[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-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",[32,76,87,99],{"_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",6469151,"mediaKeyId","5781126-7362292852a5a64a3f2795e2e6dee12f","parentId",5781126,"title","North Polk principals report on standards-based learning pilot, homecoming and outdoor classroom grant","audioSeconds",366,"startMs",1799000,"endMs",2165000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5781126-7362292852a5a64a3f2795e2e6dee12f&start=1799&end=2165","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5781126-7362292852a5a64a3f2795e2e6dee12f/thumbnail_1799000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6469151/Iowa/North-Polk-principals-report-on-standards-based-learning-pilot-homecoming-and-outdoor-classroom-grant","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6469151-fccc9d353ff9580c5e00f74b03ec526b/orig.mp4?Expires=1776222937&Signature=DoAZpO4IfMnFq~B5oO0xJf6abhmKdC1Rxe4OHJDZgJ0Ku8nmWo6t91y~kERP4LctCak7kfWZ-GElrYqL2V6M7l49nWa67nIYsZ3Q-iMg0snXUQLUJm22q4zUvdg0fUm9ePdMYXpGhciuBGiKfDOzuO478waebtTO0B6znROqB6GCd~U7R7rrZELRnBi9~hoqmLScvJCgDYx0RtF~JeJ8heVL6iyLHsfggPrLqVfzZck-UgsckLdJ~2mALzCH--Ii0aeDVrDikr4NVzLGeUj225dgT~49wDeGPGv~0bL~vb3cnWSkZtMqUU6crkbFrx2r4dX3muTVdGE2mMm64xyzeg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","North Polk Comm School District","date","2025-09-16T12:07:37Z","article","Administrators at North Polk’s schools reported updates Wednesday on a standards-based learning pilot, homecoming activities, an upcoming college fair and the installation of a Corteva-funded outdoor classroom for seventh-grade science.

At Northbrook High School, administrators said teachers who piloted standards-based learning (SBL) last year will expand the work so each teacher will pilot a full semester or year-long course. Summative assessments — tests, projects, papers and presentations — will be scored using proficiency scales that will be converted to traditional grades in Infinite Campus, district leaders said.

Homecoming is set for next week with multiple activities including a Thursday coronation and pep rally, and a Friday parade, pep assembly, football game and dance. Student council president Amelia Graudin and vice president Colton Bu described a Disney theme, spirit-week dress-up days and a revised parade-to-pep-rally flow that will route elementary students through a spirit tunnel before middle and high school students attend a gym pep rally.

At the middle school, administrators said an instructional-spotlight program highlights exemplary teaching each week and that staff received a Corteva grant to build an outdoor classroom on the southwest side of the building. Administrators said they will bring seventh grade science classes to the outdoor classroom on a rotating schedule for installation and programming activities.

Other items reported: Central Elementary is conducting fall assessments and launching action teams to increase parent involvement; food-service operations improved with a new merchandiser cooler and more staff; and North Polk’s fall athletics and activities — including football, volleyball, baseball/softball and cross-country — have recorded early successes.

Why it matters: The expansion of standards-based learning and the outdoor classroom represent instructional shifts that could affect grading, assessment and curricular opportunities. The college fair and homecoming events are central to student engagement and community outreach.

Administrators asked the board and community to attend fall events and volunteer opportunities tied to athletics and performances.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","North Polk CSD September Board Meeting 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Building administrators reported on a standards-based learning pilot, homecoming plans, a college fair on Sept. 30 and a Corteva-funded outdoor classroom for seventh-grade science.","taxTitle","North Polk Comm School District, School Districts, Iowa","taxId",53091,"location","Iowa","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6469156,"North Polk installs donor-funded digital scoreboards; board and staff praise student and volunteer work",0,2112000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5781126-7362292852a5a64a3f2795e2e6dee12f&start=2112&end=2112","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5781126-7362292852a5a64a3f2795e2e6dee12f/thumbnail_2112000.jpg","/articles/6469156/Iowa/North-Polk-installs-donor-funded-digital-scoreboards-board-and-staff-praise-student-and-volunteer-work","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6469156-334b82f64e9af17a9f577ea2cca47c48/orig.mp4?Expires=1776222937&Signature=YOH5IbvTyRhEnSM8CO-j0-FC3~ug9XdBWaKMkoXlzQYz0M6wI0P0z0hLRlafgOw4q-E3rwL0hfK~hN7wbw9YssZeUeuesuWHI4-~6~ri0VJ1QsmNv7sEVJxcn8zMSZe1l4y4F3N-sTa9N5dt3fC-Aar~3jtcFdKNzi0S-dub~uqsRPE75gcUu~HVJ8EqVU0TrRgznjucQd7B~v1c7DBbBTlqEsQmMTVb6NtD3F2mp8T4BXZj8k7OBByYImFIyZLLOxVFpWMax4xn-GRS9IVYp5aoKjE00DQ-ynNTvTCxGo5ek0uvrxCHpQicvhtTd7Cm8D4iYe5r4M4gGTj17FQTzw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","North Polk Community School District officials and board members praised completion of new digital scoreboards and related sound upgrades at athletic facilities, noting the equipment was paid for by donors and volunteers helped install and operate it.

Superintendent Michael Klein listed the district’s nine primary sponsors for the outdoor scoreboard: Homestay Bank; Kitchen and Bath Company; Nationwide; REMAX Concepts; Denny Elwell Company; Copycat Prints; Louena Savings Bank; Carl Chevrolet; and DCI Group. \"If anyone else would like to see their logo up on the scoreboard, please reach out to myself, Sarah Aspengren, or Hunter Fleshner,\" Klein said during his report.

Board members and staff also publicly thanked the volunteer and student crew that has staffed the press box and run the system during recent Friday-night games. Multiple speakers praised students who troubleshoot and run the boards, and administrators credited volunteers and staff for the install and operation.

Why it matters: The new scoreboards change the game-day experience and provide digital signage capability for the district, but board members explicitly noted the project was donor-funded, not paid for with tax revenue.

District staff said the digital scoreboard and sound upgrades will also support activity nights beyond football, including marching band events and indoor gym uses, and that they hope the technology will expand athletics and CTE learning opportunities. No board action or budget transfer for construction was recorded at the meeting; sponsors covered the project costs.","The district has completed installation of new digital scoreboards and related sound systems at athletic facilities, paid for by donors. Administrators and board members thanked sponsors and the group of staff and students who run the systems.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6469161,"North Polk doubles bus routing to address driver shortage; district reports five fewer drivers needed",106,2176000,2282000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5781126-7362292852a5a64a3f2795e2e6dee12f&start=2176&end=2282","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5781126-7362292852a5a64a3f2795e2e6dee12f/thumbnail_2176000.jpg","/articles/6469161/Iowa/North-Polk-doubles-bus-routing-to-address-driver-shortage-district-reports-five-fewer-drivers-needed","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6469161-654d2f075dd31094fb5487166b1507f5/orig.mp4?Expires=1776222937&Signature=kqWQDeOLEu7B03crHdqN5sp88xqVD3X17qQRG3hVcVX4e17WZy8RIlGdMO-L-mjsuKtUkv-sbgM1ArVg3IQMgvMGeg-iPHtiOsszEMpqdf12bljeN575BDbiaBOautEqWkzEzcBkv2I5In7JUlEuUp9Bv9WoDf2OR65yVCdUOzWJeGCSH4dQziTjHFLEfC6NH8mCbCsjEG4J3dV8-fhmQtGMmxRsyD8eNh-0Bu-DgSLRinJE-P0msh7MYYpd0bLev0xblc3sgNCqTAvUyjzQCaJ8wAQfGeU3WDg3JUdNL8Mqv~1sPAos7tbccM~XizyUg5x~ANsV30O-r3CP59~09A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The North Polk Community School District said its switch to a double-routing transportation system has reduced the number of drivers the district needs by five and allowed the district to retire and sell several older buses.

\"With the new system, we are effectively right now running five less drivers than we did just this past spring,\" Superintendent Michael Klein said during the board meeting, adding the change has also reduced the number of buses running at or near capacity.

Klein said the district has sold three of its oldest buses and plans to continue refining route timing so middle- and high-school students arrive on time. The change was adopted earlier in the year to build redundancy into routes and to respond to a continuing shortage of qualified bus drivers, he said.

Why it matters: Driver shortages and fleet age are operational challenges for growing districts. Reducing the number of drivers and surplus equipment lowers maintenance cost and removes older, less reliable vehicles from service, but changes in bell time logistics can cause timing issues for secondary students and require further adjustments.

Board members acknowledged early operational gains and asked administrators to keep working on secondary arrival times. Klein said transportation director Marcy Hannigan has spent substantial time driving shifts while the system was implemented; under the new routing she has driven only two days since implementation, a sign the change is freeing the director for administrative work.

No formal policy change was required at the meeting; the discussion focused on implementation outcomes and next steps to improve on-time arrival for secondary students.","Superintendent Michael Klein told the board the district’s double-routing plan has reduced the need for five drivers, allowed sale of older buses and eased overcrowding, though timing adjustments for secondary students remain.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6469166,"North Polk board approves new executive role, handbook update, policy revisions and sets public hearing on levy",1250,1188000,2438000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5781126-7362292852a5a64a3f2795e2e6dee12f&start=1188&end=2438","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5781126-7362292852a5a64a3f2795e2e6dee12f/thumbnail_1188000.jpg","/articles/6469166/Iowa/North-Polk-board-approves-new-executive-role-handbook-update-policy-revisions-and-sets-public-hearing-on-levy","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6469166-a00588b9edd6cb0651f30a6098f84fde/orig.mp4?Expires=1776222937&Signature=QSNwx3HKaNbEDQxHu3Lv1DXiHJGWicqwNYozEhj8xY8I085ootrwyaOiPrLiDjNBLGvl3e4AgNfuLbBY4S7pUoL9Mhby6fufqHbxTdPobTDBxtn-BfaeshgIrzvKW5G0QJY12EayCmM-Vn2cqs3Mrl53zRRffua6U8GPMPhxm2Nq4lRQC1Tj6rbWGT-wAqsmJ71YYEJDls8v--U05eM4323bXeAnZZkOtbREdYC3efMqRjhkZS8tIOo9~seiRvVmF1bXPr2zSf2ecj6vnew0Cn6fihmA4ILkvKp9cSWHRA5WsCMw6LF26kL3k6yEyQaqJBY6gNrr5qnTedLjWFUZFQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The North Polk Community School District Board of Education on Wednesday approved several administrative and policy items, including creating an executive director of administrative systems and human resources role, an update to the middle-school handbook that adds a smartwatch expectation, and a public hearing date to consider continuing the district's instructional support levy.

Board members voted to adopt the new job description for an executive director of administrative systems and human resources and to post the position; the motion passed by voice vote with no recorded opposition. The board also approved updates to school board policies and set an Oct. 20, 2025 public hearing at 6 p.m. to consider continuing participation in the instructional support program (the levy currently scheduled to sunset after fiscal 2026).

In other action, the board approved a correction to mileage reimbursement rates to match the Iowa Department of Administrative Services rate (50 cents per mile), and authorized the North Polk High School dance team to travel out of state to the NDA High School Nationals in Orlando in February 2026. Board members also approved a first reading of revised Policy 506.01 (education records access) and approved several policy updates as a first-and-final reading where noted in the packet.

Why it matters: The executive director role is intended to add administrative capacity for operations and human resources, reducing the superintendent's direct-report load and centralizing HR duties. Continuing the instructional support levy would preserve a local revenue stream the district uses for instructional materials, staff development and related instructional expenses.

The approvals were routine in nature and drew limited extended debate. Where discussion occurred, board members emphasized that the changes were months in the making and had been reviewed by committees and legal advisers.

Votes at a glance:
- Motion to approve meeting agenda: approved (voice vote; all in favor announced).
- Motion to table consent agenda item g (vendor agreement: transfer of athletic booster equipment ownership): approved (voice vote; all in favor announced).
- Motion to approve consent agenda: approved (voice vote; all in favor announced).
- Motion to approve role/job description for executive director of administrative systems and human resources: motion by Board Member Keith; seconded by (recorded); approved (voice/roll-call indicated as affirmative).
- Motion to approve update to middle-school handbook to include smartwatch expectation: motion by (recorded); seconded; approved (voice vote).
- Motion to revise mileage reimbursement to the Iowa Department of Administrative Services rate (50¢): motion and second recorded; approved (voice vote).
- Motion to establish a public hearing on continuation of the instructional support program for Oct. 20, 2025 at 6 p.m.: motion by Board Member Keith; seconded by Ashley; roll call 5-0 in favor.
- Motion to approve board policy updates (first and final reading for several policies listed in packet): approved (voice vote).
- Motion for first reading of policy 506.01 (education records access): motion approved for first reading (voice vote).
- Motion to approve North Polk High School dance team travel to NDA Nationals in Orlando, Feb. 12–17, 2026: approved (voice vote).

Board members repeatedly emphasized that several of the policy changes reflect recent state law changes and guidance from the Iowa School Boards (ISB) and district attorneys. The board scheduled no additional special meetings in this session and adjourned after routine member comments.","The North Polk Community School District board approved a new executive director job description, updated a middle-school smartwatch rule, revised mileage reimbursement, authorized out-of-state travel for the high school dance team and set a public hearing to consider continuing the instructional support levy.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

North Polk principals report on standards-based learning pilot, homecoming and outdoor classroom grant

North Polk installs donor-funded digital scoreboards; board and staff praise student and volunteer work

North Polk doubles bus routing to address driver shortage; district reports five fewer drivers needed

North Polk board approves new executive role, handbook update, policy revisions and sets public hearing on levy