School Board Welcomes New Members
Oskaloosa, Iowa- The Oskaloosa School Board welcomed two new members to the board, as the board reorganized after the 2019 city/school elections. Board members Kraig Van Hulzen and Erik Edgren were recognized for their outstanding service on the board. Van Hulzen served for five years on the board, running unopposed in 2015, after being appointed to fill out an unexpired term in 2014. Edgren served for four years on the board, after defeating then-board member Shawn Moyer in the 2015 school board election. Van Hulzen and Edgren, however, had previously indicated that they would not be able to be at the Dec. 10 board meeting. They were formally recognized with plaques of recognition, as well as lifetime passes to all Oskaloosa activities at the Nov. 12 school board meeting.
After handling a couple of pieces of old business, the board reviewed results from the city/school election. The results showed Amanda McGraw being re-elected to director district 1, Sharma Parlett being re-elected to director district 3, Charlie Comfort being elected to director district 4, and Shawn Moyer being elected to director district 6. All four ran unopposed and received over 400 votes each. The board then adjourned sine die for the organization meeting portion of the agenda.
At the onset of the organization meeting, board secretary Chad Vink administered the oath of office to Comfort, McGraw, Moyer, and Parlett. The board then proceeded to the election of the President and Vice President of the board. Board member Carl Drost nominated Shelly Herr for President and Sharma Parlett for Vice President, noting that both had served in those positions for the past two years.
“They have done an extremely good job the past two years. I think that they deserve another good year with the superintendent. I think it will be well,” Drost said in nominating Herr and Parlett.
On a rollcall vote, the board unanimously re-elected Herr and Parlett.
To finish up the reorganization of the board, the board made appointments to various standing committees, as well as other committees with school board representation.
The board also approved the hiring of Nick Eversmeyer and Amanda Ross as special education teachers in the district.
The board also approved the appointment of Randy DeGeest as the district’s local legal counsel. Greg Life, who previously has served as district local legal counsel since 2009, indicated his desire not to continue in that role due to his impending retirement. DeGeest previously served as local legal counsel for 30 years, stepping down in 2009 after his appointment as a judge.
The new board also heard in-depth from Melanie Hatch, director of student services, as well as several at-risk teachers, regarding the district’s at-risk programming for students.
The next meeting of the Oskaloosa School Board will be held on Jan. 14, at 6 p.m., in the Gorge Daily Auditorium Board Room.
