Central School Board

The Central School Board approved the motion to approve the High School Girls Wrestling and Junior High Girls and Boys Wresting with Clayton Ridge. Central hired Colten Ledbetter and Reese Berns as Girls Wrestling Coaches.

The Board approved compensating Principal Aaron Reinhart and Business Manager Allison Walck two-thousand dollars each for their time and commitment during the Superintendent transition. It was approved by a 3-2 vote.

The Board approved the hiring of Natalia Cunningham as Paraprofessional and Lisa Hagensick for Food Service. Sidney Heimes resigned as Paraprofessional.

CENTRAL COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT 

ELKADER, IOWA 

October 20, 2025 – 6:00 PM 

Board Meeting 

President Jared Funk called the meeting to order at 6:00 PM. 

Board Present: Jered Finley, Jared Funk, Marcus Belser, Courtney Scherf, and Andrew Clark 

Board Absent: Michael Whittle, Josh Embretson 

Staff: Micah Gearhart, Amy Pope, and Steph Burke 

Guests: Abby Heitman, Liz Tuecke, Heather Lechtenberg, Zach Herrmann, Nicole Coonfare, Taneasha Brown, Jenna Wemark, Leah Imoehl, Jill Stannard, Kaitlyn Kuehl-Berns, Jodi Casper, Asher Hall, Kash Bolsinger, Theron Casper, Oliver Holdsworth, Lucas Bergan, Jaxon Heitman, Alexis Ingles, Ciera Gray, Riglee Coonfare, Emmajean Herrmann, Ellie Lechtenberg, Bryce Imoehl. Approved Agenda 

Courtney Scherf made a motion to approve the agenda with the addition of volunteer coach Reese Berns for girls wrestling under consent agenda items for the October 20, 2025, board meeting. 

Andrew Clark seconded. Motion carried. 5-0 

Public Comment: 

Boy Scout Troop 62 - Jodi Casper, Asher Hall, Kash Bolsinger, Theron Casper, Oliver Holdsworth spoke. 

Liz Tuecke spoke. 

Communication Reports 

Elementary Principal-Mrs. Pope-See Link Online 

MS/HS Principal & AD-Mr. Reinhart-See Link Online 

Superintendent-Mr. Gearhart spoke on Central’s Annual Audit, Central’s IDEA-DA, Bus Drop Off and Pick Up, and the ISFIS Workshop- October 27th. Consent Items 

Printed Minutes-September 15, 2025 

Bills-Josh Embretson and Michael Whittle 

Treasurer's Report 

Employment 

Resignations 

Paraprofessionals-Sidney Hiemes and Portia Jameson 

Hiring 

Paraprofessional-Nataliia Cunningham 

Food Service-Lisa Hagensick 

English Learners (EL) Stipend-Kelly Erickson and Staci Grau 

Coaches 

Softball-Head Coach, Abby Cummer, and Assistant Coach, Kiersten Tenge. Boys Wrestling-Junior High Co-Coaches, Joe Koehn and JW Downs.  Girls Wrestling-Co-Head Coaches, Abby Heitman and Levi Lauer. Boys Track & Field-Isaiah Hopp 

Large Group Speech-Co-Coaches, Crystal Stevenson and Bethany Klingman

Individual Speech-Co-Coaches, Crystal Stevenson and Bethany Klingman Volunteer Coaches 

Boys Basketball- Elliott Kelly and Dan McGreal. 

Boys Wrestling- Trevor Heying, JT Cunningham, Mitch Seitz, Dawson Bergan, Josh Embretson, and Rob Anderson 

Girls Wrestling-Colten Ledbetter, Reese Berns 

Girls Basketball-Leah Imoehl, Molly Scherf, and Carlyn Lechtenberg Officials 

Required Annual Review of Board Policy 

Courtney Scherf made a motion to approve the consent items after removing the EL Stipend to a new agenda item for more discussion. 

Marcus Belser seconded. Motion carried. 5-0 

Learning and Leadership 

Mrs. Stannard, along with several Central fourth and sixth-grade students, presented on the new technology they have been learning and the new iPad cases with keyboards that were purchased last year. It’s Digital Citizenship Week, and Mrs. Stannard has been teaching many lessons on being safe online in all K-6th grade classrooms. 

Membership for the School Improvement Advisory Committee (SIAC) Jered Finley made a motion to approve members: Carla Clark, Clarissa DeShaw, Emily Frieden, Sara Koehn, Micah Minor, Jamie Reimer, Danielle Shea, Brady Stramer, Deb Deitchler, Riley Preuss, Courtney Scherf, Ryan Bergan, Angie Bergan, Kim Carlson, Mark Wiley, Blair Scherf, Brylee Erickson, Amy Pope, Aaron Reinhart, and Micah Gearhart. 

Marcus Belser seconded. Motion carried. 5-0 

Plan for Serving English Learners (LAU Plan) 

Marcus Belser made a motion to approve the LAU Plan for the 2025-2026 school year. 

Courtney Scherf seconded. Motion carried. 5-0 

Membership for the District Developed Special Education Delivery Plan (DDSDP) 

Courtney Scherf made a motion to approve members: Joan Frieden, Staci Grau, Keya Hannah, Nicole Gray, Deb Deitchler, Allison Burkle, Sarah Glew, Kerry Peterson, Debbie Johnson, Chelsea Dreyer, Aaron Reinhart, Amy Pope, and Micah Gearhart. 

Andrew Clark seconded. Motion carried. 5-0 

Northeast Iowa Community Action Contract 

Courtney Scherf made a motion to approve the NEICA contract. Marcus Belser seconded. Motion carried. 5-0 

Donations 

Andrew Clark made a motion to approve the donations from the Little Warrior Wrestling Club in the amount of $2,514.89 and from Three Rivers FS in the amount of $1,582.66. 

Courtney Scherf seconded. Motion carried. 5-0 

Holiday Practice 

Marcus Belser made a motion to approve New Year’s Day practice.

Courtney Scherf seconded. Motion carried. 5-0 

Paraprofessional Starting Wage & Substitute Wage 

Courtney Scherf made a motion to approve moving the starting wage for paraprofessionals to $15.00 and the paraprofessional substitute wage to $11.50 to begin on October 11, 2025, for the November payroll. 

Andrew Clark seconded. Motion carried. 5-0 

Wrestling Sharing Agreement 

Courtney Scherf made a motion to approve the High School Girls Wrestling and JH Boys & Girls Wrestling sharing agreements with Clayton Ridge for the 2025-2026 school year. 

Marcus Belser seconded. Motion carried. 5-0 

Fundraising Requests 

Marcus Belser made a motion to approve the fundraising requests. Andrew Clark seconded. Motion carried. 5-0 

English Learners - EL Stipend 

Courtney Scherf made a motion to approve the split stipend for Kelly Erickson and Staci Grau. 

Andrew Clark seconded. Motion carried. 5-0 

Policy Review-First Reading 

Marcus Belser made a motion to approve the first reading of the following policies a. Code No. 102.EH(1) – Equal Education Opportunity – Annual Notice of Nondiscrimination 

b. Code No. 102.EH(3) – Equal Education Opportunity – Notice of Section 504 Student and Parental Rights 

c. Code No. 102.E4 COMPLAINT FORM 

d. Code No. 102.E5 WITNESS DISCLOSURE FORM 

e. Code No. 103 LONG-RANGE NEEDS ASSESSMENT 

f. Code No. 104 ANTI-BULLYING/HARASSMENT POLICY 

g. Code No. 104-E1 - COMPLAINT FORM 

h. Code No. 104-E2 - ANTI-BULLYING/ANTI-HARASSMENT WITNESS DISCLOSURE FORM 

i. Code No. 104-E3 - ANTI-BULLYING/ANTI-HARASSMENT 

DISPOSITION OF COMPLAINT FORM 

j. Code No. 104-R(1)-ANTI-BULLYING/HARASSMENT 

POLICY-INVESTIGATION PROCEDURES 

k. Code No. 208 AD HOC COMMITTEES 

l. 208-R(1) Board Committees- Regulation 

m. Code No. 208.01E1 AD HOC COMMITTEES EXHIBIT 

n. Code No. 401.1 EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY 

o. Code No. 403.4 HAZARDOUS CHEMICAL DISCLOSURE 

p. Code No. 405.8 LICENSED EMPLOYEE EVALUATION 

q. 501.9: Chronic Absenteeism and Truancy 

r. 501.9(1) Chronic Absenteeism and Truancy- Regulation

s. Code No. 501.14 OPEN ENROLLMENT TRANSFERS - 

PROCEDURES AS A SENDING DISTRICT 

t. Code No. 501.15 OPEN ENROLLMENT TRANSFERS - 

PROCEDURES AS A RECEIVING DISTRICT 

u. Code No. 501.16 HOMELESS CHILDREN AND YOUTH 

v. Code No. 505.8 PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT Parent and Family Engagement District-Wide Policy 

w. Code No. 505.8 (1) Parent and Family Engagement- Building Level Regulation 

x. Code No. 506.2R1 USE OF DIRECTORY INFORMATION 

y. Code No. 507.1 STUDENT HEALTH AND IMMUNIZATION 

CERTIFICATES 

z. Series 600 - EDUCATION PROGRAM 

aa.Code No. 603.4 MULTICULTURAL AND GENDER FAIR EDUCATION bb.Code No. 605.1R1 SELECTION OF INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS cc.Code No. 901 PUBLIC EXAMINATION OF SCHOOL DISTRICT RECORDS 

Jered Finley seconded. Motion carried. 5-0 

Certified Teacher Evaluation 

Courtney Scherf made a motion to approve the Certified Teacher Evaluation. Andrew Clark seconded. Motion carried. 5-0 

Anticipated Closed Session- To evaluate the professional competency of an individual whose appointment, hiring, performance, or discharge is being considered when a closed session is necessary to prevent needless and irreparable injury to the individual’s reputation and that individual requests a closed session. Iowa Code 21.5(1)(i) 

Andrew Clark made a motion to go into closed session. 

Marcus Belser seconded. Motion carried. 5-0 

The board went into closed session at 7:10 PM. 

Roll Call:-Andrew Clark-Aye, Jered Finley-Aye, Marcus Belser-Aye, Courtney Scherf-Aye, and Jared Funk-Aye. 

Jered Finley made a motion to return to open session. 

Courtney seconded. Motion carried. 5-0 

The board returned to open session at 8:44 PM. 

Roll Call:-Andrew Clark-Aye, Jered Finley-Aye, Marcus Belser-Aye, Courtney Scherf-Aye, and Jared Funk-Aye. 

Consideration to Compensate 

Courtney Scherf made a motion to compensate Aaron Reinhart and Allison Walch $2,000 each for their time and commitment during the Superintendent transition. Marcus Belser seconded. Motion carried. 3-2. 

Adjournment

Marcus Belser made a motion to adjourn the meeting. 

Courtney Scherf seconded. Motion carried. 5-0 

The meeting adjourned at 8:55 PM.