HCSD Board of Education swears in new member

HARLAN — The October school board meeting took place on Monday, October 21, 2024, at 5:00 PM in the Harlan Community High School Board Room, filling the chairs with administrators, some Student Council representatives, and new board member appointment, Pete Sorensen.
Board member Jade Albertsen started with the school Wellness Committee’s efforts to promote healthy habits with the theme, “Join the Fun, Cut Down by One.” The campaign encourages students and families to reduce screen time by one hour daily through October. At the month’s end, the committee will launch The Power of Parents, focusing on building healthier routines at home. Anne Heithoff, head of the Wellness Committee, is working to create pamphlets that raise awareness and continue conversations following the presentations from Dr. Douglas Gentile, who came to speak last August.
Student Council representatives Grant Peterson and Landon Nihsen reported a successful Homecoming week, highlighted by fundraisers that raised about $3,000—thanks in part to the popular “Pie a Teacher” event. The council plans to allocate a portion of the funds to help pay off negative lunch balances and sponsor dinners for the upcoming parent-teacher conferences. They are also working on plans for an informal winter dance to follow a basketball game.
“It was a great week for homecoming. They had a number of committees, and this group and the way they had it planned was so great. The idea of Student Council is to push it to be a student-led organization. Every piece of it was truly run by students,” shared high school principal Casey Ring.
While facility construction remains on schedule, with most windows installed and concrete paths poured, Dr. Barnett expressed frustrations with the furniture vendor, Workspace. The original sales representative recommended has since resigned from the company, and the transaction has not been smooth. To stay on track, the district purchased the first phase of high school furniture, but is now exploring new vendors and installation options.
In student accolades, elementary students are gaining life skills through a special education-run lemonade stand. Mr. Moser took PE classes fishing and introduced 5th graders to the Myrtue Wellness Center. At the middle school, video production students are using Canva to develop multimedia projects and learning responsible social media use, both in and out of class.
In the high school, an authentic learning class is using a laser cutter to design door signs with teacher names and numbers for installation after renovation. Through a grant, an exciting new CDL simulator, created in partnership with Iowa Western Community College, is now available, with several students on the waitlist to earn their certification at age 18.
Before the action items, the board voted and swore in Pete Sorensen to fill in Jennifer Anderson’s seat. Anderson, who had just been appointed on the board in November of 2023, made a move with her family that put her outside the district line. Sorensen, a local business owner with children in the district, took the oath of office, filling the empty seat.
With the board now complete, members addressed personnel changes. Lee Berkley, the high school and middle school nurse, announced her resignation, effective at the semester’s end, to accept a position at Denison Hospital. While the district will miss her, they are pleased for her new opportunity. The district is also actively seeking a new softball coach and a part-time associate. With the softball coach position turning over annually for the past three years, the board discussed potential incentives to attract qualified candidates and prioritize filling the role.
The board reviewed a proposal for an early retirement incentive, offering a $15,000 package to up to five eligible teachers. The initiative aims to give human resources a head start in recruiting new staff and filling key positions. Board member Albertsen, who has been known in the past to question whether other incentives could be more effective for teacher shortages, voted in favor of the retirement incentive that has shown to help fill spots for the district.
The board reviewed a change order for facility upgrades, focusing on improvements to the fire alarm systems and expanded telecommunications. With the project about halfway through, the budget remains on track, with approximately $500,000 left from the original $930,000 contingency fund.
The board approved additional allowable growth for excess costs in the English Learner (EL) program, as enrollment increased from 34 to 54 students, prompting the addition of staff and resources. They also approved the 2024-25 Lau Plan, which outlines support for EL students, with ongoing discussions with nearby districts like Atlantic to share strategies and resources.
Policy reviews were conducted, with minor updates to graduation requirements and attendance protocols. New attendance laws and guidelines aim to improve communication between teachers and families to ensure students are in school to obtain their education.