EMMETSBURG COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT
Regular/Organizational Meeting
Board of Education
November 19, 2025
The Board of Education of Emmetsburg Community School District met in a regular session on November 19, 2025 at 6:30 am in the Central Office Board Room.
Present: Val Morton, Bill Huberty, Kathy Roethler, Kyle Caven, Morgan Grimm, Lori Riley,
Bruce Nelson, Sarah Brugman, and Brian Brown
Absent:
Also Present: Cory Jenness, Alyssa Enderson, Tracie Christensen, Tyler Bjustrom, Kari Menefee
Val Morton, Board President called the meeting to order at 6:30 am.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA: Motion by Grimm to approve the agenda with the addition of the student board report and 1969 Mechanical retrofit. Seconded by Huberty. All voted affirmative. Motion carried.
TEACHING & LEARNING
Administrative Reports: Building Principals shared their monthly reports. Activity Director Dan Hewitt presented the Activity report. Student Board Member Danica Ringlaben presented the Student Board report.
Board Learning: None
PUBLIC FORUM: HS Cheer Coaches Jenna Garrelts and Chelsea Strohman presented State Send off requirements from the Athletic Policies Handbook with the School Board.
CONSENT ITEMS: Huberty motioned to approve the consent items including: October board minutes, Claims, Board Reports, and Donations. Seconded by Caven. All voted affirmative. Motion carried.
OLD BUSINESS
Second Reading Board Policies: Jenness reviewed Board policies 503.4-503.8 that were discussed at the Policy Development Committee meeting. Motion by Roethler to approve second reading. Seconded by Nelson. All voted affirmative. Motion carried.
ADJOURNMENT OF RETIRING BOARD: Motion by Grimm to adjourn the meeting at 7:25 AM. Seconded by Riley. Motion carried.
ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING
Board Secretary Enderson called the Organizational meeting to order at 7:31 AM.
The oath of office was administered to new board members Brian Brown, Sarah Brugman, and Bruce Nelson by Board Secretary Enderson.
NEW BUSINESS
Enderson called for nominations of Board President. Nelson nominated Kyle Caven. Morton nominated Morgan Grimm. Huberty moved to cease nominations. Grimm seconded. All members voted in favor. Motion carried. Ballots were distributed. Caven was appointed by a 5-2 vote. Kyle Caven was given the oath of office.
Board President Caven called for nominations for Board Vice President. Morton nominated Morgan Grimm. Caven nominated Bruce Nelson. Grimm moved to cease nominations. Brugman seconded. All members voted in favor. Motion carried. Ballots were distributed. Morgan Grimm was appointed by a 4-3 vote. Morgan Grimm was given the oath of office.
Caven called for nominations of Board Treasurer. Morton nominated Alyssa Enderson. Seconded by Grimm. Morton called for nominations to cease and Grimm seconded the motion. All voted in favor. Motion carried. Enderson was given the oath of office.
Time/Date/Place for Monthly Meetings: The time and date of the regular monthly meeting was set for the third Wednesday of the month at 6:30 am in the Central Office Board Room. Nelson moved to set the meetings as noted and Caven seconded. Ayes- Nelson, Caven, Grimm, Brown, Huberty. Nays- Morton, Brugman. Motion carried.
Appointments/Committees: The committees and appointments were set as follows:
Negotiations/Finance-Huberty, Caven
Facilities/Transportation-Grimm, Nelson, Morton
Education/Policy Development-Grimm, Brown, Brugman
Grimm motioned to approve the committees as presented. Seconded by Nelson. All members voted in favor. Motion carried.
Legal Counsel: Motion by Morton to approve Steve Avery as the district’s legal counsel for FY26. Seconded by Brown. All voted in favor. Motion carried.
Local Publisher: Motion by Grimm to approve the Reporter Democrat as the district’s local publisher. Seconded by Brugman. All voted in favor. Motion carried.
First Reading Board Policies: Jenness reviewed board policies 504.1-505.7 that were discussed at the Policy Development Committee meeting. The second reading will be held at the regular December board meeting.
Early Retirement Policy: Motion by Morton to approve the Early Retirement policy with changes as presented. Seconded by Nelson. All members voted in favor. Motion carried.
1969 Mechanical Retrofit Project: Motion by Huberty to approve the Mechanical retrofit bid from EDA for an estimated cost of $850,000. Seconded by Grimm. All members voted in favor. Motion carried.
District Developed Service Delivery Plan: Motion by Brugman to approve the DDSDP as presented. Seconded by Brown. All members voted in favor. Motion carried.
District 1 Board of Director- PLAEA: Motion by Brugman to vote for Susan Brown as District 1 Board member for Prairie Lakes AEA. Seconded by Nelson. All members voted in favor. Motion carried.
Personnel: Motion by Huberty to approve the following resignation: Dawson Weir- paraeducator; the following termination: Krystee Majeres- paraeducator; and the following hires: Annabelle Fank- MS paraeducator, Hadlee Trembly- paraeducator, Ashley Bonner- Assistant Track Coach, Ben Thomsen- 8th Grade Boys Basketball, Abbie Schany- 8th Grade Girls Basketball, Tyler Bjustrom- Boys/Girls Volunteer Wrestling Coach. Seconded by Brown. All members voted in favor. Motion passed.
Open Enrollment: Motion by Grimm to approve the Open Enrollment requests as presented. Seconded by Brown. All members voted in favor. Motion carried.
ADDITIONAL ITEMS
Next Board Meeting is December 17, 2025 at 6:30 AM
Talking Points on Board Agenda Items- None
ADJOURNMENT: Huberty motioned to adjourn the meeting at 8:17 am. Seconded by Brown. All voted in favor. Motion carried.
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Board President Board Secretary
