A map of North Tama County Community School District's Traer school board districts including Director District 4 (bottom left in red/pink) which will soon be filled by appointment following former vice president Haley Blaine’s resignation on Sept. 3. IMAGE COURTESY OF TAMA COUNTY AUDITOR’S OFFICE

TRAER – The North Tama County school board is searching for candidates to fill a vacancy in Traer.

The Director District 4 seat opened up earlier this month following former vice president Haley Blaine’s resignation. Per her resignation letter dated Sept. 3, Blaine said she was no longer living within the boundaries of her district and thus had to step down.

“It is with a heavy heart that I’m writing this letter to let you all know that, effective immediately, I will no longer be able to serve as a member of the North Tama School Board, as I’m no longer living within my represented district,” Blaine wrote. “It has been an incredible ride serving the last few years with all of you. The respect I have for each and every one of you is something that’ll never go away. And don’t worry, my children are still Redhawks and we will continue to support North Tama with our whole hearts. Once a Redhawk, always a Redhawk.”

District 4 is completely contained within the City of Traer on the town’s southwest side. The district’s eastern border runs along South Main Street (US 63) while the northern boundary zigzags along Fourth Street, down Walnut Street, across Fifth Street, down Green Street, a brief sojourn along Sixth Street, and then a long sweep down Westview Street with some jogs along Wilson Street and Russell Road. The district’s southern boundary is the city limits.

During the board meeting on Monday, Superintendent John Cain explained the district has heard from one potential candidate interested in the appointment thus far. Those who live in District 4 with an interest in the appointment must contact board secretary Sara Forrester by Wednesday, Sept. 25. The appointment will then be made and the new member sworn in at the Thursday, Sept. 26 special meeting which is set for 6:30 p.m.

Cain said in terms of how the appointment will be made, “There’s a process we follow if we have one [candidate], there’s a process we follow if there’s more than one.”

Eligible electors of the school district may also file a petition requiring the vacancy be filled by special election. Such paperwork must be received by Forrester no later than Wednesday, Sept. 25, which is 14 days after the vacancy notice was first published. Forrester can be reached at 319-478-2265.

Student cell phone policy

New this school year, secondary students at North Tama are no longer allowed to have cell phones ‘from class period to class period’ during instructional time. As part of the policy, students in grades 7-12 are asked to place their cellphones in a phone pouch upon arriving to class. Cell phones continue to be allowed between classes, during study hall, and at lunch.

“It’s been a great start to the year,” Principal Taylor Howard said as part of his report to the board Monday evening. He said he has had no complaints from parents about the new policy and no issues with students.

“I’m so proud of our kids,” he commented.

“I think it’s really working as you want it to work,” student board member Johnathan Cochran replied when asked for his opinion of the new policy.

During his report, Howard fielded a brief question from board member Cheryl Popelka about high school football numbers and the possibility of moving from Class A to 8-player football next season. Currently, Redhawk football has 22 students out for the fall sport. Howard said any such consideration wouldn’t take place until November at the earliest.

Construction update

Superintendent Cain provided an update on construction of the new high school addition.

The two homes on the east side of campus — located in the new building’s footprint — have been completely torn down. This week, Larson Construction is working near the west side of the area close to the existing school building to take out volunteer trees and remove old sidewalks, a retaining wall, and fencing. Contractors are also filling in the basement/foundation areas where the homes once stood.

An official groundbreaking on the addition complete with a dozen ‘gold shovels’ is planned for Tuesday, Sept. 24 at 6:30 p.m.

Other business

North Tama High School Class of 1993 alum David Schmit has been hired as the district’s new high school boys basketball coach.

The board spent some time discussing a potential contract with Jester Insurance for ‘break-fix insurance.’ Essentially, Cain said, such insurance allows school districts to access the management fund while protecting general funds. Cain said the conversation surrounding Jester began last spring with former Supt. David Hill. No action was taken.

A transportation agreement between North Tama and nearby Union Community School District was approved that would allow North Tama buses to pick up an open-enrolled student and then turn around inside Union’s boundaries. Cain said the student lives in the Union district “by about 50 feet” and that “their yard is basically the line.” The agreement must also be approved by the Union school board.

The district’s aging, troublesome phone system was also discussed as part of the superintendent’s report. Cain said the plan was to keep it working until the board decides whether or not to contract with Jester Insurance. “Our system is old enough to vote at this time,” Levi LaRue, the district’s technology integrationist, quipped. LaRue will continue to troubleshoot the system as best he can in the interim.

Toward the end of his report, Cain asked the board for their thoughts on moving regular school board meetings from a 7 p.m. to a 6 p.m. start time. Board member David Calderwood said 7 p.m. worked better. Discussion around changing to 6:30 p.m. was briefly discussed. Cain said the board could discuss the option further once the new District 4 director was sworn in.