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After hearing public comment, board changes its tune on wrestling co-coaches

By James Grob, jgrob@charlescitypress.com

The Charles City Board of Education issued teaching and coaching contracts on Monday, but not before some spirited discussion about one of them.

After hearing public comment, the school board decided to keep the varsity wrestling coaching arrangement the way it is — at least for one more year.

This past wrestling season, the varsity wrestling team had utilized “co-head coaches,” as both Rob Pittman and Ryan Fank shared the head coaching job.

Superintendent Dan Cox and the high school administration had recommended changing that, making Pittman head coach and Fank assistant coach.

The co-head coaching arrangement was made at the start of the school year, after it was learned that former head coach Kevin Wedeking’s teaching position had been eliminated.

Fank, who also teaches special education at Lincoln Elementary School, was a high school state champion wrestler at Independence and a three-time all-American at Wartburg College.

Several varsity wrestlers and a handful of parents attended the meeting in support of retaining Fank as a co-head coach. Several of them addressed the board, and Fank also talked to the directors.

“Obviously there are some things we did this year to help build this wrestling program back up, and there’s some things we did wrong,” Fank said. “I am here to own up to those things. I want what’s in the best interest of the program. If we do make a change to one head coach, I would want that. But if we stay with the co-head coaches, I’d be willing.”

One after another, several variety wrestlers walked up to the microphone to address the board.

“I just want to say that if you want somebody who will devote their time into this program, Coach Fank is willing to put that extra effort in,” said wrestler Bronson Forsyth.

“Coming into this wrestling season, I didn’t think it was going to be good,” said Charles City wrestler Alec Staudt. “This was the first wrestling season I was going to have without my best friend, Logan Luft, by my side. It’s so hard when you lose someone who’s that close to you, you need someone to lift you up when you get to that point in your life.”

Staudt fought back tears as he expressed his support for Fank.

“No matter how bad an attitude I had, Coach Fank always tried to bring me up,” he said. “He always worked with me extra, and tried hard to get the best out of me every time, and the best out of our whole team. That’s why I want to see him be my head coach.”

After hearing the public comment, school board President Jason Walker said that board members must rely upon and trust the recommendations of the administration when it comes to the teaching staff.

“However, athletics gets into a gray area,” he said. “The beauty of athletics is the passion that comes with that, and it’s that passion that brought everyone here tonight.”

Walker said that although he isn’t in favor of having co-head coaches, he would be willing to give the arrangement another year.

“It was probably a mistake to have started with co-head coaches. I personally believe in the hierarchy of the coaching system, it’s worked for years,” he said. “But after speaking with several parents, I see an opportunity to work through this. My thought is to give this one more year, knowing full well that it’s not going to be long-term.”

Cox then changed his recommendation and agreed with Walker’s suggestion.

“This is an opportunity for them to show they have what it takes to be a head coach,” he said.

The school board voted 4-0 to keep both Pittman and Fank as co-head coaches for another year, and issue all the other teaching and coaching contracts as recommended.

“I think it acknowledges the passion of those who have taken the time to come here and talk to us,” said director Robin Macomber. “Hopefully you can help us by understanding what we have to do here in a year. We can’t continue with co-coaches.”

In other business Monday, the school board unanimously approved collective bargaining agreements between the district and the Charles City Community Education Association (CCCEA) and the Charles City Community School District Educational Services Association (CCCSDESA) on Monday.

The school district reached a one-year agreement with the CCCEA that includes an increase of $100 on the base wage, plus step increases. The total salary increase in the settlement is 1.67 percent, or $119,256. The teachers had initially asked for a 3 percent increase in pay, while the district countered with an offer of 1.25 percent. The contract was approved 3-0, with director Jason Walker abstaining.

“We came to a good agreement,” said Macomber. “We have a lot of work ahead of us.”

The school district also reached a one-year agreement with the support staff that includes an increase of eight cents on the base wage plus step increases. The total salary increase in the settlement is 1.66 percent, or $38,570. The CCSDESA had initially asked for a 3.4 percent increase in pay, while the school district initially offered 1.25 percent.

New state collective bargaining rules for many public employees limit negotiations to only base wages. Employers are no longer required to negotiate over such issues as health insurance, staff evaluation procedures, job transfer seniority and staff reduction criteria.

The contracts were ratified by the CCCEA and the CCSDESA prior to the meeting.

Also Monday, the school board unanimously approved the school calendar for 2018-19.

The academic year will begin for students on Aug. 23, with professional learning for teachers starting Aug. 17 and running through Aug. 22. The last school day before winter break will be Friday, Dec. 21, with classes scheduled to resume on Thursday, Jan. 3. It was decided at the meeting that Wednesday, Jan. 2 would be teachers’ work day, while Jan. 21 — the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday — would be a vacation day for both teachers and students.

The last day of school for 2018-19 is scheduled for Wednesday, May 29.

Additional information items — such as homecoming, registration and others — will be added to the calendar at later dates. The 2018-19 school calendar is based on 1080 hours, rather than 180 days.

At the special meeting on Thursday, May 10, the school board accepted the resignations of high school principal Joshua Johnson and dean of students Keith Reuter, effective June 30, before going into closed session.

In other business Monday, the school board:

— Approved the appointments of Janae Noonan, 8-12 Spanish teacher; and Jennifer Kuehn, middle school/high school family counselor and science teacher, for the 2018-19 school year.

— Approved the transfer of Erin Lyman from middle school reading teacher to sixth grade social studies teacher, for the 2018-19 school year.

— Approved a memorandum of understanding with Luther College for the 2018-19 school year for the clinical field experience program.

— Approved a contract with Turning Leaf Counseling to provide counselor services to students for the 2018-19 school year.

— Approved an Iowa Big North Theater fundraiser.

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