spirit Lake school board

          The regular June meeting of the Spirit Lake School Board was called to order at 5:30 P.M. by President Teresa Beck with board members Greta Gruys, Sonja Hamm, Luke Lundt and Jeromy Mouw present.  In addition to the board members also present were Spirit Lake School Superintendent David Smith, Board Secretaries Jane Loveall and Ashley Weber, and school attorney Steve Avery.  Board members and gallery recited the pledge of allegiance and so the meeting began.

          A note here,  normally I video-record the meetings I attend and have video to which I can refer for uniformity and continuity.  Next time. 

Agenda item to approve the agenda was accepted by a unanimous vote.  This entity uses a consent agenda, which is defined as a method to stream-line a meeting by placing routine agenda items into a group which can be approved with one motion rather than numerous individual agenda items.  So the consent agenda was the next item of business to be approve and included agenda items dealing with approval of the Minutes of the May 8th and 22nd meetings, Warrants for payment, Employment of various positions within the school district, open enrollment applications and student Assurance Accident Insurance which were approve in an unanimous vote.

          The Agenda Item covering a Financial Report and Public Report was presented and approved.

          The Agenda Item approval of a Resolution Naming Depositories was approve as presented with a roll call vote.  For those who do not know what a resolution is, it identifies an issue, research the issue in detail, ensures local and federal authority have not already addressed the issue that the school board can tag on to.  Provide evidence of authenticity of the issue with appropriate solutions to cure and defect.  This Resolution should contain the date and a identifying number which usually represents the year in which the issue is presented and the number in order of the enactment.  In other words the Resolution of Monday night should carry a number such as 2023-00X.  X = how many resolutions in 2023 have come before the June 12, 2023, Resolution.  Now usually Resolutions  must have a first and second reading spaced approximately two weeks apart to take care of any errors, omissions or objections to the Resolution.  These type of agenda items are roll call votes and not just a voice approval with the roll call reported for transparency.

          Other agenda items dealt with were raises in activity fees, acceptance of the Bound Pro form of payment, Goals set for building (curriculum for the elementary goals, the curriculum of middle school and curriculum for the high school as best I can guess and how well the achievement of set goals have been handled)

          Last agenda item dealt with the use of an Indian Symbol.  Public input was taken with pro Indian Symbol and anti Indian Symbol comments.  I will repeat the symbol of the head-dress profile is a symbol not a mascot.  The term “mascot’ is pejorative and usually represents a caricature of something real.  Our symbol is representative of a people.  The head-dress is a symbol much akin in practice and construction as medals pinned to our military chests.  The suggestion of osprey is just changing feathers for feathers unless the Osprey in question is the aircraft.  The Board voted to retain the symbol we have, however this is one of those issues which keeps coming back.  So we form a plan in which we maintain our symbol of identity and satiate misconceptions of our symbols.

          Meeting was adjourned at 6:41 p.m.

Spirit Lake School Board

Teresa Beck Board President

Greta Gruys Board member

Sonja Hamm Board member

Luke Lundt Board member

Jeromy Mouw Board member