School board okays new hires, resignations

The Lenox School Board approved new hires and resignations at their September 12 meeting.
Those filling positions include: Maggie Chapa, secondary special education paraprofessional at $14.50 per hour, starting September 5; Hillary Preston, secondary special education paraprofessional at $14.50 per hour, effective August 25; Dennis Brown, cook, $14.50 per hour starting August 23; Marissa Hernandez, ELL paraprofessional at $14.50 per hour starting September 11; Erika Coleman, preschool and elementary paraprofessional at $14.50 per hour starting September 18; Michael Barbosa, assistant junior high volleyball coach.
The board accepted resignations from Sasha Grundman, secondary special education and Destiny Bruns, cook.
The school improvement advisory committee for the 2023-24 school year was approved. This committee is comprised of parents, teachers, administration, and Lenox Chamber representative.
The board reviewed a letter during the public comments section of the agenda from Toby Grundman, custodian, asking for a $1.00 pay increase, from $16.50 to $17.50. Grundman’s letter stated his tasks involve a lot of micromanaging at times, attention to great detail in the school system, and answering the many calls and text messages when he is off the clock to help coworkers. After discussion, the board did not request a pay increase to be added to a future agenda.
The board talked about students attending school virtually during snow days. The 2023 legislative session approved a bill that allows districts up to five days or 30 hours of virtual instruction. The administration came up with three options: 1) not do virtual instruction; 2) do virtual instruction with limited expectations and consequences for students; 3) have hard core expectations and consequences for students. The board approved to allow virtual instruction with limited expectations and consequences.
The board approved bids for auditor services for the next three years with Nolte, Cornman and Johnson, P.C. Cost for FY 23 is $14,000; FY 24 is $16,000; and FY 25 is $18.000.
Jake Tripp and Monty Douglas will serve on the negotiation team. The school is currently in year one of a two-year agreement. There will be no negotiations unless the state supplemental aid and/or health insurance rates fall outside of the agreed parameters.
In other business, the board:
-approved the signature of the superintendent for official school documents.
-approved Iowa State Savings Bank of Lenox, PCSB of Lenox, TS Bank of Corning, and Wells Fargo of Des Moines as official depositories for the school district.
-approved first reading of policy dealing with administration of naloxone.