Des Moines Register
07-11-06
Stalker appointed interim superintendent
Metro Record
The Ankeny school board Monday appointed former Waukee Superintendent
Veronica Stalker as interim superintendent for the 2006-07 school year. She will
replace Kent Mutchler, who accepted a superintendent position at a suburban
Chicago school district last month.
Stalker will begin working for the Ankeny district next Monday and will serve
through June 30, 2007. Mutchler will continue as superintendent until Aug. 1.
Stalker was superintendent of Waukee schools from 1994 to 2004 and was
associate superintendent of Urbandale schools from 1990 to 1994. She was an
elementary school principal for the Ankeny district from 1987 to 1990 and was an
elementary school teacher and principal for the Clarke school district in Osceola
from 1976 to 1987.
Stalker currently teaches graduate-level students in educational
administration at Iowa State University and will return to the job after her term
in Ankeny is complete.
The Ankeny school board will begin the search for a permanent replacement for
Mutchler this fall.
Board President Brian Humke declined to say how many people were considered
for the interim superintendent position, citing candidates' desire for confidentiality.
Sebring to preside at school board meeting
Superintendent Nancy Sebring will preside over her first Des Moines school
board meeting at noon today at the district's boardroom, 1800 Grand Ave.
Contracts for designing the new Woodlawn and Hillis/Moore elementary schools
will be on the agenda. The 2007-08 school calendar also will be up for approval.
Zoning commission OKs condo conversions
The Des Moines Plan and Zoning Commission voted Thursday to approve plans
to convert two historic Sherman Hill apartment buildings into condominiums.
The Sherman Hill Development Group's site plan for the project at 15th and
Pleasant streets would also add a third building on Pleasant Street, as well as
carriage house residences to the rear of the three buildings. The project will have
a total of 22 condo units.
The project still needs approval from the Historic Preservation Commission,
which is scheduled to vote on the project at its July 19 meeting.
11 groups get Community Foundation grants
The Greater Des Moines Community Foundation announced last week that it
would donate $82,000 to 11 organizations that have an impact on the
community.
The organizations and amounts are:
- Churches United Inc., $15,000 for its client assistance fund.
- Hoover High School, $15,000 for Hoover Educamp.
- Iowa Legal Aid, $10,000 for its Health and Law program.
- Parents Anonymous of Iowa Inc., $10,000 for parenting education and early
childhood home visitations.
- Beacon of Life, $6,000 to expand its after-care program.
- Central Place Family Resource Center, $5,000 for its Circles of Support
program.
- Garden of Eden Coalition, $5,000 for its expansion project.
- Girl Scouts of Moingona Council, $5,000 for "Beyond Bars, Building, Expanding,
Sustaining."
- pARTners Unlimited, $5,000 for "Art Car on Parade."
- The University of Iowa's Hancher Auditorium, $5,000 for a Joffrey Ballet
performance.
- The Central Iowa Repertory Theatre, $1,000 for start-up support.
Federal money approved for airport project
The U.S. Department of Transportation on Friday awarded the Des Moines
International Airport a $1.7 million grant for the reconstruction of a taxiway.
The portion of Taxiway P being repaired has been used continuously since it was
built in the 1960s. In the past four years, since a connection was built from the
taxiway to a cargo facility, the strip has carried even more traffic and the
pavement is significantly worn, according to U.S. Rep. Leonard Boswell's office.
Boswell is a member of the House Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure.
Council to weigh annexation plan changes
The Waukee City Council will discuss a West Des Moines annexation
moratorium proposal at its regular meeting today at 7 p.m. at City Hall, 230
Hickman Road.
City leaders from both communities are proposing changes in the boundaries
specified in the 2001 annexation moratorium agreement.
The City Council will also discuss creating a Board of Appeals and setting the
speed limit at 35 mph along Southeast L.A. Grant Parkway between 312th Place
and Ashworth Road.
Review of broadband study planned
The Urbandale City Council will review results of a broadband study at a work
session at 11:45 a.m. today in the administrative offices conference room, 3600
86th St.
The objective of the study was to review existing Internet technology and
determine how to better provide coverage for the city. City officials have said in
the past that the west side of Urbandale has coverage problems, and that the
goal is to equip the entire city with wireless high-speed Internet access.
Police, schools seek security project funds
The West Des Moines Police Department has applied for a grant to help boost
security in schools in the city.
The department has applied for a COPS Secure Our Schools grant. The
$930,000 grant would pay for 50 percent of the total upgrade at the schools.
Police officials expect that the school district will pay for the remainder of the
security project. The schools intend to use the money for exterior security
cameras and wireless video camera systems.
The police department and West Des Moines school district applied for the grant
last year but did not receive it. This year, the two parties have applied with
Dowling Catholic High School and St. Francis and Sacred Heart schools.