Latest news with #CommunitySchoolDistrict
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Four-day school week 'went fantastic' says Saydel Superintendent
DES MOINES, Iowa — The Saydel Community School District started looking into the possibility of a four-day school week three years ago, and this Wednesday marked the end of the school year with the first time applying that theory. There are 18 school districts in the state that have converted to a four-day school week. For Saydel, the two major goals were mental well-being and retention of quality staff. As a smaller school district surrounded by giants in the metro, something needed to change to appeal to potential teachers. 'We want to make sure that we retain our people and keep them here for longer to make a larger impact. And then obviously, you know, if we can't attract top talent, that becomes a problem as well,' said Todd Martin, Superintendent of Saydel Community School District. 'At the beginning of the summer in 2024, there were 25 full-time positions needing to be filled. Fast forward to this year, there are only 13 positions needing to be filled. For Martin, that indicates the four-day week is working.' DMPS selling student-run radio station KDPS 88.1 FM 'And in the past before that, years ago, it was nothing to have, you know, 30 new staff members. So you can see 13 is a dramatic decrease in new people to our district, which means we can spend more time on further developing people that are currently here,' said Martin. Martin added that there are 15-20 people applying for each position and people are cold calling about those jobs. That has not happened during his tenure as superintendent. The district plans on doing the four-day weeks for the next two years, with Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays off. More data will be collected about attendance, staff retention, and impact on academics. The district did a district-wide survey in the fall and the spring to see what students, staff, and parents/guardians had to say. On the academic side, Martin said that the results show in just one year on the Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress tests. There was an increase in scores which means, to the administration, something is working. '…10% increase is fantastic across the board as a district. Our elementary saw the greatest gains, which was really awesome,' said Martin. 'Matter of fact, we look for them to really show great improvements on the report card this year. As for our middle school and high school we did wee quite a few pockets of excellence beginning to grow, which is very promising. The way I explain this to anybody that asks is all the arrows are pointing in the right direction, and now it's just about maintaining that consistently over time to continue to move towards comprehensive improvement as a district.' Martin said schools have reached out inquiring about the four-day weeks, asking what works and what doesn't. He expects there to be even more school districts next year adopting this calendar. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
North Scott Community Schools receive $15K grant for manufacturing education
The North Scott Community School District is bolstering its commitment to manufacturing education. 'We feel like we are doing a wonderful job placing students into the building trade, the different skills trade, the manufacturing within the Quad Cities because there is a huge need, and a huge opportunity for students after they graduate here,' said David Linnenbrink, North Scott's industrial technology teacher. The school district received a $15,000 grant from the Gene Haas Foundation. 'We're just super excited for the opportunities that our students are going to have,' Linnenbrink said. The grant will be used for scholarships ranging between $500 and $2,500 for technology training and machining-based engineering programs. 'A lot of the baby boomers are retiring and getting older so we know we need to fill those occupations and build a pipeline to fill those machinist jobs,' Linnenbrink said. North Scott's machinist program is relatively new, with about 10 students, while the high school's welding program has about 80 students. 'I don't know if they are as educated about the opportunities in the machining area, or welding, or manufacturing engineering,' Linnenbrink said. 'We are really excited to continue to promote this program, and then recruit them into the program, and get them into those classes and obviously get them placed into businesses that support that pipeline in the Quad Cities. It's in dire need of machinists.' Over at Jewell Group, North Scott senior Aidan McLaughlin is working a machinist apprenticeship. He looks forward to the impact the grant has on North Scott. 'I feel like that will be very good for us, as a school, because that will bring in a lot more kids because they will have more machinery to actually get their hands on in the shop at the all about setting up current Lancers for future success,' McLaughlin said. '(The grant will) expand upon the opportunities our students have right now, and this is a good way to build and expand upon the machining program,' Linnenbrink said. The North Scott Community School District has two years to use the money. It still can apply for the grant every year. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Iowa Supreme Court: District didn't defame ex-West High tennis coach by posting meeting video
The Iowa Supreme Court upheld the dismissal of a defamation and breach of contract lawsuit from a former West High School tennis coach, concluding a three-year legal battle. Anne Villarini filed a lawsuit in 2022 against the Iowa City Community School District, arguing that the district enabled defamatory comments by two former students. The comments were published in meeting minutes and broadcast in a video of the meeting from April 2022 on the district's board website and YouTube channel. Villarini, who joined the West High tennis program in 2013, requested "on many occasions" that the school district remove the video and redact the meeting minutes, claiming that the comments and video were defamatory. More: Iowa City West High tennis coach sues district, calling comments at school board meeting defamatory Villarini also argued that the district wrongfully terminated her and breached the contract terms. She was hired on a series of one-year contract extensions during each tenure, according to court filings. A Johnson County District Court judge initially granted "summary judgment" to the Iowa City district and dismissed Villarini's lawsuit. In November 2024, the state Court of Appeals denied Villarini's appeal. The Iowa Supreme Court agreed with the lower courts on Friday, May 16, upholding the dismissal and writing that the school is protected by "fair-report privilege." The principle often protects the news media from legal repercussions when it reports on defamation during a public meeting. "Applying the fair-report privilege to public school board meetings adds scaffolding to our open-government structure," Iowa Supreme Court Judge Samuel Langholz wrote in the opinion. "Shielding those that err on the side of transparency by drafting thorough minutes or posting unabridged videos." More: Federal judge grants injunction in Iowa student visa case, halting possible deportation By publishing the meeting video, the court ruled that the Iowa City Community School District was "fairly and accurately relay(ing) statements made during open, official proceedings." The court said the fair-report privilege "furthers the public's interest" by allowing residents to make their own judgments about meetings, school board decisions and board members without having to attend the meeting. During the comment period from the meeting in question in April 2022, a then-Iowa City West High School student described a 15-second experience where Villarini allegedly "touched (her) inappropriately" on her back and thighs and said "inappropriate things." She and another student were critical of how the district handled the alleged situation. "The district made clear to me that my feelings do not matter," the student said, referencing a district investigation and report that preceded the comments. That report confirmed that some of the alleged actions, which included "unwanted physical contact," favoritism, retaliation, and insensitivity, did happen. The district determined that the accusations didn't amount to "incident contact" and were "not violative of any ICCSD policy," according to the Johnson County District Court judge's 2023 ruling. More: Iowa Legislature ends 2025 session with no action on property taxes. Here's what happened: The report cautioned Villarini to "refrain from touching players as much as reasonably possible." Villarini remained the coach of the girls' tennis team after the report was released. Villarini was placed on administrative leave in 2022, the day after the two students spoke at the board meeting. Villarini said the decision was a "knee-jerk" reaction. She received full compensation under the terms of her contract, according to the Iowa Supreme Court. More: Despite a sudden closure 6 months ago, the Sanctuary Pub is reopening under new ownership In her claim for breach of contract, Villarini wrote that Iowa has a public policy to protect 'against school employees being forced out of their jobs by angry parents and students making wild, unfounded allegations for the purpose of ousting that employee.' The Iowa Supreme Court agreed with the district court, which said the claim failed because Villarini did not reference a "clearly defined public policy." Ryan Hansen covers local government and crime for the Press-Citizen. He can be reached at rhansen@ or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @ryanhansen01. This article originally appeared on Iowa City Press-Citizen: Supreme Court upholds dismissal of West High coach's defamation suit
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Sioux City student artwork featured at Southern Hills Mall
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU) — More than 1,000 pieces of original student artwork will be on display at Sioux City's Southern Hills Mall starting Friday evening. The annual display, titled ArtWorks, comes from the Sioux City Community School District. The pieces on display will represent all of the district's schools, along with students from every level from transitional kindergarten through 12th grade. Sioux City Railroad Museum to hold grand re-opening event The display will be near the Barnes and Noble location in the mall. It will be on display from 5 to 8 p.m. on Friday, May 2; from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday, May 3 and from noon to 4 p.m. on Sunday, May 4. The display is free to view. It aims to showcase and celebrate district students' achievements in art, and help give community members a better understanding of art education within the district. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Gov. Kim Reynolds signs statewide ban on cellphones in class
Mike McGrory, left, superintendent of the Ottumwa Community School District, thanked Gov. Kim Reynolds as she signed into law a bill setting a statewide minimum ban on cellphones during instructional time at public K-12 schools. (Photo by Robin Opsahl/Iowa Capital Dispatch) Starting in the 2025-2026 school year, public Iowa K-12 school districts will be required to set policies that, at minimum, ban the use of cellphones during class time under a law signed by Gov. Kim Reynolds Wednesday. The ban on cellphones during instructional periods was one of the governor's top priorities heading into the 2025 legislative session. At a ceremony signing the measure into law, Reynolds said House File 782 will help improve Iowa students' learning and mental health. 'Smartphones and other digital devices have made information, media and entertainment immediately available at any time, any place, and this level of connectivity has changed the way that we live, learn and communicate,' Reynolds said. 'And while the positive impacts are undeniable, we can't ignore that our phones can also be a source of constant distraction in our daily lives, whether at home or at work or, especially for our kids, at school.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Reynolds cited a Pew Research Center survey that found 72% of high school teachers say students being distracted by cellphones is a major problem in their classroom. Data also shows policies limiting cellphones and other personal electronic devices have a positive impact on student outcomes, Reynolds said, pointing to statistics on higher grades and lower disciplinary rates at Iowa schools that have already put cellphone policies in place. The Ottumwa Community School District, which implemented a cellphone ban for the entire school day starting in the current school year, saw a 12% increase in A and B grades and a 60% decrease in failing grades for 8-12 students compared to the first semester of the previous year. Additionally, the district saw a 20% decrease in referrals for behavior issues. Mike McGrory, superintendent of the Ottumwa Community School District, said 'Ottumwa schools this year experienced firsthand how powerful a bell-to-bell cellphone policy can be,' and said the new law will help other schools across the district see improved learning and engagement with students. 'The results, as the governor was alluding to, far exceeded our expectations,' McGrory said. 'They were truly profound … by eliminating those learning distractions for our students, it allowed the following three things: (for) our students to refocus on their learning, focus on their mental health, and also — this is so important — with building meaningful face-to-face relationships with each other.' The Ottumwa school district's policy of no cellphone use for the entire school day is a higher standard than what would be required under the new law. School boards are required to set a ban on cellphone use during class times by July 1, but have discretion on whether to restrict devices during other periods of the school day. The Iowa Department of Education is required to develop and distribute a model policy for use as boards develop their own policies. The law requires that cellphone bans include exceptions, such as for students who are English Second Language (ESL) learners or who have an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or 504 plan that involves accommodations using a cellphone or other personal electronic device. Parents will also be allowed to petition a school district for their child to retain access of their cellphone during class periods, if they establish a 'legitimate' reason related to a student's mental or physical health that requires the device to be readily available. Gabe Polich, a senior at Des Moines Hoover High School, also spoke on the measure, saying that he has seen improved grades as a result of not using his cellphone in class. Hoover High School implemented a ban on cellphones during class at the beginning of the 2024-2025 school year, which Reynolds said resulted in a 14% increase in A and B grades, a 12% decrease in students' failure rate and decrease of out-of-school suspensions by 60%. Polich said he is less distracted in class and that students are happier in school because of the ban. 'I wasn't happy they were taking away our cellphones,' Polich said. 'But now I can see that it's really improved our school.' Reynolds joked 'my grandchildren weren't very happy with me either' when she brought up the school cellphone ban, but that the measure will help other students like Polich learn and be more engaged in schools with the policy in place. The governor said she believes the policy will help Iowa schools and students while including important provisions addressing concerns about students' lack of access to phones. This includes the provisions allowing exceptions, as well as requiring schools update their safety and emergency plans, with guidance from the state departments of Education and Public Safety, to account for communications needs during these situations. Reynolds also thanked lawmakers for their efforts getting the bill to her desk, saying she was happy to see it pass through the Legislature with bipartisan support. 'I think it's a great example of how we can come together to support simple, common sense solutions that can make an overwhelmingly positive difference,' Reynolds said. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
