[{"_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",6001918,"mediaKeyId","5840355-f9f9e2a5d000df371f2bff4be832542e","parentId",5840355,"title","Board approves handbook, preschool partnership, two site‑improvement contracts and policy updates","audioSeconds",237,"startMs",2911000,"endMs",3148000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5840355-f9f9e2a5d000df371f2bff4be832542e&start=2911&end=3148","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5840355-f9f9e2a5d000df371f2bff4be832542e/thumbnail_2911000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6001918/Iowa/Board-approves-handbook-preschool-partnership-two-siteimprovement-contracts-and-policy-updates","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6001918-d640affd10f95c565be9ac89fe103506/orig.mp4?Expires=1775026515&Signature=VVp0PrPZ-NnhJ5w2dPVZRHfKsljutmxcf1cgj1mXAXwFo7A6XSq9ARJkPfcAEXdmOGwsW4YI7ithsyxiJEziH51Cc1qxXv7TpNZ4XxDC9EWFFoUn-IpGdeOpcjcVQ7elMSejbJYBRPOgzY2IvnRqV80Va2wo7-OAwNbEc8fQvkQ7DTTmhyxZPeLcm1~JoQzBjtISad0FgFEM~72ngCzy7tUyXv9NHnnPwV9v-ew~m3NJwH2hxe1KHYRJv8-baCc2EfDEsYQ9YWP~hW0fW6vbOVdAdfmMNvk9TybRJU8XOJ~QR3Z6rPyImxJbRuaX5ZbM48HozHKoE2~IiJ8NtMweMw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Ottumwa Schools","date","2025-08-12T12:09:32Z","article","The Ottumwa Community School Board approved a set of consent and action items including an annual Pickwick Early Childhood Center parent handbook, a renewal of the Seton preschool partnership and final readings of several board policies. The board also awarded two construction contracts for site improvements as recommended by district staff.

Pickwick: Staff said the Pickwick Early Childhood Center handbook was an annual update with few changes; the handbook will be posted on the district website and is translated through the district’s ParentSquare platform for multilingual outreach.

Seton partnership and policies: The board renewed the Seton Preschool Partnership that provides preschool placements for roughly 10–15 pre‑K students (staff estimate). The board also adopted final readings of policy 50309 (cell phone policy) and updated policy 102e3 to replace a staff reference with Maria Lance’s position following a staffing change; staff said policy language itself was unchanged.

Procurement awards: Don (district staff) recommended awarding the guardrail installation project (site improvements above the tennis courts and new Fourth Street parking) to Gullit Fence for $29,545. The board approved the recommendation by voice vote after a motion and second. Don also recommended awarding a fieldhouse viewing area concrete contract at Schaefer Stadium to Gloucester Construction for $18,750; the board similarly approved that award.

Votes: For each item the board recorded a motion, a second and a voice vote of “all those in favor” with the chair announcing the motion passed; individual roll‑call tallies were not recorded in the public transcript. These items were routine approvals; staff said they will post the updated handbook and proceed with contracts and partnership renewals.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Ottumwa Schools - Board Meeting - 8/11/2025","oneSentenceSummary","Board adopted the Pickwick Early Childhood Center handbook, renewed a preschool partnership with Seton, approved two small construction awards—guardrail installation to Gullit Fence for $29,545 and a fieldhouse viewing area to Gloucester Construction for $18,750—and completed several policy readings.","taxTitle","Ottumwa Comm School District, School Districts, Iowa","taxId",65510,"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},6001921,"Board backs further study of proposed baseball-softball complex on city land",1406,1472000,2878000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5840355-f9f9e2a5d000df371f2bff4be832542e&start=1472&end=2878","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5840355-f9f9e2a5d000df371f2bff4be832542e/thumbnail_1472000.jpg","/articles/6001921/Iowa/Board-backs-further-study-of-proposed-baseball-softball-complex-on-city-land","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6001921-6cdbc37eb9f870bef3f8ba53029ebe03/orig.mp4?Expires=1775026515&Signature=L29bvXUFmu4pFacteYFo84XTp0AJZjd6It7QF3DxFMgXV1Uc1q57dCebuTWwhLU-ER15xHSG-5qL7HPhPlrQMc4y1pSuDu-VIYjcMPdpmyA9307VcNyfJTOzlkxwiN-CfS85SG6opb02sdAOQaO~F653YpVNu0Zb-XsCGcIQY6kDrqhO8lZ6wWNvjzwkFD2exSbcKmuZbVbQLm9I4~v7TaJfCqRv23XnRS81SdQR14qz8d5epKhjxcVRJB755x36DukhIQCA9A~RVLnn0d-KGKQVFClXiZq3cS-vmhtIahZV2K~wh1JyDRhhEloKaJHiqBtCWvAid-d~fGvtUzynCg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Ottumwa Community School Board voted to continue exploring a proposal to buy city land and develop a baseball and softball complex that would consolidate high school and middle‑school fields and create shared concessions, restrooms and parking. Mike (superintendent) and Brandon (district staff) presented the concept, and Phil, the city manager, said the city is supportive. The board approved a motion to “continue exploring the idea” and asked staff to pursue next steps, including drafting a purchase contract with the city.

Brandon said the district envisions purchasing an outlined parcel near the park and creating a phased complex that could include turf fields, upgraded parking and shared amenities. He described keeping Houston Field as a dedicated middle‑school facility and relocating the high‑school field activity to the Legion/park site, where shared concessions, a press box and restrooms could serve multiple games concurrently. “We really think turf makes a lot of sense, just from a maintenance standpoint and a field preparation standpoint,” Brandon said.

Phil, the city manager, said the proposal fits the city’s overall park plan and compared it to a prior joint tennis project that provided community‑use courts and school benefits. He told the board that the city’s park plan was revised from a larger original configuration and that the city’s updated plan made land available for shared use. Phil said he had presented the concept to the city council on Aug. 5 and that council members were supportive.

Board members discussed funding and timelines. Presenters described a phased fundraising approach, noted early private fundraising interest and said construction of some fields could be completed sooner than others because portions of the park — including a filled pond area — require additional settling. When a board member asked for a cost estimate, Brandon cautioned that many variables affect price and declined to provide a single figure; another presenter said the project would not be on the order of $15 million. One district speaker estimated that bringing Legion Field up to required standards without turf could require roughly $300,000–$400,000 in site work for drainage and irrigation.

Several board members volunteered to serve on a planning committee; the motion to continue exploratory work passed by voice vote. Superintendent Mike said the next step would be to begin work on a contract with the city to purchase the land, with any subsequent facility timeline dependent on a committee plan and available funding.","The board voted to continue exploring a proposal to acquire city land for a baseball and softball complex that would consolidate high school and youth facilities, add parking and consider turf; city manager said the city supports the concept and next step is negotiating a purchase contract.",{"_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},6001927,"District reports widespread academic and behavioral gains in end-of-year data",739,720000,1459000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5840355-f9f9e2a5d000df371f2bff4be832542e&start=720&end=1459","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5840355-f9f9e2a5d000df371f2bff4be832542e/thumbnail_720000.jpg","/articles/6001927/Iowa/District-reports-widespread-academic-and-behavioral-gains-in-end-of-year-data","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6001927-0b99f69724f82ab024ecff10f0b63fae/orig.mp4?Expires=1775026515&Signature=YlKoQQnziUi~D0Kc5MI10LepQrFPkS37Y0a4GWfDg9mztJihKOkyz0pCeThVx-ioLtn~W4~Ca1e7T78e5XAzpHcvP6~1On5dSaFlT0BVGI0nBC5V8izFyvgqZBLslCt4lG77VnkUU24aSi8ul-wj2FEQhoMClkPtXCj7mAr44ZAwba9LvgB~sipsQXv8B-0dISlYjok6wVAUGqxco6QXDICxdKVLmwYVuN84vq9dwpnudxgElp5ykEL0QbUjLLi5j8NE7bYylVcyFK1KGSPPp2KrTrey~u4WqU2-gm5kNcVeVutLw7bA6zTvCmOnhWvoinx2SzvX~~c9MhHQ9xKCAw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Maria Lance, district staff, presented the Ottumwa Community School District’s end-of-year student data to the board, reporting gains in academics, attendance and student behavior and previewing targets for the 2025–26 school year. “We are just seeing wins all over the place academically,” Lance said during the presentation. The board discussed class caps and enrollment logistics after the report.

The update covered academics, behavior, absenteeism, graduation rates and staff culture and climate. Lance said the district’s grade‑reconfiguration and new buildings — including Gateway and Farney — reduced secondary building populations and contributed to improved outcomes. She told the board that across third through 11th grades, content-area proficiency increases reported on the state ISASP rose districtwide from 42% of grade‑level/content areas showing improvement in 2023–24 to 70% in 2024–25.

On credits earned, Lance said students at Gateway earned more than 2,000 credits last year, about 400 more than the prior year. She highlighted elementary gains such as a kindergarten cohort at Pickwick that showed more than 30% growth from fall to spring in literacy screeners.

Behavioral metrics were prominent in the presentation. Lance reported a 42% decrease in typical classroom disruption behaviors districtwide and a 50% drop in aggressive behaviors, including fights and incidents involving weapons or drugs. Out‑of‑school suspensions were down 73% districtwide. “We had 0 founded cases of bullying and harassment in the 2425 school year,” Lance said, adding that reported cases were down by half from the prior year.

Attendance also rose: Lance said the district average was about 94% daily attendance, and chronic absenteeism fell nearly 5% year to year. On graduation, she provided projected rates for 2024–25: Ottumwa High School is projected at 96% and Gateway (the alternative high school) at 90%. By comparison, the combined high school graduation rate in 2022 was 76.8%.

Board members asked how the district handles requests when a school is capped. Superintendent Mike (superintendent) explained the process for parents registering after caps are reached: the district offers alternate school placements and will provide transportation when needed. He said such requests are more common later in the year and that most parents are amenable to alternatives when notified at registration.

Human resources director Brad (Human Resources Director) then briefed the board on hiring: a recent district hiring event drew nearly 80 candidates and resulted in nearly 40 hires, putting the district “in extremely good shape” for staffing. He said new teacher onboarding and mentor supports contributed to low turnover among first‑year teachers.

Lance closed by noting district initiatives that supported the outcomes, including expanded therapeutic classrooms, junior kindergarten, mental‑health spaces and targeted special programs. The board did not take formal action on the presentation; the update was informational.","District staff presented year-end data showing increases in proficiency, higher projected graduation rates and large drops in behavioral incidents and suspensions; board members asked about capacity, class caps and enrollment handling.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Board approves handbook, preschool partnership, two site‑improvement contracts and policy updates

Board backs further study of proposed baseball-softball complex on city land

District reports widespread academic and behavioral gains in end-of-year data