[{"_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",6544807,"mediaKeyId","3430515-835c9cd4895050c6f31dcbd41b62be87","parentId",3430515,"title","Former AEA chief outlines step-by-step 10-year facilities planning approach for district","audioSeconds",1082,"startMs",2598000,"endMs",3680000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3430515-835c9cd4895050c6f31dcbd41b62be87&start=2598&end=3680","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3430515-835c9cd4895050c6f31dcbd41b62be87/thumbnail_2598000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6544807/Iowa/Former-AEA-chief-outlines-step-by-step-10-year-facilities-planning-approach-for-district","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6544807-6cf66e48bf11d2a001875f4001cfe1b8/orig.mp4?Expires=1770992283&Signature=FB34BZGntoQCGMCxHOv8U2QMDCRIFITGr6sU6ZcLUgJeHcZ-XjZfkFl9Bu1ttmh5CWj3nPmHw8BJ1iCoSU1mGt17kKflmybQFzo4jpFvyaZjiVV35W2j4SnScJhqnLNKgIDw3gkuBG8ZwVsfz83aQGm9mUN~nxrKKC2M46iFZQlb5gmnQLuLypFaDfBKsLWElylCwQ5WIU5fvjXzzyI1I6jMOlXPw0bHQs5rQMbiAgjEBsqp1xr~~zPseeQCpvAf419ngqIIBJZtKvoob3m7VXMlLi2peU-1fjpHiAYVD8PdwgL2Qv5NIsbvV9ueXfYKXtnSIx7EkovYr6ZgpxqQuA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Clear Creek Amana Comm School District","date","2025-05-21T00:00:00Z","article","John Spear, identified in the meeting as chief administrator for Grama Wood Area Education Agency, presented a recommended approach to facilities planning and a 10-year plan process for the Clear Creek Amana School District.

Spear told the board that groundwork matters: start with solid enrollment projections, coordinate with city planning because new housing drives district enrollment, and define the student experience you want the buildings to support. He recommended forming a broad facilities committee (administrators, at least one teacher and one parent from each building, students to represent middle and high school experiences, plus buildings-and-grounds, transportation and food service staff) and taking the committee on tours of every building to create common ground.

Spear said districts should commission an engineer or architectural firm to complete a condition assessment that rates systems (HVAC, roof, plumbing, lighting, floors) with a simple green/yellow/red scale. With a compiled list of needs across buildings, he advised the district to create a prioritized “top 25” list and then convert the plan into a timeline with projected costs and a 10-year funding picture that accounts for bonding capacity, PPEL and SAVE funds and loan commitments. He recommended a formal five-year checkpoint to revisit assumptions and adjust the plan.

Spear offered cost guidance: a professional assessment and schematic planning process can vary by scope, but a firm-engaged facility study could run roughly $35,000–$45,000 depending on how much recent data the district already has. He also described a community-engagement tactic he used previously—riding buses with committee members on a “magic school bus” night to tour each building so committee members see conditions firsthand.

Why it matters: The district is in a growth area and has multiple capital projects under way and in the planning stages. Spear’s stepwise recommendations are meant to help the district align space needs with financing and community expectations and to avoid ad-hoc decision-making driven by immediate crises.

Board questions and follow-up
Board members asked about committee size and inclusion of students, timelines for completing the committee’s work (Spear suggested one school year with one monthly meeting of 1.5–2 hours and selected site visits), and contingency planning if city development timelines change. Spear recommended a contingency approach: revisit the plan if growth assumptions shift dramatically and use the five-year checkpoint as a natural revision point. He offered to assist with planning or to serve as a resource during the district’s planning work.

Ending: Board members thanked Spear for the presentation and said they would use his recommendations as they consider restarting or updating a districtwide facilities plan in the coming months.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","5/21/2025 CCA School Board Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","John Spear, former Grama Wood Area Education Agency chief administrator, told the Clear Creek Amana board that a successful facilities plan starts with enrollment projections, community input and a multi-year prioritized plan tied to realistic financing and five-year check points.","taxTitle","Clear Creek Amana Comm School District, School Districts, Iowa","taxId",60617,"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},6544812,"Clear Creek Amana students and hosts recount Germany exchange experiences",871,1695000,2566000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3430515-835c9cd4895050c6f31dcbd41b62be87&start=1695&end=2566","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3430515-835c9cd4895050c6f31dcbd41b62be87/thumbnail_1695000.jpg","/articles/6544812/Iowa/Clear-Creek-Amana-students-and-hosts-recount-Germany-exchange-experiences","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6544812-fa8d15da319c9e6c097a7f2ec10c3004/orig.mp4?Expires=1770992283&Signature=Lv7NrZn4Ugs2w7KPNZjNJ2luxA~38RqpwVV3IhBuSZOa1hjzkoshm-lRzCoxLUhvbMLoG31EbSYgEXxeK9EHevzt7gZbkBTg9jpca2zP9bylIeuTNmwU08m2hOqKuYknN50ttIMk9Cz8v5TN~bbLYTDkINPrVkeVM-1oOt~YoGo~S7mKH77wDB7YaMMcHJ5GMWuvyZYafConZkzVIh1QbAljrJzj0-3FL-g7v14AOfY0JWmQ9T4DFLUlEGCPwccAfhBfCeuAREDWBlDT7VBxVfb21gVnUnJMuMQuPoirV5C1Dc-cKciGewX58ldk4uOmuw2ESxsEsAGUcIPttvD1Gw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Clear Creek Amana students and parents described a multiweek exchange with Comenius Gymnasium in Deggendorf, Germany during the school board’s teaching-and-learning presentation. The board heard that the program brings 15 German students to stay with Clear Creek Amana families in October and sends CCA students to Germany in March as part of an established exchange.

The group presentation said 30 students took part this year: 15 from Comenius Gymnasium and 15 CCA students. Board members saw photos and heard that U.S. activities included visits to the Iowa State Capitol, the African American Museum, the University of Iowa and local extracurricular events. Students and hosts also took trips in Germany to Deggendorf and Munich, visited the Deutsches Museum and BMW World, toured historic Regensburg, hiked in the Bavarian Forest national park and rode the Danube.

Student perspective: Kylie Robertson, a junior at CCA, told the board this was her first international trip and that she benefited academically and personally. “This trip was gonna be influential on my life in the way I would perceive things in the future,” Kylie said, describing cultural immersion and renewed interest in her family’s German heritage. She said the experience improved her language skills and gave her lifelong friendships and host-family contacts.

Parent perspective: Stacy DeVore, who said three daughters participated in the program across several years, told the board the exchange produced lasting relationships and practical benefits: “The skills they learned—adaptability, cross-cultural understanding and global awareness—have had a lasting impact on them,” DeVore said. She thanked the teacher who organizes the trip (identified in the meeting as Miss Truen) and Principal Daniel for supporting the program and urged the board to continue backing it.

Program details staff presented
- Participants: 30 students total (15 German students; 15 CCA students, per presentation).
- Timing: German students visit CCA families for two weeks in October; CCA students return to Germany in March for two weeks.
- Sample learning activities: joint classroom lessons (including English-led lessons in German classrooms), tours with local curators and teachers, hands-on technical workshops at Technische Hochschule Deggendorf (students built simple circuit boards), cultural immersion and a mayoral reception in Deggendorf.

Why it matters: Board members raised the exchange as a program that contributes to language learning, cultural awareness and student maturity. The parent who spoke tied long-term career and interpersonal benefits to the program and asked the board to continue its support. Administrators said they would continue to run the program on the established schedule and noted high community interest.

Ending: Board members thanked the students and host families for the presentation. One student representative received recognition immediately following the presentation for her service on the board; the exchange presenters and student participants posed for photos with the board.","Students, host families and a parent told the school board about a recent student exchange with Comenius Gymnasium in Deggendorf, Germany, describing cultural visits, classroom exchanges and lasting relationships formed by the program.",{"_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},6544817,"Board approves amended budget, dozens of contracts, bonds and school purchases",2912,5537000,8449000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3430515-835c9cd4895050c6f31dcbd41b62be87&start=5537&end=8449","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3430515-835c9cd4895050c6f31dcbd41b62be87/thumbnail_5537000.jpg","/articles/6544817/Iowa/Board-approves-amended-budget-dozens-of-contracts-bonds-and-school-purchases","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6544817-802943b751725973977d62dfce9b36d6/orig.mp4?Expires=1770992283&Signature=DnsIi~h7vHXuaiS9Y~NME5~zYf9z2PbvFg6CZW0hiaZiLRMW8MxgbSoyJOAsmconH4HIdwYqNkrKEAR7kUVq4~SXjI~VCaMFls2S5mnavZ5~0utk2DOtDfkRgaNWewExN9nUA8sAfMVxYl2KpOcUgcTlHnifAVd4SLsCDbKNJANRPZmqs5XxRKezJassDqVHecK1JIL4WxQ-dU15R3MTHL5PQ9VHQXFwYj13Rp7flf34H76T2gF~WNeTaAox8d8~1a4KwlzPE~Bi06ji~tdIuukjfcxijnHBOjdj-S6eLgQ5Y7AMyYUrMNhEtI8GI6MuOC9cqYUFkFUIXEgln6OOng__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Clear Creek Amana Community School District Board on Monday approved a slate of fiscal and facilities actions including a 2024–25 amended budget, a memorandum of understanding with the City of Tiffin over a detention/retention facility adjacent to district property, and multiple construction contracts and curriculum purchases.

The actions, taken after discussion in committee and at the meeting, included approvals of general obligation bond documents for a 2025 refunding, the award of construction and playground contracts, several curriculum renewals and software subscriptions, and routine personnel and vendor approvals. Superintendent Denise (last name not stated) summarized the board’s outlook, saying the district is “preparing for the end of the year” and reminding the board that “we do our best every day, and then we go home.”

Why it matters: The approvals give district administrators authority to proceed with planned projects and purchases that affect buildings, instructional materials and operations for the next school year. The Tiffin MOU clarifies stormwater detention responsibilities for new development next to district property, which the board and staff said is necessary for both the district’s and the developer’s site plans to move forward.

Key items approved
- Detention/retention facility MOU with the City of Tiffin: Board approved an MOU that allows the city and the developer to complete stormwater work while assigning ownership/maintenance responsibilities in a way the district found acceptable. Board discussion flagged a future question: if the district later needs to expand transportation or paving on adjacent parcels, will the detention capacity still be adequate? District and city staff said they would confirm the stormwater calculations and, if needed, add language to future agreements.
- 2024–25 amended budget: The board voted to approve the amended budget as presented at the prior work session.
- General obligation school refunding bonds, series 2025: The board adopted resolutions and related tax-exemption and continuing-disclosure certificates to permit a planned refunding sale.
- Construction and site contracts: The board awarded multiple construction contracts including Phase 2 work for the new baseball/softball complex to Tricon General Construction (base + alternates 1 and 3 accepted, alternate 2 rejected); Pro Platinum Construction for Clear Creek Elementary playground work; Park Associates / Park Planet for Oak Hill playground; and approved a substantial-completion date and a pay application for the baseball/softball complex’s Phase 1 work.
- Curriculum & software purchases: The board approved multi-year purchases and renewals, including IXL learning ($57,037.50), Illustrative Math renewal ($68,096), NWEA MAP testing renewal (about $52,910), and Open Up Resources for fifth-grade reading ($37,069). Members discussed K–2 technical issues with MAP fluency recordings and asked staff to continue training and to reconvene building teachers to evaluate the tool after another year’s data.
- Other operational approvals: HIPAA/HIPARA classroom-management contract for three years ($46,208.25), summer program wages, Clear Creek Elementary furniture purchase ($32,684.07), meal pricing for 2025–26, extra-curricular advertising approval for a football practice shirt (see discussion below), multiple interdistrict sharing agreements with Mid Prairie for shared staff positions, and a number of donations and facility-use agreements.

Discussion highlights and conditions
Board members and staff raised several recurring implementation questions: whether stormwater capacity near the bus barn will allow future expansion without additional cost; how to handle newly donated or vendor-provided materials when families have already purchased similar items (a coach asked about donated team T-shirts already ordered by some families); and continuing technology/training issues around MAP fluency testing for grades K–2. The board asked staff to document tech failures vs. user/setup problems and to convene K–2 teachers for a collective review. The board also directed staff to follow up on the Tiffin detention calculations and to include any necessary contingencies in future legal documents.

A note on advertising on practice shirts
The board approved a request to place the district name/logo on summer practice shirts that an outside donor offered to supply, after a policy review and discussion about timing. Several members said they support donations to athletics but asked staff and the policy committee to streamline the district’s review process so future small donations can be processed faster. The board emphasized it must follow state law requiring board review where a donor’s logo or district identifiers are used.

What passed and how: motions on the agenda carried on voice votes; where individual roll-call tallies were not read into the record the meeting minutes show unanimous voice approval (\"Aye\") on the listed motions. The board scheduled follow-up work on policy wording about fundraising/advertising and agreed to revisit MAP implementation with teachers after further use.

What’s next: Several items require implementation steps by staff (contracts executed, construction mobilization, vendor invoices paid). The board also flagged a facilities-planning process they intend to restart in fall and said it will review additional legal language connecting district expansion options to local stormwater capacity.

Ending: The board finished the business portion of the meeting and moved into routine consent items and reports. The board’s next public meeting is scheduled for June; administrators said they will circulate updates on the Tiffin MOU follow-ups and curriculum-implementation notes before then.","At its regular meeting the Clear Creek Amana Community School District board approved the 2024–25 amended budget, a memorandum of understanding with the City of Tiffin on a detention/retention facility and a package of construction contracts, curriculum purchases and routine district business.","actionData","errors"]

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Former AEA chief outlines step-by-step 10-year facilities planning approach for district

Clear Creek Amana students and hosts recount Germany exchange experiences

Board approves amended budget, dozens of contracts, bonds and school purchases