[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6688089,"mediaKeyId","2173293-d355e82723af4633e15390b198ba8cfc","parentId",2173293,"title","Grimes Elementary students report successful canned food drive, announce animal shelter drive","audioSeconds",328,"startMs",309000,"endMs",637000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2173293-d355e82723af4633e15390b198ba8cfc&start=309&end=637","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2173293-d355e82723af4633e15390b198ba8cfc/thumbnail_309000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6688089/Iowa/Grimes-Elementary-students-report-successful-canned-food-drive-announce-animal-shelter-drive","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6688089-286e03e2c7c47a324783c0f2c36e5903/orig.mp4?Expires=1771183384&Signature=lgrwDtWz~HmV8wMuD0e6fkkAGpexaRU-8FjoLk9XWj0P8NbYmRKfPtc0LTB480OqGOXgJBRPwsLFS806KaRF78yZXvrNe62288CB7lUnPFc-o27R5OPgHDz7QFSjRTkJQ3--PxOaFJY~Sd1d-cDYVZL-uMeCIT6FOBMrmr1O4927G0mMTkHWr9nwWzVrO1gnDPtQkXuOwKijJJzQ40EitRdlH-uiJQLlBQPSFCTX4Qbe7C5O5oaGnLiKae67DdHsWJIZO7UzeTI57J3EVx0D5uzFY8SVuLCaQA2v9cAsi5D2d2f1T~7VKD4u79o1rWLiOmrj~-yEMsQTlSxt00kfMA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Burlington Comm School District","date","2025-01-28T06:09:42.473Z","article","Students from Grimes Elementary’s student leadership team presented to the Burlington School Board to report results from a November canned food drive and to announce a February animal‑supply drive for the Des Moines County Humane Society Shelter.

The student leadership team, led in presentation by staff member Deb Schroeder (identified as the school social worker), said the November drive challenged classrooms to collect nonperishable items for the Linda Paul Pantry. Classes used marked cardboard collection boxes and a large visual graph—updated daily by student team members—to track progress and promote friendly competition. The team said Miss Beckman’s first‑grade class won the November competition with 354 items; Miss Woods’s fourth‑grade class finished a close second with 346 items.

The student team reported the school packed and delivered donations to the Linda Paul Pantry before Thanksgiving. In a thank‑you note read to the board, pantry staff said the donations helped feed hundreds: the pantry’s correspondence mentioned that 1,522 individuals and 493 families were served with the pantry’s assistance connected to the drive. The leadership team told the board the drive collected roughly 1,545 items schoolwide (school’s tally described in the presentation).

Looking ahead, the student leadership team announced a February drive to collect items for the Des Moines County Humane Society Shelter. The team said it will run the drive through February, use a Valentine’s theme and reward the winning classroom with a field trip to the shelter to deliver donations. Students said classrooms will compete for the greatest number of donated shelter items and that the team is preparing posters and a more elaborate visual graph to promote the effort.

Board members thanked the students for presenting. The leadership team also asked board members to bring shelter donations to Miss Duffy’s classroom to help that class win the competition.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","1/27/25 School Board Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","Grimes Elementary’s student leadership team described a November food drive that collected classroom donations for the Linda Paul Pantry and announced a February drive for the Des Moines County Humane Society Shelter, including classroom competitions and planned field‑trip prize for the winning class.","taxTitle","Burlington Comm School District, School Districts, Iowa","taxId",56668,"location","Iowa","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6688092,"Board approves consent items, Northwestern MOU and two policy updates",60,1550000,1610000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2173293-d355e82723af4633e15390b198ba8cfc&start=1550&end=1610","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2173293-d355e82723af4633e15390b198ba8cfc/thumbnail_1550000.jpg","/articles/6688092/Iowa/Board-approves-consent-items-Northwestern-MOU-and-two-policy-updates","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6688092-d303fe3292661d0e9a247195742bfa7b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771183384&Signature=aNDXC6zBALjI1caUccrWCg8urg2FGWW8T10hQ0KK1o22GkiHZ7mw14S9XLmho07ybG~6EVpLi6knKImNRoatqCLGfaAGvMPmY~bNI1wzX8e98ZWsVX9EC0iwhC76HR6MFw4NE3IeNAQh6fGoaZvo0ncHVnsarbSPydJoqeHBWMvHUEv3uXjtOF6PTxuLnfSpN9m7uHS2cIYFlEyHxmQHT3orOeganjoR5KxCjyMUM481QIqlTRt9-JF26doCtijnSZ6ny0wZGFv885JEiE6mW4sSoI0NyUIVIpZWTp5Cl~dslh2z0uAI3lOxoaMF8l1kxXGlsYabj7NjNxaLdL3Dqw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At its meeting the Burlington Community School District Board approved a set of routine and informational items by voice vote, including payment of bills, a placement memorandum with Northwestern College and two policy updates.

Consent agenda: A motion to approve the consent agenda passed by voice vote. The consent agenda included payment of previously paid bills totaling $740,457.34, unpaid bills of $68,192.83, and p‑card charges (BMO Bank) of $33,555.93.

Northwestern College MOU: The board approved a standard memorandum of understanding to allow Northwestern College to place practicum, field experience and student‑teacher placements in district classrooms. District staff said the spring semester includes 17 student‑teaching placements (some students complete two placements; staff estimated at least 12 unique student teachers) and more than a dozen practicum placements.

Policy updates: The board approved second readings of Board Policy 711.1 (student transportation), which clarifies building grade spans (elementary K–4; grades 5–8 as intermediate/middle school), and Board Policy 501.15 (foreign students) after a small amendment. Both motions passed by voice vote.

Votes and formal motions recorded at the meeting did not include a numerical roll call in the transcript. Each action was moved, seconded and approved as part of routine business.

","The Burlington Community School District Board approved the consent agenda (including payments), a memorandum of understanding with Northwestern College for student placements, and second readings of policies on student transportation and foreign students.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6688094,"Burlington board approves alternate \"core\" diploma after extended debate",1385,1671000,3056000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2173293-d355e82723af4633e15390b198ba8cfc&start=1671&end=3056","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2173293-d355e82723af4633e15390b198ba8cfc/thumbnail_1671000.jpg","/articles/6688094/Iowa/Burlington-board-approves-alternate-core-diploma-after-extended-debate","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6688094-5893aeb881de6ff5743718d669bd3de5/orig.mp4?Expires=1771183384&Signature=FcUrDc3bnnK3o1irPShyvcxyieHsnNG62K9F5-BdzfZLMjyaUc9gyro7prW6kO6wVooC9hV8V02ESQbKpH~5g1SF14vz0Bg5fODWohHwZxCRGV2P9LwwYSVHqjhisl98bl2qe84RrIwjG79bByK1pEvxKf~dT-6383CVLcRGIazfLmV3ZmzHp2xp9vOEcjng8Va1878M5kkCqELqJyv-lcRfBeI2e-Dwtnr-4zB1WA02PZlNc9bnwy7oA2vp~6Uq5il~QcGXmKQnH0N~QCjY-5MY6DPy-YCY0PwWP9yOMcvtUqi8QhRY2-40LHb0wZ3uk1uqBhEvo4uSNacKIRDFlg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Burlington Community School District Board of Education approved Board Policy 505.5 in a second reading, creating a second diploma track the board called the \"core diploma\" for students who cannot meet the district’s traditional diploma requirements.

Supporters said the option is narrowly applied, intended for students who are behind on credits and at risk of dropping out, and cannot be used for early graduation. \"It basically creates a second track or a second option for students who are experiencing some sort of barrier to achieving that traditional diploma,\" said Corey, a district staff member leading the presentation. He said the core diploma keeps the same English, math, science, social studies, financial literacy, physical education and health requirements as the traditional diploma but reduces the number of elective credits required.

The policy sets the earliest point to opt into the track as the student’s senior year and requires an application and a team decision that includes the building principal, the school counselor, the student’s parent or guardian and, when applicable, the student’s IEP team; Corey said the district legal office would also review applications. \"There will be an application process and that application process will involve them requesting the track,\" he said.

Why it matters: Board supporters framed the core diploma as a way to keep students connected to school and its support services rather than losing them to dropout and a HiSET/GED pathway. “If students are going to pursue their HiSET or GED on their own, they often do so outside the district without supports,” a board speaker said during debate. Supporters argued the track could let some students graduate and pursue community college technical programs, training, or other post‑secondary options that do not require a four‑year admissions index.

Opponents and public comment: At least one public commenter urged the board not to lower graduation requirements. Carla Sherwood, identified in public comment, told the board reducing elective requirements would undercut Burlington’s stated aim to \"inspire children\" and questioned whether the district had explored or strengthened other interventions first. \"I don't see how this is going to benefit the students of Burlington by doing this,\" Sherwood said.

Board members pressed for guardrails and data collection. Several asked how the policy would affect teachers’ workload, whether the option could be gamed, and how the district would inform students about college‑eligibility consequences. Corey and other board speakers said the district will fully inform students that the core diploma is unlikely to meet four‑year university admissions indexes such as the Regents Admissions Index (RAI) used by Iowa public universities. \"That core diploma is probably not going to be suitable to get into college,\" one board member said; Corey added that the application packet would explicitly counsel students on the differences.

Vote and implementation: A motion to approve Policy 505.5 passed on the second reading. Board members said the policy would be treated as another tool that could be piloted and reviewed; one board member urged tracking outcomes and said the board could rescind or revise the policy if it did not work as intended.

What remains unclear: The board did not specify numerical vote tallies in the meeting record; the district also did not provide, at the meeting, a final draft of the student application packet or a start date beyond permitting students to apply in their senior year. The policy’s ultimate effect will depend on the district’s application criteria, counseling materials and the data the district collects during the policy’s early use.

The board also repeatedly emphasized that the traditional Burlington High School diploma requirements remain unchanged.

","The Burlington Community School District Board approved Board Policy 505.5 in a second reading, creating an alternate \"core diploma\" track for students who face barriers to completing the traditional diploma. Board members and a public commenter debated whether the change would lower standards or provide a needed pathway for at‑risk students.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Grimes Elementary students report successful canned food drive, announce animal shelter drive

Board approves consent items, Northwestern MOU and two policy updates

Burlington board approves alternate "core" diploma after extended debate