Ida County’s Official Newspaper $ Vol. 40, No. 66 Ida Grove, Iowa www.idacountycourier.com Wednesday, December 23, 2015 1.00 Greenhouse, Spanish trip get nod from BC-IG, O-A school boards ❚ by MIKE THORNHILL The BC-IG board approved the and costs of the trip and how it The BC-IG and O-A school project and will provide some fu- would be paid for. Eisele noted boards heard plans Dec. 14 for a ture funding to be determined for some fundraising may be con- greenhouse at the high school and construction. ducted to help offset the cost of a request for Spanish and art stu- Spanish instructor Erik Eisele the trip, but, for the most part, the dents to travel to Costa Rica. and art instructor Kate Beyke cost will be up to the student and Vocational agricultural instruc- talked with the board about a pro- parents. tor and FFA advisor Taylor Clark posed 10-day student trip to Costa The only liability the school and high school vocational agri- Rica in June 2017. Eisele explained would incur would be in getting culture student Rhett Ketelsen the trip, which would be open to students to and from the airport. approached the board about the students who have taken at least A liability insurance plan to cov- construction of a greenhouse on two years of Spanish, would be er students and group leaders is the high school grounds, possibly an educational and cultural expe- available through the travel com- in the area behind the high school rience, through which students pany. baseball ield centerield wall. would earn college credit. After discussing the issue, the Clark noted the estimated cost Eisele said the cost of the trip, boards gave their approval to the of the greenhouse is $38,000. She which is organized through Edu- trip. noted she has approached several cation First Educational Tours, is Superintendent Terry Kenealy local businesses about provid- $2,495 per student. A minimum provided information on the BC- ing funding for the project, and of 12 students would need to sign IG Elementary building construc- they have been receptive to the up before the trip is scheduled. tion effort. He noted the monthly idea. Taylor also said she is in the The cost for adult chaperones is progress meeting was held Dec. 9. process of applying for several $2,890 per person. Some of the items reviewed grants. Eisele and Beyke were slated to from the meeting were: Ketelsen explained the green- meet with interested students and The precast walls have been house would be an extension of parents Dec. 21 to lay out a more constructed and were tentatively the school’s horticulture program detailed explanation of the trip. scheduled for delivery Dec. 21, and would be run as a business. They noted 80 letters were sent to with the walls being inished by “There is an educational beneit prospective Spanish students. Jan. 15. for students and, hopefully, we Board members expressed con- The rooing work, the decking, make a proit.” cerns about the safety of students (continued on page A2) Area schools rate well on report card Not happy: Santa Claus spreads a lot of cheer this time of year, but not everyone was happy to see St. Nick during his visit to Galva Dec. 12. Aria Ross, one, of Nemaha wasn’t quite sure what to make of the The Iowa Department of Edu- ing. year’s time on state reading and man in the red suit. The Galva Economic Development Committee sponsored Santa’s trip to town for cation released the Iowa School The Iowa School Report Card, mathematics assessments. the community’s annual pancake dinner. (Courier photo by Mike Thornhill) Report Card Dec. 16. The report which is available at www.edu- Closing achievement gap: A card is a new, web-based system cateiowa.gov/schoolreportcard, measure that relects a state- to evaluate and rate each public assigns schools one of six ratings: wide goal of narrowing the gap in school, based on performance on exceptional, high-performing, achievement for students with dis- a required set of measures, such commendable, acceptable, needs abilities, students who are eligible as student attendance and gradu- improvement and priority. Schools for free and reduced-price meals, G-H board meets in work sessions, ation rates. are grouped by comparable grade and English Language Learners. Schools in the BC-IG, Ode- conigurations (elementary, mid- College and career readiness: discusses high school renovations bolt-Arthur, Galva-Holstein and dle and high schools). The percentage of students who Schaller-Crestland districts re- The ratings are based on each score at or above a level of perfor- ceived ratings ranging from ac- school’s performance over a two- mance on reading and mathemat- The G-H board met in a work Architectural plans were reviewed Absent from the meeting were ceptable to high performing. year span on the following educa- ics assessments that predicts a session on Dec. 7. Heather Pribble for possible building projects Jamie Whitmer and Heather The ratings for O-A/BC-IG High tional measures: higher probability of postsecond- was absent from the meeting. relating to the replacement of Pribble. There were no visitors. School were commendable; O-A/ Proiciency: The percentage ary success (middle/high schools There were no visitors present. the current FFA, industrial arts, Wiebers presented classiied BC-IG Middle School, acceptable; of students scoring proicient or only). Jon Wiebers and school wrestling, weight room and central and non-classiied retirement BC-IG Elementary, acceptable and better on state reading and math- Graduation rate: The percent- business manager Cynthia Dittmer ofice. incentive plans for discussion. The O-A elementary, acceptable. ematics assessments. age of ninth-grade students who presented inancial information Also reviewed were updates to board directed Wiebers to send The ratings for Ridge View High College and career-ready inished high school within ive with various scenarios for impacts the gymnasium and a projected both plans to a lawyer for review School were commendable; Ridge growth: The percentage of stu- years (high schools only). on new money, budget guarantee cost for a practice gym. The board and opinion. Determination of View Middle School, commend- dents who are making the year-to- Attendance: The average daily and funding for the iscal year directed Wiebers to contact offering will be discussed at a later able; G-H Upper Elementary, high year growth necessary to be ready attendance of students, which is 2016-17. architects to progress with gym date. performing and G-H Lower El- for college and career training by the total number of days students The board also reviewed updates to include new looring Also discussed were the recent ementary, unable to rate (due to the end of high school. were enrolled and present, divid- projections for PPEL and SAVE and painting of the gym in Iowa School Board Convention insuficient data). Annual expected growth: The ed by the total number of possible revenues through June 30. Holstein. and the impact on educational The Schaller-Crestland Elemen- percentage of students making attendance days. Wiebers also led discussion The G-H board met in a work programs that are to be tary received an acceptable rat- a year of academic growth in a (continued on page A2) on facilities improvements. session on Dec. 2 in Holstein. implemented in the future. Arthur holds hearing on lagoon project The Arthur City Council held a ing. There being no oral ques- for the prior month, which con- public hearing regarding a loan tions from the public at the hear- sisted of two calls. for its wastewater lagoon proj- ing, the hearing was closed. • The council voted to charge ect Dec. 7. Evans also reminded the coun- higher water rates for buildings The public hearing to review cil a contract with Maguire Iron outside the city limits. The rates the city’s application for a State has a tower cleaning scheduled will be double the rates inside Revolving Loan Fund (SRF) loan to be performed in 2016. the city limits. from the Iowa Department of The council also discussed a • Fire chief Paul Rydberg told Natural Resources included an possible increase in water rates, the council the slate of fire de- update from the project engi- due to the rate increase from partment officers for the upcom- neer, Kelly Evans of I&S Group, West Central Water to the city, ing year will remain the same. who reviewed the city’s Facil- from $2.75 per thousand gallons • Discussion on consumer wa- ity Plan and Project Specifica- to $3.25 per thousand gallons, ter line repairs was tabled to the tions Manual, which includes which will start Jan. 1. January meeting. design information relating to A representative of the Sidwell • The council discussed the proposed improvements at the Company talked with the council bike racks proposed by Ida city’s wastewater treatment fa- about adding the sewer lines to a Alive. Ida Alive group members cility. Geographic Information System are hoping to put two bike racks City Clerk Anita Brandt re- (GIS) map of the city. GIS maps in each city of the county. The ported that anticipated project store and display geographic group is also talking with ven- costs to construct the wastewa- information about a given loca- dors in the county to make racks ter treatment facility improve- tion. and hope to have them complet- ments were estimated to total If the city wants to add the ed and placed in each town in approximately $836,000. The sewer lines, the setup cost would early 2016.