The Greene County School Board met Wednesday night.

Following a public hearing, the Board approved the 2019-2020 school calendar as presented, along with adding additional makeup snow days to the end of the school year. Then following a proposal from Board member John McConnell, the Board approved to do its own lawn care services and hire two additional buildings and grounds employees to help provide those services and purchase equipment necessary to do the job.

During open forum, student Conner Allender addressed the Board about being a foster trainer for a dog with the Puppy Jake Foundation. The Board took no action following the presentation.

During reports, High School Principal Brian Phillips said they increased the minimum requirement for seniors to earn a gold honors cord at graduation from a 3.0 grade-point-average to a 3.5. He said that would be 22 students this year, which was 28-percent of the expected graduating class. Superintendent Tim Christensen told the Board staff members will do presentations to them from “staff study” days that would count toward their makeup snow days from earlier this year.

The Board then approved a field trip request for the high school art club to travel to Kansas City at the end of April, a recommendation from the School Improvement Advisory Committee to establish a bullying complaint form that can be filled out and submitted online through the school district’s website, an application from West Marshall School District to join the Heart of Iowa Activities Conference, the Iowa Jobs for America’s Graduates (iJAG) program as presented, and set April 10th at 5pm as public hearing dates for the 2020 fiscal year budget and a 2019 fiscal year budget amendment. Additionally the Board approved to get 22.9-acres at the new high school and career academy site certified through the Farm Services Agency and have the Greene County FFA Chapter pay $100 per acre in cash rent to farm the land. The Board also approved a 28E agreement with Greene County for the construction of the career academy.

The Board then approved two board policies regarding animals. One was a revised policy about animals in the classroom. The added portion was that the policy was not intended to conflict with service animals. The other was the first reading of a new board policy about assistance animals. The new policy would allow for miniature horses to be in school buildings as assistance animals.

Finally, the Board approved to issue the second series of bonds for the new high school and career academy project. They approved to issue general obligation bonds not to exceed $5.5 million.