Courier News

Courtesy of the 5-13-15 edition of Ida County Courier (www.idacountrycourier.com)

O-A/BC-IG commencement set for Sunday, May 17

O-A/BC-IG Commencement exercises for 77 Odebolt-Arthur/Battle Creek-Ida Grove seniors will be at 2 p. m. in the high school gymnasium.

The program will begin with prelude music and the processional “Pomp and Circumstance” performed by the O-A/BC-IG High School band, under the direction of Becky Maher.

Superintendent Dr. Nick Ouellette will welcome the audience.

Senior choir members will sing “Hold On to Your Dream” by J. Althouse. Linda Johnson will direct the choir.

O-A/BC-IG High School Principal Patrick Miller will present the seniors with their scholastic recognition awards and then recognize/address of the valedictorian and salutatorian.

Odebolt-Arthur Board President Traci Bengford and BC-IG School Board President Brian Riessen will distribute the diplomas.

Miller will present the graduates to the audience, followed by the recessional.

The seniors have chosen black, purple and silver for their class colors. The class lower is the white rose.  The class motto is “Our lives are before us, our past behind us, but our memories are forever within us.”  The class song is “Give Me Back My Hometown” by Eric Church.

This year’s graduates are Payton Allen, Tyler Andrews, ShelbyLynn Baker, Emily Beckman, Dustin Behrendsen, Jessica Behrens, Tristan Bengford, Journie Brown, Erin Burk, Connor Christiansen, Dalton Clausen and Eliot Clough.

Also, Jonathon Collins, Tyler Corbin, Katlyn Cowlham, Presley Cranston, Claudia Devitt, Alex Dewey, Anna Dewey, Zachary Ehrig, Nicholas Endrulat, Darian Ernst, Olivia Freese and Brice Gorden.

Also, Seth Gray, Jessica Gunderson, Cole Hammond, Anne Hao, Bailey Hare, Madison Hemer, Tanner Hemer, Jacob Henderson, Josie James, Kyle Knudsen, Austin Kolpin, Kent Krager and Hunter Lindgren.

Also, Jacob Luft, Corbyn Luke, Stephanie Maass, Thomas Mace, Karlie Mandernach, Cheyanne Marron, Toby Mason, Katie McKenzie, Hannah McLaughlin, Danielle Meyer, Emma Mullins, Amanda Nelson, Austin Neumayer, Brittany Pereira, Jonathon Peters and Alexandra Petersen.

Also, Samantha Prussing, Parker Rasmussen, Tyler Rehse, Ashley Reitz, Leslie Renze, Paige Roeder, Alex Rohlk, Anthony Sanchez, Aaron Sangpanjun and Danielle Schaeuble.

Also, Tasha Sharkey, Bethany Stangl, Wesley Swanger, Jacob Toben, Dane Treiber, Ethan Tromp, Elizabeth Verschoor, Brandon Ward, Nolan Warnke, Derrick Wessel, Cash Wilcke, Alex Wingert, Deandra Woebke and Keller Wunschel.


SCHOOL BOARD NEWS
. by BETH WOLTERMAN

The Battle Creek-Ida Grove and Odebolt-Arthur School Boards met in joint session on Monday in Odebolt.

Crystal Endrulat, Stephanie Konradi and Tony Bennett were absent from the BC-IG board and Pat Hoe ling was absent from the O-A board.

John Darveau of FRK Architects of West Des Moines presented design development plans for the new BC-IG Elementary addition and renovation. The BC-IG board reviewed the plans and gave permission to FRK Architects to begin work on construction documents.

The new addition will be 16,224 square feet with a fall 2016 projected completion. It includes a gymnasium with bleachers to seat 400, four classrooms, a small lex learning center, concession stand and small locker rooms. The renovation will include window replacements, window roller shades, cabinets and bookshelves, new sinks and a geothermal retro it.

The total project cost is estimated at $4.48 million, with a bid letting set for July 7. The architect said grading and footing work would begin this summer/fall, precasting would start around February and the projected completion date would be Aug. 1, 2016.

The board did ask for an alternate bid on two more classrooms for the project.

Also Monday, the BC-IG board approved the following resignations: Steve Brown from eighth grade basketball, Kaylyn Brightwell from special education and Kim Van Wert from high school Spanish. O-A approved the resignation of Alex Longnecker from K-8 music.

BC-IG contracts were approved for Randy Nieman for summer weight training and for Holly Nuetzman for elementary special education.

Open enrollments were approved for Alexis Sabin from O-A to East Sac and to Laney George from BC-IG to Galva-Holstein.

The board heard a language arts curriculum presentation from Heather Spetman and Dee Boger.

Both boards approved the revised whole-grade sharing agreement that is in effect from July 1, 2015, to June 30, 2016. This agreement shall automatically renew for one additional year on July 1, 2015, and shall renew annually for a one-year term in each subsequent year unless notice of termination is served by either party by Nov. 1 of the preceding fiscal year, with termination happening on the first day of the following fiscal year.

The boards approved the administration’s recommendation to increase administrative and noncertified staff salaries by 3 percent. Joey Hoe ling voted nay.

The BC-IG board approved a $2,000 contract with Certified Testing Services for soil testing on the elementary addition project.

Both boards approved a revised board policy regarding the school start date and school calendar. New legislation now requires that all Iowa school districts begin no earlier than Aug. 23 of each year. Waivers are no longer allowed to begin school earlier than the designated start date.

Both boards approved a contract with Western Iowa Tech (WIT) for Great Start concurrent enrollment courses for 2015-16.

Both boards approved a contract with WIT for concurrent enrollment courses for 2015-16. This is an annual contract with WIT for classes the district provides and teaches and students receive college credit.

Both boards approved student teaching contract with UNI for 2015-16, so the college can place student teachers in the districts next year. The administration has final approval prior to a student teacher being placed.

The O-A board approved the low bid of $29,800 for asbestos abatement from Bockmann, Inc. at the Odebolt building. The work will start after July 1 on the boilers and tunnels.

Both boards approved the 2015-16 fee schedule.

The BC-IG board approved an $18,600 bid from Nolte, Cornman and Johnson P. C. for audits for the next three years.

Tentative contract agreements with BC-IG and O-A Education Associations were approved. Joey Hoe ling voted nay. (See next week’s issue for details.)

Boards were scheduled to meet in a special closed session on Tuesday to review superintendent candidates. The districts have received a total of 13 applications and plans were to narrow the list to three or four finalists at the meeting. Interviews and tours are scheduled for May 19 and 20 in Ida Grove.

The next regular joint meeting will be June 8 at 6:30 p. m. at the BC-IG Elementary music room.