The Webster City school board hosted a joint meeting with Northeast Hamilton at Monday evening’s board meeting concerning the proposed district reorganization.

“There will be a joint board meeting this Thursday to finalize the petition for reorganization,” said Superintendent Mike Sherwood. “There will be a time during the meeting for public input as well.”

The informal joint public hearing of the Northeast Hamilton and Webster City school boards will be held on Thursday, Oct. 12 at 6 p.m. in the cafeteria to discuss reorganization issues. The boards will present information and updates concerning the possible reorganization of the two districts. Board members and administrators will also be available to answer patron’s questions concerning the reorganization.

“What will be going on at the meeting is making decisions and putting together the petition and then that petition will go in for legal review,” said Sherwood. “Upon legal review the boards could meet separately or as a joint meeting to approve the petition and its dissemination. Then the petition would go out to the public for signatures.”

The petition would require 200 signatures from Northeast Hamilton voters and 400 signatures from Webster City voters.

“With that petition, the goal would be to have that filed with Prairie Lakes Area Education Agency by early November. Then that would start the process,” Sherwood said. “Then we would be looking toward an April 2018 vote.”

The board reviewed the most recent informal board meeting with the Stratford and Northeast Hamilton school districts.

This included current curriculum and professional development occurring in all three districts.

The board administered the oath of office to newly elected board member Michelle Walters. Walters was unable to be at the Sept. 25 board meeting due to illness.

“Congratulations to Michelle,” Sherwood said. “We look forward to her service to the district and students in the district.”

The board will observe a presentation from the Webster City ag program. Instructors Kurt Veldhuizen and Danika Klaver spoke on behalf of the program. The duo hope to start a regional animal science program to enhance local high school agricultural education.

“There’s been some conceptual discussions about developing a regional animal science program. There’s been conversations about location, financing, facilities…it’s in the early stages of discussion so it’s really just conceptual right now,” Sherwood said.

“I think if it becomes more from concept to potential, then I think we’d be looking more at financing, location, facilities needed and just the program itself,” said Sherwood. “But we’re just trying to look at a way to expand more animal science opportunities for students.”

Two fundraising requests were approved by the board:

• Request from the WCHS After Prom committee to sell stadium cups for after prom. They hope to raise $350.

• WCHS Boys/Girls basketball programs to sell apparel in-house to purchase warm up suits and other items.

The board approved the early retirement policy for the 2017-2018 school year. Special education contracts with Fort Dodge and Council Bluffs were approved. Pre-school contracts with St. Paul preschool, Webster City Daycare, Asbury preschool, St. Thomas preschool and Riverview Early Childhood Center.

The WCEA and WCESA seniority listings were also approved.

“Those are just annual listings that rank the amount of seniority within each association. The association reviews them and then once we read that the listings are accurate, the board approves them,” Sherwood said.

Following the regular board meeting, the board met for a work session on norms and protocols. No action was taken during the work session.

The next board meeting will be held on Monday, Oct. 23 at 6 p.m. at the school administration office board room.