St James School Board Meeting
Wednesday March 4, 2015 @ 6:30PM
Meeting called to order at 6:32 PM
Meeting attendance: J Harvey, R Flannery, C Wisniewski, D McDole, Z Lievanos, Fr
Bernie Weir
Visitors: Anne Goebel
I. Call to Order and Prayer
II. Acceptance of Agenda
III.
Approval of previous minutes
▪
Tabled Jan minutes for approval next meeting
IV.
Finance Update - none
V.
Principal Wisniewski’s Report (see attached report)
▪
August 31st suspected as 2015-2016 as start date pending on Iowa
Legislature. Washington Community School district didn’t file
waiver for extension.
▪
15 students have actually enrolled in 4 day pre-school for next
year. Anticipate giving more time to enroll other students during
next month with other pre-school roundup events and will
determine final numbers before staff contracts due 4/15/15. Chet
has been communicating with current pre-school teaching staff
about future plans going forward. Will have full details about
student numbers to make final staffing/budgeting decisions at next
board meeting.
▪
13 students have actually enrolled in 3 day pre-school for next year
▪
Preschool Community Forum to take place 5:30 3/16/15 during
Community District Preschool Roundup
▪
Lenten activities at school currently including stations of cross
▪
Reviewed 2015-2016 anticipated numbers for classes next year and
is on target for current budget numbers
VI. Old Business
 St James Brochure
o Mikaela Peterson has been working with Chet on updating brochure.
Additional information has been added including updated photos. (M
Peterson to continue to complete)
 Tobin Hall Basement
o Fire Marshall Inspection stated basement space approved for use
including windows would meet code as long as non-permanent walls.
Information all collected for costs to go into upgrading basement
space. Plans to submit this in Riverboat Grant due in early April.
 Preschool Fence
o Suggestion to ask for grant to finalize fencing projects. Table for next
month

3rd reading of tuition policy- 1st Dana McDole, 2nd Zulma Lievanos- board
approved 3rd reading with Joe Harvey abstaining. Suggested to have future
policies available publicly and to go out with Flock Note with agendas.
 SIAC meeting
o Rescheduled for 3/10/15 due to weather last week.
VII. New Business
 Drop-Off Procedures
o Need to review drop-off procedures in AM. Need to avoid parking in
drop off lane/street side to avoid getting in the way of bus drop-off.
Home & School has suggested more communication in newsletters and
letter home to parents in both English and Spanish. Tim Kleese had
suggested a letter come out from the board to family to re-inforce dropoff policy. (Check with Tim Kleese as action item) Other suggestions
to have someone physically outside to reinforce policy or have signage
placed outside to remind no parking in bus drop-off area. Other
suggestion is having parent volunteer(s) to be outside in AM.
Volunteer(s) will need to be VERTUS trained. This will be discussed
again at H&S Meeting. Issue will continued to be put in weekly
newsletter and parish bulletin.
 Parent Survey about pride attire/school uniforms
o Last survey went out 5yrs ago to ask about regular uniforms vs pride
attire rules. Suggestions to have survey go out either late this school
year or during registration in Fall and see if collective interest in
changing current Pride Attire rules. Suggestion to have survey to be
created/sent out at start of 2015-16 school year and then move in
direction based on information.
 Budget 2015-2016
o Reviewed Feb 2015 report
 Discussed comparisons between SJS salaries and Public
District salaries.
 Salary Steps/Realignment- attempt to have consistent dollar
amount for each steps. Example showing steps as finite dollar
amount ($729). Fr and Mary Ward also looked at step
revisions. % increases are not completely even but will even
out then next year. Also removed step “zero” and started at
step “one”.
 Hope to have more ability to give larger staff raises once
budget issues have improved over time with improved
enrollment numbers.
 3 day preschool tuition amount well-received at preschool
roundup.
 Other changes highlighted:
 Removed registration fee
 3 future students to repeat 4yr preschool for additional
tuition figures
 Line item 52129 needs to be removed from budget due
to legal concerns. School can no longer provide gift

cards to staff which are viewed as a “bonus” and
would be subject to taxes.
Motion unanimously approved (1st RF, 2nd DM) current budget
figures to share at Finance Counsel meeting 3/10/15 to include
following changes:
 Removal of line item 52129
 Adjust teacher steps as outlined in example
 Budget for 2% raise for non-contacted employees to be
given at the discretion of the administrator based on
employee’s merit and evaluation.
 Tuition increase of 10% for K through 5th grade
students
VIII. Meeting reports
 Parish Counsel- to meet 3/10/15
 Home & School- successful Big Event. Upcoming Sunday brunch in April with
last Sunday of RE.
 Finance Counsel- to meet 3/10/15
 Maintenance Committee- Fence completion discussed. Goals for summer
projects include painting hallway to gym. Professional painter to paint ceiling
and other volunteers to help with hallway painting. Fr Bernie still compiling
maintenance “wish list” projects with estimates costs for future planning
IX. Pastor Report
 Efforts to establish “sister” school in Honduras. This will serve as a service
project for SJS students to provide them with needed school supplies.
Anticipates having full arrangements made for start of 2014-2015 school year.
X. Future Meeting Agenda and Date
 Next meeting Wednesday March 25, 2015 at 6:30PM
XI. Executive Session- 1st RF & 2nd DM to go into Executive Session at 8:30PM.
Adjourned from executive session at 8:47PM (1st DM, 2nd RF)
Adjournment at 8:48PM