School district filling principal vacancies
By Travis Fischer, tkfischer@charlescitypress.com
The Charles City Community School Board approved the hiring of one new principal and prepared to hire another during its regular board meeting on Monday, June 24.
The board approved hiring from within, selecting lead teacher Chealsey Moen to take the Lincoln Elementary principal position starting July 1. She will replace principal Dan Phipps, whose resignation was approved at the May 13 meeting, effective at the end of the school year.
Meanwhile, Superintendent Dr. Brian Burnight reported that interviews for the open high school principal position have taken place and narrowed down applicants to Levi Miller, a business and computer science teacher currently working at Nashua-Plainfield.
“He kind of blew the panel away,” said Burnight. “He really distinguished himself in that process.”
The new high school principal will take over for Jeromiah Bliss, who resigned the position.
Both Bliss and Phipps had been hired at the beginning of the 2023-24 school year.
Overall, Burnight said that between filling and consolidating positions, the number of open positions in the district has been reduced from 13 to seven.
Updating the board on building plans, the facilities committee is continuing to focus on high school building improvements, still working toward an infrastructure plan, and is in in the process of seeking bids for new kitchen equipment.
The board approved an agreement with Modus for a new study of the high school’s needs, which will be utilized to develop a new five-year plan for the district.
The study will examine the high school’s heating and electrical system to evaluate their expected lifespan and provide cost opinion information for recommended replacement.
More pressingly, the board approved the purchase of a new dishwasher for Lincoln Elementary at the meeting, which school officials said was in need of immediate replacement.
“It’s old and wore out,” said board President Dr. David Schrodt.
In other business, the board approved funding for Solution Treet to provide Professional Learning Communities (PLC) for professional development for the 2024-25 school year and approved program supervisor pay for summer strength training staff.
Finally, the board approved the renewal of the district’s property insurance, with this year’s annual premium amounting approximately $571,000, a 21% increase from last year.
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