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Tri-Center Board of Education approves staff contracts, technology purchases and partnerships
Summary
At its March 27, 2026 budget hearing and special meeting, the Tri-Center Board approved the district's Master Contract (one abstention), classified staff contracts, Schedule B adjustments, a partnership with Iowa West Foundation/iJAG, purchases of Chromebooks and E-Rate service contracts, and recorded a staff retirement/hiring motion where the vote was not specified.
The Tri-Center Board of Education met March 27, 2026, in the Tri-Center Board Room and approved a series of personnel, technology and partnership actions intended to support instruction and operations for the 2026–27 school year.
Under New Business at the special meeting, Sara Arnold moved and Stephanie Witt seconded approval of the district’s Master Contract setting certified staff contracts “as presented.” The motion passed 4-0, with Board Member Katie Ausdemore recorded as abstaining. The board separately approved classified annual and hourly contracts on a 5-0 vote after a motion by Arnold and second by Ausdemore.
The board approved adjustments to Schedule B by motion of Arnold, seconded by Witt. The Schedule B changes include an increase to the Schedule B base and added language giving the athletic director flexibility to vary the number of assistant coaches based on participation; that motion passed 5-0.
The board also approved a partnership agreement with the Iowa West Foundation and iJAG for the 2026–27 school year (motion by Jeremy VanArsdol, second by Katie Ausdemore; 5-0). Technology Director Matt Schmitz presented bids for student devices and the board voted 5-0 to buy student Chromebooks from RTI for $41,920.
Separately, the board approved two E-Rate-related multi-year service contracts: a five-year contract with ICN for E-Rate Category 1 Internet service (motion by Sara Arnold, second by Jeremy VanArsdol; 5-0) and a five-year WAN services contract with Western Iowa Wireless for E-Rate Category 1 WAN services (motion by Katie Ausdemore, second by Stephanie Witt; 5-0). The board also approved RTI's bid of $28,876.63 for an E-Rate Category 2 firewall and associated services (motion by Ausdemore, second by VanArsdol; 5-0).
The minutes record a motion by Katie Ausdemore, seconded by Sara Arnold, to approve the retirement of Food Service Director Tracy Wellman effective at the end of the 2025–26 school year and to hire Leyton Nelson as assistant golf coach for the 2026 season. The board minutes do not include an explicit recorded vote outcome for that specific motion.
The meeting opened with a short budget hearing at 8:00 a.m.; the initial agenda was approved 3-0 and the hearing was adjourned at 8:07 a.m. The special meeting convened at 8:07 a.m.; the board adjourned the special meeting at 8:32 a.m. following the listed approvals.
Jennifer Harder, the district's business manager and board secretary, is listed in the minutes as presenting contracts and documenting motions. President Mike Olsen called the meetings to order and declared both adjournments.
