Staff members in the Wilton School District will receive a $250 bonus based on continued efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic. The measure, which will cost $34,986.25, was approved at the May 13 school board meeting.
All staff that qualifies for bonus payments will receive the extra $250 in June. “We felt the staff has gone above and beyond with all that has needed to be done. We felt the need to give a bonus,” said Board President Linda Duncan.
The board also approved the sale of approximately $2.25 million in school infrastructure revenue bonds for use on the high school gym commons project that has already started on the south side of the gymnasium. Triple B Construction is doing the early excavation work. School Business Official Staci Owens-Kirkman said that the bond issue would actually come in around $2.1 million with the remaining roughly $650,000 coming from Townsend Foundation funding on-hand already. The Townsend Foundation will also fund the project with annual contributions, coupled with the school district planning to pay the interest through the duration of the bond.
Wilton Bank office of DeWitt Bank & Trust and Community Bank & Trust were the winning bidders, and will split the amount, at just more than $1 million each, at a rate of 2.5 percent.
Administrative reports
High School Principal Marc Snavely noted that the school’s senior awards night was streamed live on Facebook May 13, due to not being able to gather amid the COVID-19 pandemic. He said seniors also visited the school one-at-a-time May 13 to turn in their school-issued laptops, receive their cap and gowns, and all items collected from their lockers. They were also treated to root beer floats.
On May 6, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds made a proclamation outlining that students will be academically eligible in the fall at the start of the next school year. Snavely did note that around 50 packets were hand-delivered to students who were near or under the 50 percent mark needed to pass for the second semester.
Materials from students in grades 7-11 will be collected May 26-28.
Graduation is still set for July 12 at 2 p.m. A virtual ceremony and parade will be held if social distancing guidelines are still in place.
Elementary Principal Denise Austin said there has been a great support system among parents in the district who have been helping their children with schooling at home. Voluntary schooling will be done May 22 and materials left in the school will be delivered to students May 26-28.
Austin also said that there are currently 71 students signed up for kindergarten next year and that pre-K numbers were around 41.
Superintendent Joe Burnett noted that the district’s Return to Learn plan is due to the state by July 1 in order to lay out parameters of restarting school in the fall.
Miscellany
In other action, the school board:
* Approved the resignation of Abby Turley, high school social studies teacher.
* Reviewed policies 802.1; 802.2; 802.3; 802.4; 802.4R1; 802.4R2; 802.5; 802.6; 802.7; and 802.8.
* Approved the list of 52 graduating seniors for the class of 2020.
* Approved the 2020-2021 sharing agreement with Muscatine Community College and the West Liberty School District for the career and college counselor position.
* Approved the 2020-2021 classified staff salary package increase at an average of 3.33 percent.
* Approved the classified staff summary of benefits for 2020-2021.
* Approved reading curriculum purchases from Heinemann in Portsmouth, New Hampshire at a cost of $23,881.94.
* Approved the 2020-2021 cooperative student teaching agreement with St. Ambrose University.
The board went into closed session for a performance review of Superintendent Burnett. No action was taken upon re-entering open session. Board members Duncan, Jeremy Lies, Tara Oien and Tim Barrett were present virtually. Member Rob Metzger was absent. A special meeting will be held May 27 at 5 p.m. and the next regular meeting will be held June 10 at 5:30 p.m.