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Heads up! Our parent watchdogs have scanned the upcoming agenda for Van Meter Comm School District. We found 7 items that need your immediate attention before the vote.
| HIGH CONCERN (LEVEL 8) |
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District to Hire External PR Firm for $31,200
The board is approving a $2,600 per month ($31,200 annually) contract with the Donovan Group for “communications and engagement-related services,” including crisis communications. This is taxpayer money being spent on a public relations firm to manage the district’s image and control the narrative, potentially spinning information to parents rather than providing direct transparency.
Recommended Action Plan
PACK THE ROOM: This is Consent Agenda Item H.a.v. Email the Board (contact info on district website) and sign up for public comment: ‘Vote NO on the Donovan Group contract. We don’t need to spend $31,200 of taxpayer money on a PR firm. The district’s leadership should be communicating directly and transparently with parents, not hiring a crisis management company.’
💰 Taxpayer Impact: $31,200 Annually
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| HIGH CONCERN (LEVEL 8) |
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District to Spend $7,997 on SEL Curriculum
The district is paying Character Strong, a known Social Emotional Learning (SEL) vendor, $7,997 for their program. This type of curriculum often replaces core academics with lessons on feelings, mindsets, and social issues, which can be a vehicle for ideological content.
Recommended Action Plan
DEMAND TRANSPARENCY: This was found in the Bills for Payment list under Consent Agenda Item H.a.ii. Email the Board (contact info on district website): ‘I demand the $7,997 payment to Character Strong be pulled from the consent agenda for a full discussion. Parents have a right to know what SEL curriculum is being used in our classrooms and to review the materials before they are purchased.’
💰 Taxpayer Impact: $7,997
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| NEEDS REVIEW (LEVEL 7) |
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District Spends $141,381 on New K-5 Math Curriculum
The district is paying Imagine Learning, LLC $141,381.78 for a K-5 math curriculum. While focused on math, large ed-tech platforms like this can embed SEL and DEI concepts into lessons, and parents need to verify the content.
Recommended Action Plan
DEMAND REVIEW: This was found in the Bills for Payment list under Consent Agenda Item H.a.ii. Contact the District Office (see the Official Agenda link): ‘Regarding the $141,381 payment to Imagine Learning, I request that the Board provide a public presentation of the K-5 math curriculum and a link for full parental review before implementation. We must ensure core subjects are not being used to push social agendas.’
💰 Taxpayer Impact: $141,381.78
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| NEEDS REVIEW (LEVEL 6) |
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High School Report Mentions “3DE” Partnership
The Secondary Principal’s report (Item G.a.iii) mentions a partnership with “3DE” and the launch of their first “Case” on September 21st. 3DE by Junior Achievement is a model that replaces traditional classes with case studies from corporate partners, which can introduce corporate or ideological bias into the curriculum.
Recommended Action Plan
ASK QUESTIONS: Email Secondary Principal Adam Lamoureux (contact info on district website): ‘Regarding the 3DE partnership mentioned in your report under item G.a.iii, what traditional classes are being replaced by this model? Please provide the curriculum and case study materials for parental review so we can understand what our students are being taught.’
💰 Taxpayer Impact: Academic Focus
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| NEEDS REVIEW (LEVEL 6) |
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Vague $1,650 “All Staff PD” Raises Red Flags
The district paid $1,650 to “CONNECTEDD LLC” for an “ALL STAFF PD – HOW YOU SHOW UP.” This vague title is common language for staff training on topics like implicit bias, equity, or other DEI-related concepts that are not disclosed to parents.
Recommended Action Plan
DEMAND TRANSPARENCY: This was found in the Bills for Payment list under Consent Agenda Item H.a.ii. Email the Superintendent (contact info on district website): ‘Regarding the $1,650 payment to CONNECTEDD LLC for “How You Show Up” training, please provide the full training materials for public review. Parents have a right to know what ideological frameworks are being taught to our district’s staff.’
💰 Taxpayer Impact: $1,650
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| MONITOR (LEVEL 5) |
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District Renews Student Behavior Tracking Software
The district is paying $500 for its annual license for PBISApps. PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports) systems collect extensive data on student behavior to enforce compliance, often tied to SEL and MTSS frameworks that can profile students without full parental knowledge.
Recommended Action Plan
OPT-OUT ALERT: This was found in the Bills for Payment list under Consent Agenda Item H.a.ii. Contact the District Office (see the Official Agenda link): ‘Regarding the PBISApps license, what specific student data is collected and who has access to it? Please provide the parental notification and opt-out forms for this behavior tracking system.’
💰 Taxpayer Impact: Student Behavior Data
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| ALERT (LEVEL 4) |
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District Hires Expensive, As-Needed Legal Firm
Under Consent Agenda Item H.a.v, the board is approving a contract with F3 Attorneys, a law firm with hourly rates up to $380. The agenda notes this firm will be used “only as needed.” This kind of on-demand, high-cost legal counsel can be used to handle sensitive issues like parental rights challenges or controversial policy implementation.
Recommended Action Plan
Monitor: This is Consent Agenda Item H.a.v. The district is retaining a high-priced law firm. We need to watch closely to see what issues they are hired to address, as this could signal the district is preparing for legal fights over controversial policies.
💰 Taxpayer Impact: $380/hr
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