Spencer-Owen board adopts Neola policy updates, approves personnel and surplus materials

The Spencer‑Owen Community Schools board on May 28 adopted updates to district policy (Neola volume 38 number 2) and approved several routine personnel and surplus property items.

During old business the superintendent presented the second reading of the Neola policy updates and asked the board to suspend further reading and vote. The superintendent clarified how the district interprets a state statute regarding phone use at field trips: staff said that teachers may permit phone use at an off‑site destination but, under their reading, phone use while students are on the school bus is not permitted. The board approved the policy updates 7‑0.

Under new business the board declared items listed in a "banned textbook materials" memo as surplus for disposal or transfer to other institutions; that motion passed 7‑0. The board then approved grouped personnel items (resignations, leaves, and employment items labelled A, B and C) in a single motion without objection, also by 7‑0 vote.

Board members used the comments portion of the meeting to recognize retiring staff and to welcome newly hired employees. Chair publicly thanked Robert Boltinghaus for years of service at Owen Valley High School and trustees congratulated recent graduates. No members of the public provided substantive comment during the meeting. The board adjourned after a 7‑0 vote; its next regular meeting is June 11 at Central Office at 7 p.m.