The Greene County School Board met Monday for its July meeting, due to the Greene County Fair happening later this week.
The meeting began with Superintendent Brett Abbotts reviewing several summer projects. He said the new digital clock system and heat pumps were installed at the elementary school, while the new windows are currently being installed at the elementary, along with the new lighting at the elementary and middle schools is wrapping up and the gym floors will be resurfaced soon at the middle school. It was discussed about possibly installing an air conditioning unit at the concession stand at the softball field.
Abbotts said that there was no viable option to vent an air conditioning unit, nor was there an existing window to install a window A/C unit. However, he added that the topic will be readdressed with the Booster Club and Activities Director David Wright ahead of next softball season.
It was also announced during reports that the Greene County Education Foundation had over $90,000 in scholarships via the Bringing Opportunities and Optimism to Teachers and Students (BOOST) of Greene County Schools.
Next, the Board approved one driving permit for Keaton Hinote, as well as the milk bid to Anderson/Erickson and the bread bid to Pan-O-Gold for the 2025-26 school year. The Board also approved the 2025-26 school year book, meal and activity ticket fees, with one change to the student activity pass of $25 for all students, which also includes Paton-Churdan, they also approved the depositories for the next year school, with an increase to Heartland Bank of $500,000 to $2 million and ISJIT of $6 million to $ 7 million, with most of the increase being from the solar panel project.
Additionally, the Board reappointed Mumma and Pedersen Law Firm as legal counsel, Teresa Hoyle as the Board Treasurer and Laura Marshall as the Board Secretary. They also approved renewing the 28E agreement with New Opportunities for the Head Start program, as well as the food service agreement; the 2025-26 high school student handbook, Classroom Clinic agreement for $30,600 of which the school district was responsible for $13,000 due to a grant to offset the cost, the bid from Iowa Irrigation to install a system for the practice fields for $23,976 and two bids for concrete projects with the track area, including the long jump area for $32,499 and the high jump area for $59,580, which was awarded to Dennhardt Concrete.
The Board also approved a $181,080 bid from Outdoor Recreation Products for a new pre-kindergarten playground that will be located west of the pre-k classroom. The school district was only responsible for $81,080 due to several grants and donations from other entities. They also approved new chairs for elementary school students for $60,524 and replacing 200 Dell Chromebooks from BlueAlly for $61,400.