North Nodaway Hires New Bus Driver

The North Nodaway School Board, at its regular Board of Education Meeting Wednesday, hired Adam James as a bus driver.

The board voted to hire Herner Construction of St. Joseph to replace drywall, insulation, framing, and exterior sheathing as needed due to termite damage for the cost of $86.80 per hour per man and the cost of the materials, but not to exceed $5,000. If the project is not completed at that point, the process will stop and costs will be renegotiated. The money will be covered by insurance.

The board voted to award a contract to Eckard’s for new carpet for the new elementary office spaces except for the nurse’s office and the new high school office spaces, excluding the hallways. The carpet will match the existing carpet in the classrooms. The cost for the elementary carpet was $3,967.10 for 142 square yards and $4,355.39 for the high school for 162 square yards. Prices do not include installation. Eckard’s was the only place where they could get that carpet.

Elementary Principal Heather Townsend reported that a new set of teachers has completed their first training of LETRS. A dedication of the preschool was held in honor of Becci Baldwin. Earthquake and bus evacuation drills were performed. The elementary participated in Pickering Horse Show Activities. 

Middle and High School Principal Roger Johnson reported that high school enrollment was 59, down from 70 last year. Middle school enrollment was 39, up from 35 last year. 

A bus evacuation drill was held. Administration will be participating in training for a new emergency app alert system that they will try.

Teacher teams have been scoring and analyzing data from writing prompts that were given to students at the beginning of the year. Teachers are working with students during the after school program designed to help students with concepts data shows the school needs improvement on. Also, there is ACT prep. 

FFA has begun its annual fruit sales and is attending a couple of events recently.

Homecoming activities will be held the week of September 29th. A tailgate party will be held Thursday night after they work on floats at the bus barn. The parade route will end at Main Street this year to avoid crossing the highway with marching students. A pep rally will be held north of the Roxy after the parade.

There has been a big reduction in office referrals, tardies, and late homework from the previous two years.

NEN will be hosting a Special Conference Kickball event in October. For North Nodaway, Luke Clements and Brice Trimble will participate.

Three students are participating in work release, seven in vo-tech, one is cadet teaching at Pickering, four are cadet teaching in the middle school, and all seniors and several juniors are taking at least one dual credit course.

One of Mr. West’s STEM classes and Mrs. Bix’s communications class is doing a joint project to produce the Mustang Hot Take, viewable on Facebook.

There was a good turnout for Grandparents Day at Hopkins. Mrs. Stricker, the junior high student council, and Mrs. Pedersen helped with the event.

Mr. McConkey and Mr. West hosted Patriot Day and Constitution Day activities in their classrooms.

The school received a complimentary letter from the Elementary Principal of Lenox (IA), who attended the recent Volleyball Triangular. He praised the staff and coaches and was impressed with the school.

Superintendent Chris Turpin reported that the perforated graphics are nearly finished at the high school. They have to do new office doors and safety film for the interior doors of the new addition.

The gym air conditioning units are being installed.

The school received a private grant for the Ag shop. They received $53,000 to purchase a new Lincoln Plasma cutter that will accommodate a 4x4 piece of metal. The  grant includes some training, safety equipment, and about $10,000 worth of metal for the kids to use. The school is working on a DNR grant for an energy audit. The school is also working on another School Safety Grant; if approved, it will be used for replacing door slabs and for putting up a fence around the elementary playground.

The school is in the process of getting lead testing done to comply with the new state law requiring schools to get lead out of drinking water.

The school had a dedication for the new preschool. A grand opening will be held once the entire project is complete. 

The next meeting will be October 18th, 2023.