September 15, 2022

Board Highlights from the September 12 Meeting

Electronic agendas and supporting documents can be viewed at least 24 hours in advance of each meeting. The full agenda of the September 12, 2022 board meeting can be viewed here (Board Docs).

Meeting Highlights:

Thad Long representing SVPA Architects discussed options for potential additions and renovations that would include secured entrances at the intermediate school and Anderson Elementary.

Approved the sale of $8,390,000 in School Infrastructure Sales, Services and use of Tax Revenue Bonds.

Approved the issuance of $1,610,000 in General Obligation School Bonds.

Approved the district’s PK-12 professional development plan.

Received updates from two of the district’s superintendent advisory committees - finance and communication.

Approved changes to the preschool handbook.

Approved BFHS FFA Chapter’s request to attend the National FFA Convention & Expo out of state.

For information regarding upcoming meetings, contacting board members, and detailed agendas, please visit www.bfschools.org/Page/854.

Deputy Schnur Visits Kindergarten

On September 8, students of Ms. Daly's kindergarten class were joined by the district’s School Resource Officer, Deputy Schnur, who read aloud the Dr. Seuss book, Because A Little Bug Went Ka-Choo. Afterwards, students had an opportunity to ask questions, which made for fun conversations, and they took a class photo!

What is a school resource officer? A SRO acts as a liaison between a school district and law enforcement. As an active member of the Polk County Sheriff's Office, Deputy Schnur spends school days onsite assisting and developing relationships with the students, staff, and families of Bondurant-Farrar. While there are undeniably many benefits associated with the SRO role, it all circles back to providing a safe and productive learning environment for students.

Thank you for being here, Deputy Schnur!

Parent Involvement Opportunity

The district has several advisory committees established to provide input and help guide decisions. Committees include representatives from a variety of stakeholder groups, including board members, administrators, staff, and parents who learn about topics, have discussions, and make recommendations for consideration by the school board. At this time, two committees are seeking additional involvement from parents.

Those interested in volunteering are asked to complete this electronic form to express interest by Thursday, September 22.

Infrastructure Committee:

With focus on master facilities planning, committee members discuss short term and long term facilities needs. This ranges from additions and renovations to maintain current facilities as well as new schools to manage our increasing student enrollment. Using information from enrollment studies and facilities assessments, and input from building leadership teams, the committee meets monthly to discuss options, prioritize needs, and identify solutions. Monthly infrastructure meetings occur in-person, typically on a Wednesday at 4PM. Click here if you are interested in joining!
School Improvement Advisory Committee:

Topics considered by the SIAC committee include a variety of major educational needs, such as review of academic performance and offerings, expanding student supports, increasing community engagement, overview of facilities planning processes, and more. Meeting twice per school year, members review materials in advance of the scheduled meeting, then break out into smaller groups to discuss each topic with district representatives. SIAC meetings are held in-person, one in the late fall and another in early spring, with each typically occurring on a Wednesday from 6-7PM. Click here if you are interested in joining!

See Something, Say Something: Report Concerns Online

Students, staff, and families have a shared responsibility to maintain an orderly and safe school environment. Information about bullying, suicidal thoughts, and violence should be reported.

We have a reporting tool that is designed to help students, parents, and community members report past, present, and possible threats to and within our school community. This tool can be found on our district homepage (www.bfschools.org) as well as within the quick links section of each school’s webpage.

This form is monitored between the hours of 8AM-3:30PM on days when school is in session and is not intended to replace direct contact with school administration. Please feel free to contact any school building or the district office with any issues or concerns you may have. In the event of an emergency, please contact local law enforcement or emergency management services by calling 911.

Together, we can ensure a safe, welcoming school environment for all!

A Safety Resource For Families

Iowa State law requires sex offenders to register with the state and allows certain information about these individuals to be shared with the public. This information is available online with the purpose of helping Iowans identify and locate individuals who have committed an offense that requires registration on the Sex Offender Registry.

At Bondurant-Farrar, we recognize that the safety of our children is a responsibility of the entire community. To promote safety, we will provide an annual reminder with a link to the Iowa Sex Offender Registry each fall. We encourage families to utilize this resource so that you are aware of offenders who may reside near your home, daycare provider, etc.

More information can be found by calling the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation at 515-725-6050 or visit the website at https://www.iowasexoffender.gov/.

If you witness or wish to report suspicious activity, please notify our school resource officer, Deputy Schnur, at 515-957-8191 or sro@bfschools.org. If it is urgent or outside normal school hours, please contact the Polk County Sheriff’s Office non-emergency number at 515-286-3333 or call 911 for emergencies.

Have a Question?

Our online form serves as a way to electronically submit GENERAL comments, questions, and concerns. This is in an effort to increase opportunities for two-way communication with district stakeholders.

General questions, comments, or concerns should be handled at the lowest level possible.

If you are unsure where to start, please refer to our general inquiries form, which can be accessed through the link below and found anytime in the footer of our website.

Visit: www.bfschools.org/contactus

Quick Links & Reminders

School Calendar for 2022-23

Career Opportunities: We're Hiring!

Communications Hub & Social Links

Contact Us

Thank you for taking time to review the latest issue of the Bondurant-Farrar E-Briefing. The purpose of this publication is to provide board updates, news, and events from around the district. If you have suggestions, comments, or feedback regarding this publication, please reach out!

Jessica Hartgers
Communications Specialist
hartgersj@bfschools.org
515-967-7819

Communications