by Mari Radtke
South O’Brien is recognizing bullying prevention in both the elementary building and in the JH/HS building with a variety of teaching methods to help students recognize what the behavior is and when and how to report the problem. Jean Steen, elementary principal explained that the first effort is to define to students what actual bullying is. The elementary staff is also outlining prevention and documentation procedures. She noted to the just quorum South O’Brien School Board on Monday September 16, the definition: repetitive after adult reporting.
Messages and color coordination are part of the messaging planned during October. Other activities include “Buddy Groups” pairing older students with younger students. October 15th is “World Kindness Day” and features several special activities. Field trips for career readiness have been arranged. Band signup for 5th and 6th grade students was held the same night as the board meeting. Steen reports a large number of students are planning to participate. “High-five Friday” has begun. Much of the remodeling in the Primghar building is complete except the gym. It is well underway but work will continue into October. Mrs. Mews displayed a collaborative art project at the school entrances that creates a nice extra feature.
JH/HS principal Denise Phillips explained that the bully prevention efforts will take place during homeroom and focus on what bullying is. Much of the activities is teachers choice and includes color coordination to show unity and reporting procedures.
Seventh grade orientation is a new project conducted at South O’Brien Junior High. She arranged for the 8th grade students to create a panel to talk with the incoming 7th graders. ACT prep will be held one time at South O’Brien this year. A spring prep will be available off campus for students wishing to participate.
Already this school year, students have taken diagnostics tests. Those showed a need for vocabulary and comprehension interventions, according to Phillips. Those interventions are set up for the 8th grade students. I-Ready show interventions for math.
School Business Officer Aaron Giese reported that the 2024 fiscal year is closed. He pointed out to the board that Wiltgen Brothers, school construction contractors have $2 million in invoices for the month.
Superintendent Wade Riley reported that the enrollment is currently stable. The certified count is in October for state funding figures.
He went on to outline projects of the facilities outside of the major construction projects. Two projects that rose to the top of the list from a recent board workshop was replacement of the boiler steam pipes in the Primghar building and possibly windows at the Paullina building. Both projects look to be costly enough to require bids for each. Three bids for the steam pipe project have been received. One of the bids was an outlier, another didn’t give enough information to make a good comparison. Although the project looks to be in the $300,000 range. The item was tabled in favor of getting a more complete bid for board for selection. These projects will be paid for from PPEL or SAVE funds which will not increase costs to the taxpayer.
A public notice will be published about the sale of Series 2024 bonds for South O’Brien. According to Riley, there is a limited time frame for sold bonds to be spent by a school district. Because the construction project authorized by taxpayers at a cost of $25 million will take more time than allowed for a bond issue to be spent, the bonds were planned to be issued in two separate series. The second series will be opened for bidding October 21 at 1:00pm, bids evaluated and then presented to the school board for action. The principle amount will not exceed $8,935,000.00. Riley also expressed hope that this series will carry a lower interest rate. He noted that South O’Brien Community School District currently boasts an “A” credit rating.
The board considered and approved the purchase of a web-based climate control system for each classroom. Riley explained that in the current technology, when there is a problem that staff can’t resolve the cost for a tech to come is a minimum of $1200. He stated that the district has already had at least 6 of those calls. The web-based system is expected to cost around $30,000 for both buildings and predicted the investment would easily pay for itself at the current rate of need. This project is not part of the bond issue but will come from already approved revenue.