Newton Independent

Newton students participate in driving simulator training

The Iowa State Patrol brought a driving simulator to Newton High School recently where students were allowed to drive different driving conditions they could potentially face, from city streets, to gravel roads to the interstate during night-time and day-time conditions that included rain, snow and ice. The Iowa State Patrol's Safety Education Unit was able to purchase three of the driving simulators with a grant from State Farm Insurance. Iowa State Patrol Safety Education Officer Trooper Doug Cutts and Trooper Brian Shelley conducted the training exercise at the high school.

Newton bus goes in ditch

Newton Independent

Reader reports to the N.I. indicate that a Newton school bus had gone into a ditch on West 28th Street North just north of North Fourth Avenue West west of Lambs Grove early today.

No further information is available at this time.

Newton School District hires new superintendent

Newton Independent

The Newton School Board of Education voted unanimously tonight to hire Bob Callaghan as the next superintendent of the Newton School District.

Callaghan is currently superintendent of the Rogers, Texas Independent School District. A message he posted at the start of the most recent school year to residents of that district can be read here.

The school board offered Callaghan a three-year contract at $160,000 pending a criminal background check, release from his current contract in Texas and professional licensing in Iowa.

Callaghan will replace Steve McDermott, who is leaving Newton to assume the superintendent position in Creston.

The Newton Independent will provide additional information on Mr. Callaghan's hiring as it becomes available.

Newton school board to select new superintendent tonight

Newton Independent

The Newton School Board will meet at 6 p.m. tonight to vote on the selection of the next school district superintendent.

Last Friday, the school board narrowed its list of finalists to two. The school board, along with a number of focus groups, interveiwed the candidates on Monday and Tuesday.

The two candidates are Paula Wright, superintendent of the Chariton School District in southern Iowa, and Bob Callaghan, superintendent of the Rogers, Texas Independent School District.

The candidate selected will replace Steve McDermott who is leaving to take the superintendent position in Creston.

Two finalists for Newton School District superintendent position selected

Newton Independent

The Newton School Board has whittled its list of candidates for the superintendent position to two and will re-conduct interviews with the pair today and Tuesday and introduce them to a number of focus groups to gain additional input on the final selection.

On Friday evening, the School Board announced that Paula Wright, superintendent of the Chariton School District, and Bob Callaghan, superintendent of the Rogers, Texas Independent School District, were the two finalists to replace Steve McDermott, who is leaving Newton to take the superintendent position in the Creston School District.

The focus groups consist of school district administrators, teachers and support staff, as well as a group of community residents.

The final selection will be made following the interviews.

Students made aware of the dangers of alcohol in advance of Prom

The Iowa State Patrol and Skiff Medical Center today teamed up to do an alcohol awareness program in advance of the annual spring Prom for students at Newton High School.

Newton students hear about the importance of smart choices

Sarah Panzau speaks to students at Berg Middle School last week on her personal insights on how poor choices can have drastic consequences. Panzau told the students about her transformation from a competitively driven high school athlete to a college student consumed by the use of drugs and dangerous levels of alcohol. Her life changed after she was involved in a horrific traffic accident where she was deemed dead at the scene. Since that time, and numerous surgeries for the injuries she received in the crash, she has been touring the country telling young people how important smart choices are and the consequences of makingn wrong decisions. Her appearance at Berg, as well as Newton High School, was coordinated by Iowa State Patrol Trooper Doug Cutts and the Safety Education Unit of the State Patrol. You can read more about Sarah's Journey here.

Update: Newton School District student enrollment projected to continue to decline

By PETER HUSSMANN

Newton School District's student enrollment numbers are projected to continue their downward trend over the next five years, statewide enrollment projections released by the Iowa Department of Education late last week indicate.

State data provided for the Newton district projects the loss of 157 students from the current year's certified enrollment number of 3,006 to 2,849 during the 2017-18 school year, a 5.22 percent decline.

The Iowa Department of Education produced a press release on the projections today, April 9, that showed statewide student enrollment would increase by about 1 percent over the course of the next five years.

The Newton School District has seen one of the largest number of student enrollment declines in the state since the departure of Maytag more than five years ago. This school year's certified enrollment of 3006 is down 30 students from last year and 261 below the student population levels seen in the 2008-09 school year, an 8 percent decline.

Only four other school districts in the state this year saw larger student number losses over the last five years led by Cedar Rapids at 851, Clinton at 266, Council Bluffs at 267 and Davenport at 262.

Student enrollment projections for two other school districts in the county, Colfax-Mingo and Baxter, also forecast declines.

Colfax-Mingo is projected to drop from its current enrollment of 731 students to 680 in the 2017-18 school year, a 6.97 percent decline. Baxter is projected to drop 1.69 percent, from 353 to 347 students.

The Lynnville-Sully School District is projected to see a 3.9 percent student enrollment increase over the course of the next five years, from the current level of 435 to 452. PCM is projected to jump 1.46 percent, from 1,026 to 1,041 five years out.

 

Newton students to hear 'Sarah's Journey'

Nationally known speaker Sarah Panzau will tell her life-changing story to students at Newton High School at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday in a presentation sponsored by the Safety Education office of the Iowa State Patrol. Panzau will speak on the dangers of alcohol and drugs and the 2003 crash where she was pronounced dead at the scene. Forty surgeries later, she now tours the country to warn students of the dangers they face from the choices they make.

McDermott to also take on Prescott superintendent duties

Newton Independent

Newton School Superintendent Steve McDermott will have some added responsibility when he assumes the superintendency of the Creston School District later this year.

Last week, the Creston School Board voted to have McDermott also assume the superintendent responsibilities for the Prescott School District in a move that could lead to a merger of the two southwest Iowa school districts.

McDermott was apprised of the situation and agreed to the additional duties, the Creston newspaper reported late last week.

You can read the full story in the Creston newspaper here.

 

Newton looking for new wrestling coach

Newton Independent

The Newton Community School District is advertising for a new head wrestling coach.

The district's web site says it is taking applications for the position, previously held by Bill Reed, until April 2.

A previous news report out of Des Moines focused on an "inappropriate" situation involving members of the Newton wrestling team.

Newton School Board hires search firm

Newton Independent

The Newton School Board agreed to hire a Johnston firm to lead efforts to find a replacement for out-going Superintendent Steve McDermott, KCOB Radio is reporting this morning.

Gaylord Tryon and Associates will conduct the search on behalf of the Newton School Board for a base fee of approximately $7,000, the Newton radio station reported. With expenses, the total cost is expected to reach near $10,000.

The Johnston firm is the same firm the school board used to hire McDermott 11 years ago when he replaced former long-time Superintendent Phil Hintz. Gaylord Tryon was also the firm the Creston School District used in hiring McDermott.

The firm will establish several focus groups consisting of board members, school administrators, teachers, support staff and members of the community in defining leadership characteristics desired by the district.

The Newton School District has also placed a survey form on its web site asking residents of the district to provide their opinions on the leadership qualities desired in the next superintendent.

The Johnston firm was selected from among the three firms making presentations to the school board on Monday.

Auditors ding Newton School District for exceeding certified budget

Newton Independent

Newton Community School District expenditures in the most recently completed fiscal year exceeded the certified budget amount by more than $300,000, the audit report showed.

The audit report for the year ending June 30, 2012 completed by Newton CPA firm Nolte, Cornman & Johnson and posted this week on the state auditor's site shows that the district exceeded the certified amounts in the support services and other expenditure functional areas.

The report shows the expenditures in both area exceeded certified budgeted amounts by a total of $323,861.

"The certified budget should have been amended in accordance with Chapter 24.9 of the Code of Iowa before expenditures were allowed to exceed the budget," the audit report states.

In response, school district representatives said that future budgets will be amended prior to expenditures exceeding the budget amounts, with the report also showing that the district did amend their budget one time during the past fiscal year to meet the Code's requirement.

The district's response states that the "budget over expenditure was due to the District calling its revenue bonds prior to their maturity date."

That move, however, allowed the district to decrease its total outstanding long-term obligations by nearly 33 percent between fiscal years 2011 and 2012. At the end of the 2012 fiscal year, outstanding debt in the district was down from $11.8 million to $7.9 million, including the elimination of all revenue bond debt.

The audit report also noted what it deemed questionable disbursements. The Newton firm found that the district purchased gift cards from the General Fund that might not meet the requirements of a legitimate public purpose.

"The invoice support included an approved purchase order however the purchase does not appear to be appropriate as the gift cards do not appear to provide the district with adequate support to determine the final purchases and determine if the amounts are allowable with public funds," the audit report states.

In response, the Newton district said it will cease the purchase of gift cards and will use a district credit car for the purpose of buying eBooks and Apps for iPads or other electronic devices "as directed by the Iowa Department of Education."

The auditors also suggested that the school district change its policy on purchase orders so that all disbursements are approved by the appropriate administrator prior to the ordering of supplies takes place. The district responded by saying it will discontinue the use of purchase orders for staff seeking remimbursement for previous purchases and will develop a reimbursement request form.

In an addendum to the audit, school district officials noted that general fund revenues increased slightly to $29.2 miilon at the end of the 2012 fiscal year and general fund expenditures were also only up slight to $28.2 million. The general fund's fund balance grew more than $400,000 to $2.9 million and its solvency ratio, which is designed to be between 5 and 10 percent, exceeded that rate at 10.59 percent.

Interest earnings in the General Fund decreased for a fifth consecutive year, from $109,000 in 2008 to $717 at the end of the 2012 fiscal year.

You can read the full report here.

 

Newton residents asked to give input on what they want in next school superintendent

Newton Independent

Residents of the Newton Community School District are being asked to give their input on what they would like to see in the next school superintendent.

The Newton school district has placed a survey form on its web site asking that residents provide comment on what traits and characteristics they would like to see in the next superintendent.

A week ago, long-time Newton Community School District Superintendent Steve McDermott was hired as the Creston superintendent effective July 1.

On Monday, the Newton School Board will hear from three search firms the board will consider hiring to assist in its efforts to hire McDermott's replacement.

The survey does not indicate a timeline by which comments need to be submitted.

McDermott takes Creston superintendent position

Newton Independent

The Creston News Advertiser is reporting today that Newton Superintendent Steve McDermott has accepted the offer to become the superintendent in the southwest Iowa school district beginning July 1.

 

Updated: Newton superintendent McDermott finalist for Creston job

Newton Independent

The Creston News Advertiser reported today that Newton School District Superintendent Steve McDermott is one of two finalists for the open superintendent position in the district.

McDermott said tonight that he learned of the interview opportunity after Monday night's Newton School Board meeting and communicated with Newton School Board members about the interview opportunity for the Creston position late Monday night.

The news report states that McDermott will interview for the position on Thursday. A current elementary school district principal in the Creston district is the other finalist.

The long-time Newton School District superintendent also released a statement this evening about his pending new job interview and his time with the Newton district.

"For the record, I truly appreciate and enjoy my work here and our community," McDermott said in an e-mail message seeking comment. "As a whole school district and community working together, we have accomplished a lot in the spirit of improved learning for our local youngsters. These efforts will continue because of the strength of the overall team regardless of what person serves in the superintendent's role.

"My experiences appear to make me a good match for the position in Creston and I have personal, family-related reasons for pursuing relocation in southwest Iowa. Until more actually transpires, Newton remains my home."

The Newton newspaper also reported the story on its web site late today. The Creston News Advertiser is owned by the same Illinois-based newspaper chain as the Newton paper.

Newton school officials still mum on wrestling incident; parents speak out

Newton Independent

The parents of a Newton High School wrestler who claims he was sexually assaulted prior to practice on Feb. 1 are speaking out about what happened to their son in a story today in the Des Moines Register.

The parents are upset that school officials will not tell them what action was taken against the wrestlers involved citing student confidentiality laws.

"They think it's funny and cute, pinning people down and thumbing them," the father said of how his son has been treated by other students at the school since the incident.

Newton School Board members declined to comment to the Register in regard to the incident with board member Dennis Combs quoted as saying, "That's not my level of knowledge."

The father of the wrestler said he has yet to decide whether to pursue charges with Newton police.

Newton school officials mum on incident involving wrestling team

Newton Independent

Newton School District officials are remaining mum about an "inappropriate" incident involving the High School wrestling team that has resulted in long-time coach Bill Reed's removal from the wrestling room in advance of this week's state tournament.

The Des Moines Register reported today that school officials would not provide details about the incident. Officials did say an investigation was completed, but would not state the outcome of the investigation.

Newton School Board member Sheri Benson, quoted in the story, provided no details about the incident other than to say it "was just totally inappropriate." She said the school board has taken no action.

'MORP' planning meeting Monday

Newton Independent

Parents of Berg Middle School students are invited to attend a planning meeting for the school's annual "MORP" (Prom spelled backwards) dance at 6 p.m. Monday at the Newton YMCA.

The tentative date of the dance is April 26.

All parents of middle-schoolers are invited to attend Monday's meeting to help plan the event.

Iowa Speedway Foundation to purchase iPads for Newton High School students

Newton Independent

The Iowa Speedway Foundation announced today that it will participate in funding to complete the purchase of iPads for all ninth through 12th grade students at Newton High School.

The announcement by the Speedway Foundation, a non-profit organization established by the Iowa Speedway to raise funds for charitable projects, was made jointly by Stan Clement, president of Iowa Speedway, and Debb Smith, director of the Foundation.

"We are delighted to help Newton High School acquire enough iPads so that every student will have access to these important learning devices," Clement said. "The new technology available today is necessary for learning, and we know iPads can help with classroom projects and advanced studies. In this day and age, school district budgets are tight, and we felt it was our duty to step up and help the school get to 100 percent of the number of iPads they needed."

Smith echoed Clement's comments.

"The Iowa Speedway Foundation exists for just such worthy investments as this one," she said. "We are very proud that we were able to provide funds to purchase the additional iPads so that no student is left behind."