Board Members:
I want to begin today by first expressing my sincere gratitude to you all. The card/gas card was unexpected but much appreciated. There is no doubt I am racking up the miles and buying a lot of gas! I am also incredibly grateful for the grace and flexibility you are providing me as we navigate through this journey. Everyone--from the board to the district employees, and even the greater community have been awesome. We are so thankful for all of you! Ann continues to amaze me with her courage and strength. She remains upbeat and positive, although very tired and sleepy from the chemo. We are eager to return home!
The big legislative news of the week was the signing of the bathroom bill by Governor Reynolds. This morning I sent out a message to our community alerting them to this legislation:
On Wednesday, Governor Kim Reynolds signed into law SF 482, otherwise known as the “Bathroom Bill.” The law, which goes into effect immediately, mandates that all public schools can only allow restrooms, locker rooms, and changing rooms to be used by individuals of the same biological sex.The Hudson Community School District is required to comply with this law. However, we want you to know that we are here to support all of our students. Per the new law, any student may request alternative facilities with written consent from their parent or guardian. These requests may be granted based on gender concerns, as well as religious, medical, or other personal reasons. We will do what we can to ensure our students are comfortable and have access to the facilities they need. Additionally, any students who need assistance processing this news or who need additional support for any other reason are encouraged to speak with a school counselor. Their doors are open and are available to listen, provide assistance, and support students’ mental and emotional health. We know that the members of our school community may have differing perspectives on this issue. Let’s all continue to make our learning environments welcoming places, and be sure to treat one another with the respect and dignity we all deserve. Thank you for your attention to this update.
The other big legislative move this week was SF 496 – Governor’s Bill/Transparency/etc. – This is a big one, and it is headed to the House for discussion. It will need a subcommittee and Education committee approval next week. It addresses library books and access to instructional materials, a mandatory Civics test for graduates, surveys given to students and staff, notification of parents if a child wishes to use different pronouns, age appropriate instruction, library programs and librarians, and more. In the version of this bill that the Senate passed, several things have been removed, including the “book list” and the posting of all instructional materials. One of the keys to this bill is the reference to Iowa Code 702.17 and what is considered to be “inappropriate content”. (ALERT – be prepared for some graphic vocabulary if you click on the Code link).
My biggest accomplishment for the week was the final certification and filing of the budget with the County Auditor. This is one of those milestone activities each year that ranks high on the priority list, so it is great to have that checkbox complete. All remaining employment contracts have been issued and the next big item on the agenda will be statewide testing. The annual training regimen is slated to begin next week and our faculty have already begin test prep with sample tests.
My schedule for next week will be similar to this week. While I may not always be in the district, you can be assured I am working hard on behalf of the district. I remain available by phone, Zoom or email. Have a great weekend.
Dr. Tony Voss
Superintendent
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