Whole Grade Sharing agreement finalized between NV, O-M

The Nodaway Valley and Orient-Macksburg school boards each approved a whole grade sharing agreement between each other at school board meetings Wednesday, Jan. 15 and Monday, Jan. 13, respectively.

The one-year agreement, which includes all grade levels, will be for the 2025-26 school year. Nodaway Valley will receive 70% of the cost of the student to provide programming, while Orient-Macksburg will retain 30% of the cost to cover whatever costs it has because it will remain a school district.

Nodaway Valley will provide transportation and staffing. Orient-Macksburg will pay for the special education costs for students.

The agreement calls for two joint board meetings each year between districts.

Orient-Macksburg recently approved a map showing new boundaries that will be voted on by district patrons March 4. If the vote is successful, Orient-Macksburg would dissolve, effective July 1, 2026, with parts of the school district going to Nodaway Valley and Winterset.

Creston objected to a portion of the map, meaning that portion will not be included in the vote. Instead, it is Orient-Macksburg’s interpretation of Iowa Code that the Department of Education will decide the fate of that small objected to area.

The public hearing process of whole grade sharing required a 30-day wait period, which is why Nodaway Valley’s board meeting had to be pushed back a week from its usual second Wedneday of the month date.

Nodaway Valley Superintendent Paul Croghan said that because such a large part of the Orient-Macksburg district would be in the Nodaway Valley district as part of the dissolution, it will become key that Nodaway Valley discuss representation on their board with Orient-Macksburg. Right now, Nodaway Valley’s school board has two at-large seats, one from District 1 (west side of the district) and two from District 2 (east side of the district).

In other action items, the board:

• approved a request for modified supplemental amount of at-risk/drop out program

• approved a payroll sharing agreement with CAM

• approved a series of board policies

• exchanged opening offers between the Nodaway Valley Education Association and the Nodaway Valley Board of Education

• approved the consent agenda, which included hires of Ryan Zenor and Brian Eisbach as co-head softball coaches, Alex Alstott as assistant high school baseball coach and Dan Jameson as head coach, Sarah Wildin as elementary secretary and Anna Larson as elementary special education teacher, as well as resignations from head volleyball coach McKynli Newbury and middle school custodian Diane Shope (effective July 31).