuque, Clarke University, and cooperative purchasing organizations would become effective following approval.
- Meeting Conclusion: Closed session for the superintendent evaluation, followed by adjournment.
Key Takeaways
- The board will consider purchasing land adjacent to Cascade Elementary.
- Approval of 89 teacher laptops represents a major technology investment.
- Numerous personnel changes prepare the district for the next school year.
- A new assistant principal/activities director is recommended at a salary of $101,500.
- Community organizations donated a combined $9,000 for music and elementary school improvements.
- Multiple annual partnership agreements support purchasing, education, nursing, and emergency services.
- District financial reports and annual bank depositories are scheduled for approval.
- Legislative priorities will be discussed for future state advocacy.
- Reports on literacy, special education, school operations, and district leadership are scheduled.
- Residents may participate through the Open Forum before board action.
- The meeting concludes with a closed superintendent evaluation permitted under Iowa law.
Official Sources
About the Public Body
- Name: Western Dubuque County Community School District
- Organization type: school-district
- Government body: school-boards
- Location: Dyersville, iowa
- County: Dubuque County
- Provider: apptegy
Keywords
Western Dubuque Community School District, Board of Education, June 8 2026, Regular Session, Farley Iowa, Cascade Elementary, land purchase, Keystone AEA, teacher laptops, bank depositories, legislative priorities, personnel, coaching appointments, school nurse, district librarian, marching band, Band Parents, Farley Elementary PTO, literacy report, special education, superintendent report, Gallagher Benefit Services, cooperative purchasing, emergency transportation, University of Dubuque, Clarke University, Open Forum, superintendent evaluation
