By Sam Parsons

The Ottumwa Community School Board held a regular meeting last night and held a discussion on efforts to improve recruitment and retention in the district. Staff identified several challenges and issues, including a lack of individualized hiring, insufficient training for new hires,  new hire orientation and onboarding, and excessive absenteeism. Comprehensive solutions that were suggested included specialized training, formal mentoring that provides a job shadowing period, and the addition of new full-time positions. No action was officially taken during this discussion.

The board also discussed the possibility of a shared baseball and softball complex for the Ottumwa High School baseball and softball teams. The project does not have any formal plans yet, but the district has had preliminary discussions with the city about the possibility of building a softball field and middle school field adjacent to Legion Memorial Field, as well as implementing a turf surface for all of the fields.

And the board formally approved the purchase of a new video board for Schafer Stadium from Liantronics, with installation services from MCG, for a total project cost of $62,404. 

The next regular meeting for the Ottumwa School Board is scheduled for August 11.