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Tri-Center board approves special education plan, multiple contracts, policies and hires
Summary
The Tri-Center Comm School District Board approved a district special education delivery plan pending AEA sign-off, adopted numerous policies, awarded a milk bid, approved several agreements and hired teachers and coaches during its May 14 meeting.
The Tri-Center Comm School District Board of Education approved a suite of contracts, policies and personnel actions at its May 14 regular meeting, finalizing procurement and staffing steps ahead of the 2025–26 school year.
The board voted to approve the district-developed Special Education Service Delivery Plan pending final approval by the Area Education Agency on a motion by Board Member Mike Olsen, seconded by Board Member Amanda Scherer; the motion carried 4-0. The board also approved winter coaching contracts for girls wrestling and girls and boys basketball, and annual contracts for the athletic director, assistant ADs, weights and sponsors for 2025–26 (motion by Katie Ausdemore, second by Mike Olsen; 4-0).
School officials approved a package of policy updates and supporting exhibits and forms and waived a second reading. The approved items include Policy 102 (Equal Educational Opportunity) and its grievance procedure and notices (102.R1; 102.E1–E5); anti-bullying witness and disposition forms (104.E2, 104.E3); superintendent and administrator recruitment and qualification regulations (302.1; 303.2); equal employment opportunity (401.1); goals and objectives of the education program (600); multicultural/gender fair education (603.4); instructional materials selection regulation (605.1R1); and school nutrition complaint forms and civil rights regulation (710.1R1; 710.1E1). The motion to adopt the policies carried 4-0.
On procurement matters, the board opened milk bids and approved the firm bid from A&E (motion by Katie Ausdemore, second by Amanda Scherer; 4-0). Bread bids were opened and the board voted to table action on bread bids (motion by Ausdemore, second by Mike Olsen; 4-0).
The board approved a memorandum of understanding to bring iJAG programming to the middle and high school and authorized operational sharing agreements for FY26 with Riverside (curriculum director) and Underwood (operations director). A separate Safe Room Agreement was approved. The board also authorized the use of ESSP-S (noted in the minutes as ESPSS) funds to provide a retention bonus for hourly staff who have signed contracts for FY26; each of these votes carried 4-0.
On staffing, the board approved the hiring of Alexia Cochran and Juliene Livingston as special education teachers for 2025–26 on a motion by Amanda Scherer, second by Mike Olsen; that motion carried 3-0. The board likewise approved several coaching and sponsor positions—Tim Kramer (assistant football coach); Brent Leaders and Joseph Goins (part-time assistant football coaches); Madison Wood (assistant volleyball coach); Taylor Smith (junior high volleyball coach); and Rebecca Thomas (prom sponsor)—on a motion by Scherer, second by Olsen (motion carried 3-0).
The board entered an exempt session under Iowa Code section 21.9 to discuss negotiations at 6:40 p.m. and returned to open session at 6:44 p.m. After executive-session business, Superintendent Angie Huseman presented options for administrative salaries for 2025–26; a motion by Mike Olsen, seconded by Amanda Scherer, approved the presented salaries (motion carried 3-0).
The meeting adjourned at 6:44 p.m. The board set its next regular meeting for Wednesday, June 9 at 6:00 p.m.
Details recorded in the official minutes identify attendees and voting tallies for each motion; motions and vote counts reported in this article are taken from the board minutes recorded at the May 14 meeting.
