Superintendent's Message for April 2019

April has arrived at the Southwest Valley school district and the excitement continues to build this school year.  Spring brings us prom, graduation, and spring activities for all of our students. Hopefully, Mother Nature has decided to switch gears and allow for warmer weather and no more snow.  The school boards will decide this month when our last day for school will be for the 2018-2019 school year.  Spring has us in full planning mode for summer projects around the district.

In Corning, we will be demolishing the old middle school building and paving the lot for additional parking at the Activity Center.  We are planning to replace the dugout tins in Southwest Valley school colors and improve the drainage at the baseball field.  All of these projects will be paid for with the Physical Plant Levy funds. 

In Villisca, the bond referendum passed with an overwhelming rate of 93.69%!  We will begin to plan the project and receive bids this summer with the hope of the project beginning in the fall.  We will be updating the fire alarm system at the middle school this summer which is a separate project from the building renovation. 

We will be asking voters to extend the Physical Plant Levy this fall in Corning and Villisca.  This fund also helps with technology and transportation purchases.  We will have a list of completed projects and projects we anticipate in the future, for the community to review.

The Reorganization process will continue this spring and during the summer.  The boards in both Villisca and Corning will be voting on a joint resolution this spring.  The business managers in both districts are preparing progress documentation for the Department of Education.  The whole grade sharing agreement, combined salary schedule, joint professional development plans, teacher evaluation instrument for all SWV teachers, and website are completed.  Other supporting documents will be compiled and submitted to the state by June 1st.  During the three-year process, we will have meetings with the communities to explain when and why we are reorganizing.  A public vote will take place in 2021 to approve the reorganization process and 2022-2023 would be our first year operating as one school district.  The important thing to remember is I have no plans to close buildings or make drastic changes to personnel.  We will just be solidifying our district as the “destination district” in southwest Iowa.

It is a great time to be a Timberwolf! Come join in the excitement!

Chris Fenster, Superintendent