Board accepts Prairie Meadows check and approves Sphero grant application to expand K–6 coding

Polk County supervisor Jill Altringer and Prairie Meadows senior vice president Brian Orelko presented the district with a discretionary check totaling $31,976.62 and reminded staff about the Prairie Meadows grant deadline.

Adam Churchwell, curriculum facilitator, described a proposed Prairie Meadows community betterment grant to purchase six Indisphero class packs (each pack includes multiple Sphero robots and teaching mats) for use in elementary libraries and classrooms across the district. Churchwell said the devices support coding, algorithmic thinking and hands‑on problem solving aligned to district computer science standards. The proposal calls for one class pack per elementary school and one for district checkout; if only partial funding is received the district would prioritize K–4 classrooms.

Board members asked about device management and whether trustees could try the devices; librarians and Churchwell said kits can be checked out to classrooms and that trainer support would be part of the proposal. Director Dickinson moved to approve submission of the Prairie Meadows grant application; the board approved the motion.

Ending: Administration said it would submit the grant later the same week and would inform the board of the award outcome and any implementation details if funded.