John Cain.

TRAER – In a pair of meetings held two days apart, shared Superintendent John Cain’s resignation was approved by both the South Tama County and North Tama County school boards.

“I do have my letter of resignation for my retirement,” Cain told the South Tama board on Monday, July 20, as part of his regular update. “I appreciate your time and expertise over the last four years, and I look forward to this final year with the district.” His resignation was approved later in the meeting as a personnel action item and will go into effect at the end of the 2026-27 school year (June 30, 2027).

North Tama’s regular monthly meeting was held on Wednesday, July 22, at 6:30 a.m. Cain’s resignation, also effective June 30, 2027, was unanimously approved as part of the consent agenda (6-0 with Director LeRoy Stake absent). There was no discussion during the meeting regarding how to replace Cain.

Cain first began serving as South Tama’s superintendent in 2022 following Jared Smith’s resignation. He added superintendent duties at North Tama at the start of the 2024-25 school year following David Hill’s resignation to take the superintendent position at Waverly-Shell Rock.

At the time of his hiring at North Tama, Cain’s base salary was $27,544 per year – a savings of more than $100,000 over Hill’s 0.75-full-time-equivalent (FTE) salary.

Cain began his teaching career with the Clinton Community School District in 1992, teaching third and fifth grades for a combined 12 years. He worked as an AEA consultant for one year before joining the Calamus-Wheatland Community School District as an elementary principal and curriculum director. Five years later, he was hired as principal of Grant Wood Elementary School in the Bettendorf, where he remained for a dozen years. His first superintendent position was at South Tama.

While at South Tama, Cain oversaw the majority of the district’s new middle school construction. At North Tama, he guided the district through much of the construction of its new high school addition.

Other business

Also during the July 22 North Tama school board meeting, directors approved three separate motions to continue a three-way operational sharing agreement with South Tama first approved in the spring of 2024. The board approved 2026-27 sharing agreements for the director of maintenance, an assistant business official position, and superintendent.

The next regular monthly meeting of the North Tama school board is set for Wednesday, Aug. 19, beginning at 6:30 a.m. in the junior high commons.