RIVERSIDE

Following a series of suspensions and disciplinary penalties following a prank staged by Highland High School students in September, an advisory committee is examining the school district’s good conduct policies.

The committee consists of a group of Highland Community Schools administrators, including Superintendent Ken Crawford, and five parents. The group first met Oct. 12.

Four high school students were removed from the Homecoming Court and at least two students were temporarily removed from athletics competition following the Sept. 18 prank at the high school on a Sunday night. A small group of students spread instant potato mix on the front lawn of the high school and stuck plastic forks into the ground. A sign, “Mash the Pirates,” was part of the display, referring to Highland’s football game that week against the Alburnett Pirates.

In the next few days, disciplinary actions included student suspensions. Among them was Jenna Waters, a senior who is president of the senior class, the Highland Student Council, the Highland chapter of the National Honors Society and the Highland chapter of Future Farmers of America.

An overflow crowd of parents and community members greeted the Highland School Board at its Oct. 10 meeting.

Just two days after that, the advisory committee met.

“We assess our processes every single time,” Crawford told The News.

The goals of the committee, Crawford told School Board members at a special meeting Oct. 24, is to examine the good conduct policies and have proposals in front of the School Board by spring 2023 so that they can be implemented at the start of the 2023-24 school year.

“We’re going to spend a lot of time on this,” Crawford said. “We really truly are.”

School Board members discussed also including students on the advisory committee.

“I like the idea of the Student Council being involved,” said Michael Golden, School Board Vice President.

Committee work has already produced a report listing how Highland’s conduct policies and disciplinary actions (especially as they pertain to athletics) compare with other schools in the area, including Mid-Prairie, Lone Tree, Washington, Williamsburg and Hillcrest Academy.

Penalties for a first offense range from two games (Hillcrest) to one-third of a season (Mid-Prairie) to 30 days (Highland). Second and third violations carry more severe penalties.

Performance Profiles

Highland Middle School achieved a high-performing score for the second consecutive year, according to data released by the Iowa Department of Education. The middle school had a 2022 score of 63.24, nearly three points higher than last year’s high-performing score.

“That’s a crazy number. That’s crazy good,” Crawford said.

The high school had a commendable rating of 57.77 and the elementary school had a “needs improvement” rating of 45.46.

District Boundaries

Increasing populations in the northern portions of the school district will likely result in adjusted district geographic boundaries.

District 4, which is located in the far northern reach of Washington County and includes part of Riverside, and District 3, which is south of Riverside, are shrinking in size due to rising populations. District 1 in Ainsworth and District 2, which includes a large area from the high school and middle school down to Ainsworth, are growing in geographical area to keep population numbers among all six districts similar in size.

The board, which consists of six district members and one at-large member, will vote on the new district boundaries early in 2023.

Board action

The board approved a snow-clearing contract with English River Concrete for the 2022-23 winter season at the high school and middle school campus. The agreement cost is $325 for a salt and ice melt application with each storm and a $90 hourly rate for snow removal.

The board approved the appointment of Byron Yoder as a social studies teacher, secondary schools.

Next meeting: The next regularly scheduled meeting of the board will be at 5 p.m. November 14.