Benton Community Board of Education
TO: BENTON COMMUNITY
BOARD OF EDUCATION
FROM: DR. JAMES BIESCHKE,
SUPERINTENDENT
RE: REGULAR BOARD MEETING
TIME: WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15,
2026
6:00 p.m. - Regular Meeting
PLACE: Central Office - Board
room
304 1st Street
Van Horne, Iowa 52346
6:00 PM - PUBLIC HEARING
Public Hearings are required to
provide a platform for community
members to directly express their
opinions, concerns, and ideas on
issues affecting their lives, thereby
influencing decision-making pro-
cesses and ensuring that diverse
perspectives are considered by
elected officials or governing bodies,
ultimately leading to more informed
and representative policies and ac-
tions within a community; essentially
acting as a vital tool for transparency
and citizen engagement.
HEARING - FY27 CERTIFIED
BUDGET ADOPTION
6:03 PM President Thompson
opened the Public Hearing. - No
public comments
6:04 PM President Thompson
closed the Public Hearing.
REGULAR MEETING
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE &
CALL TO ORDER - 6:04 PM
Directors Present: Becker, Kai-
ser, Klein, Nolte (via phone), Shaw,
Thompson
Directors Absent: Shanbacher
A quorum was declared present.
Also present: Dr Bieschke, Anna
Selk, Melisa Venneman, Rob Libolt,
Shawn Pfiffner, Jason West, Ryan
Junge, Katie Bauder and Deputy Tif-
fany DeBoer
DELEGATIONS, COMMUNICA-
TIONS, CONSIDERATIONS OF AD-
DITIONAL AGENDA ITEMS - NONE
ACTION ITEM #97 - APPROVAL
OF AGENDA
Motion by Kaiser, seconded by
Klein, to approve the agenda as pre-
sented.
MOTION CARRIED
ALL MEMBERS PRESENT VOT-
ING AYE
OPEN FORUM - NONE
SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT RE-
PORT - Deputy Tiffany DeBoer
School Resource Officer
ADMINISTRATION REPORT - Dr.
Bieschke
Administration Report
ACTION ITEM #98 - FY 27 CER-
TIFIED BUDGET APPROVAL
FY27 Certified Budget infor-
mation: Benton CSD FY27 Budget
presented at a property tax rate of
$10.28 currently for FY27 comprised
of General Fund Levy (Property Tax
$7.43), Instructional Support Levy
w/ 4% Income Surtax (Property
Tax $.53), Management Levy $1.20,
PPEL $.33, and Voted PPEL $.78 for
a total Tax rate of $10.28 for FY27
Budget Publication.
FY 27 Certified Budget Notice of
Public Hearing
FY 27 Tax Certification Page
Motion by Kaiser, seconded by
Shaw, to approve the FY27 Certified
Budget.
MOTION CARRIED
ALL MEMBERS PRESENT VOT-
ING AYE
ACTION ITEM #99 - GWAEA
MENTORING AND INDUCTION
CONTRACT
The Grant Wood AEA Mentoring
and Induction Consortium pools to-
gether local and national resources
to make certain that every school
in the region has access to proven
and research-based induction, men-
toring and coaching programs. The
program provides a mentor teach-
er that visits one-on-one with new
teachers to the profession for their
first two years. The cost is $6,700
per teacher.
Motion by Shaw, seconded by
Becker, to approve the GWAEA
mentoring and induction program
contract.
MOTION CARRIED
ALL MEMBERS PRESENT VOT-
ING AYE
ACTION ITEM #100 - 2026 PRO-
SPECTIVE GRADUATES
The following linked document is
a list of students who will graduate
pending successful completion of all
requirements for graduation.
2026 Graduates for Approval
Motion by Kaiser, seconded by
Klein, to approve the list of students
for graduation pending all require-
ments are satisfactorily met.
MOTION CARRIED
ALL MEMBERS PRESENT VOT-
ING AYE
ACTION ITEM #101 - MS/HS
ACTIVITY ENTRANCE DOOR RE-
PLACEMENT
The following linked documents
are bids for the replacement of En-
trance #3 (Activities). The current
doors are original and rusted in vari-
ous spots, hindering operation.
CR Glass
Liberty Doors
DHPace
Motion by Kaiser, seconded by
Shaw, to approve CR Glass to re-
place Entrance #3 at the MS/HS as
presented.
MOTION CARRIED
ALL MEMBERS PRESENT VOT-
ING AYE
ACTION ITEM #102 - BUSINESS
SERVICES
1. WARRANTS
2. ADDITIONAL WARRANTS
3. SUMMARY OF WARRANTS
4. FINANCIAL REPORTS
a. GENERAL FUND
b. ALL FUNDS REPORT
Motion by Klein, seconded by
Shaw to approve the warrants and
financial reports as presented.
MOTION CARRIED
ALL MEMBERS PRESENT VOT-
ING AYE
ACTION ITEM #103 - CONSENT
AGENDA
The Consent Agenda includes
common topics.
*ALL HIRES ARE CONTINGENT
ON BACKGROUND CHECK, PROP-
ER LICENSING, AND RELEASE
FROM CURRENT CONTRACT IF
APPLICABLE
i) HIRES
(1) Stephanie Wieben - Trans-
portation Secretary
(2) Daniel Woods - 8th Grade
Social Studies Teacher & Head V
Boys Wrestling Coach
(3) Ryan Fisher - Art Teacher -
Atkins & Keystone shared
(4) Larry Carlson - Guidance
Counselor - Keystone
(5) Victoria Claus - Preschool
Associate - Atkins
(6) Vikolia DeReus - Head Soph-
omore Volleyball Coach
(7) Jessica Revoir - Food Ser-
vice Substitute - MS/HS
(8) Vicky Cichoski - Color Guard
Sponsor - MS/HS
(10) Chris Frimml - Head 7th
Grade Boys Basketball & Head 7th
Grade Girls Basketball
ii) TRANSFER
(1) Cynda Mehlert - 4 Year Old
Preschool - Keystone
(2) Rachel Kruse - Special Edu-
cation Instructional Coach - District
Wide
(3) Denise Moeller - Special Ed-
ucation - Atkins
iii) RESIGNATIONS
(1) Alison Nichols - 8th Volleyball
Coach
(2) Hailey Jacobs - 9th Volleyball
Coach
(3) Kayla Wink - Preschool Asso-
ciate - Atkins
(4) Dee Kulbartz - School Nurse
- Norway
iv) OUT OF STATE TRIPS
(1) National Skills USA
v) MEETING MINUTES
(1) March 25, 2026 Board Meet-
ing Minutes
vi) VOLUNTEERS
(1) Brian Kramer - Girls Golf
(2) Jordan Rettenmeier - Softball
vii) CONTRACTS
(1) GWAEA Mentoring & Induc-
tion Consortium Agreement
Motion by Shaw, seconded
by Kaiser, to approve the Consent
Agenda as presented.
MOTION CARRIED
ALL MEMBERS PRESENT VOT-
ING AYE
ACTION ITEM #104 - POLICY
REVIEW
The following policies were re-
viewed by the board.
412.03 - Attendance Incen-
tive-Food Service Employees (2nd
Reading)
604.11 - Appropriate Use of On-
line Learning Platforms (2nd Read-
ing)
Motion by Klein, seconded by
Kaiser, to approve the policy revision
and review as presented.
MOTION CARRIED
ALL MEMBERS PRESENT VOT-
ING AYE
EXEMPT SESSION - 7:02 PM
IOWA CODE 21.9 - A meeting
of a Board to discuss strategy in
matters relating to employment con-
ditions of employees who are not
covered by a collective bargaining
agreement. I.C. 21.9.
Motion by Klein, seconded by
Kaiser to go into Exempt Session at
7:02 PM.
It has been moved and second-
ed to go into Exempt Session. Roll
call vote to go into Exempt Session:
DIRECTOR:
Becker - AYE, Kaiser - AYE, Klein
- AYE, Nolte - AYE, Shaw - AYE,
Thompson - AYE, Schanbacher -
Absent.
MOTION CARRIED
Motion by Becker, seconded by
Kaiser to come out of Exempt Ses-
sion at 7:51 PM.
It has been moved and second-
ed to come out of Exempt Session.
Roll call vote to come out of Exempt
Session: DIRECTOR: Becker - AYE,
Kaiser - AYE, Klein - AYE, Nolte -
AYE, Shaw - AYE, Thompson - AYE,
Schanbacher - Absent.
MOTION CARRIED
ACTION ITEM #105 - FY26 EM-
PLOYEE WAGES/ SALARIES NOT
COVERED BY A COLLECTIVE BAR-
GAINING AGREEMENT
Recommended wages and sal-
aries for all employees not covered
by a collective bargaining agreement
were presented.
Motion by Klein, seconded by
Shaw to approve the FY27 wag-
es and salaries for employees not
covered by a collective bargaining
agreement as presented for the
2026-2027 contract year.
Roll call vote to approve: DI-
RECTOR: Becker - AYE, Kaiser -
AYE, Klein - AYE, Nolte - AYE, Shaw
- AYE, Thompson - AYE, Schan-
bacher - Absent.
MOTION CARRIED
SUPERINTENDENT REPORT
Softball Concession Stand
Hiring Update
Legislation
Prom - Saturday, April 25th
Graduation Commencement-
May 17, 2026 at 2:00 p.m.
ACTION ITEM #106 - AD-
JOURNMENT
Motion by Kaiser, seconded by
Schanbacher, to adjourn the board
meeting at 8:12 PM
MOTION CARRIED
ALL MEMBERS PRESENT VOT-
ING AYE