School Board

Unless otherwise posted, Midland School Board meets regularly at 6:00 p.m. on the fourth Monday of each month in the Library/Media Center at the Middle/High School in Wyoming. We now have a Zoom link at the top of each month’s agenda that can be used to join the meeting virtually.

Midland uses Simbli for school board items. You can access school board agendas and minutes starting September 23, 2024 as well as all school policies through Simbli at the following link:

https://simbli.eboardsolutions.com/Index.aspx?S=36031606

Simbli’s mission is helping boards lead and govern effectively and operate efficiently. Simbli helps automate many of the everyday tasks board secretaries perform, like building meeting agendas, creating meeting minutes, and managing board communications, making their job easier and more efficient.

Starting 9/23/2024, our Midland community can go to this one site and see:

  • School Board Members and Administration with email
  • School Board Agendas (click Meetings in upper right)
  • School Board Meeting Minutes (click Meetings in upper right)
  • School Board Policies (click Policies in upper right)

The Simbli link can always be found on our Midland school website using this path: District > School Board

We hope Simbli brings more transparency between the board and our staff/parents/community. As always, if you have questions or concerns, give us a call at 319-259-5340.

2025 School Board Election Information

Midland CSD has five (5) seats available for director at large on the school board this year. Four (4) positions will be for four (4) years and one (1) will be for two years. Filing period for school election candidates begins on Monday, August 25, 2025 and runs through 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, September 18, 2025.

Candidate nomination papers may be obtained from various sources, including the school’s district office, the county auditor’s office, the county auditor’s web-site, and the secretary of state’s web-site.

Twenty-three (23) signatures are needed on the nomination petitions for each candidate for the Midland Community School District.

All school nomination papers must be filed with the respective acting school board secretary no later than 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, September 18, 2025.

School & City Elections will be held on Tuesday, November 4, 2025 with polls open from 7:00AM-8:00PM. There will no longer be a separate school election in September.

If you have any questions please feel free to contact acting school board secretary Gene Lawson at 319-259-5340 ext 1200 or via email at MidlandSBO@midland.k12.ia.us.

We are proud of the strength and success of our school and are currently seeking additional board members to help us continue moving forward. We extend our sincere gratitude to the outgoing board members for their outstanding service and dedication over the years.

New Training Requirements for School Board Members

Beginning July 1, 2025, new Iowa law requires training for school board members who are newly elected or appointed after that date. Members serving on or before June 30, 2025 are exempt, even if later reelected or reappointed to the same position.

While not mandatory for current members, it is recommended that all board members complete the training because:

  1. There are exceptions to the exemptions.
  2. Penalties for open meetings and open records violations have increased and apply to everyone.
  3. The training content is valuable for both new and experienced members.

The Iowa Association of School Boards (IASB), in partnership with AEA Learning, will provide the required training, including sessions at BoardCon and through on-demand workshops.

For more details, see the New Training Requirements site.

WHEN QUESTIONS ARISE, WHERE SHOULD ONE GO FOR ANSWERS?

Communication between the community and the Midland Community School District is a high priority.   Questions and concerns from our public need to be heard and addressed.  District patrons often wonder who they should talk to when a question or concern arises.  This school district has a chain of command process to handle the issues citizens bring to the district.  However, if doubts ever exist about the correct starting point for a particular question or concern, contact the Superintendent’s office.  The following is the district’s chain of command flowchart:

Academic, Transportation, and Food Service Questions

  • Teacher, Initial Stage:  Questions or concerns regarding instructional practices in your child’s classroom first should be directed to the teacher.
  • Transportation, Initial Stage:  Questions about transportation for your child first should be directed to the Transportation Director John Stender at the Wyoming center.
  • Food Service, Initial Stage:  Questions or concerns regarding the breakfast or lunch programs should be directed to the food service contact, Erika Tubbs at the Oxford Junction center.
  • Building Principal, Second Stage:  If more information is needed or you still have questions or concerns, schedule a discussion with your child’s principal – Elementary Deanna Martens and Middle/High School Bobby Willms.
  • Superintendent, Third Stage:  A conference with Superintendent Doug Koerperich is most appropriate when questions or concerns have not been adequately addressed at earlier stages.
  • Board of Education, Final Stage:  The last level of contact with the district about a question or concern is the board of education.

Activity Programs Questions:  When questions or concerns exist having to do with an activity that your child is participating in outside the school day the proper chain of command progresses similarly to what is stated above. 

The exact procedures of who to contact are the following: 

  1. Coach/Sponsor
  2. Activities Director
  3. Building Principal
  4. Superintendent
  5. Board of Education

BOARD MEMBERS:

President: Sarah Fishwild – 563-357-6101 – sfishwild@midland.k12.ia.us – Term expires Sept 2025

Vice President: Scott Doll – 319-551-6016 – sdoll@midland.k12.ia.us – Term expires Sept 2027

Stacie Cronkleton – 319-480-4595 – scronkleton@midland.k12.ia.us– Term expires Sept 2027

Jeramie Ellefson – 319-480-2628 – jeellefson@midland.k12.ia.us– Term expires Sept 2025

Lennie Miller – 319-480-4701 – lmiller@midland.k12.ia.us – Term expires Sept 2025 – Appointed to Fill Vacancy

Katie Sorgenfrey – 319-350-0965 – ksorgenfrey@midland.k12.ia.us – Term expires Sept 2025 – Appointed to Fill Vacancy

Patti Whitmarsh – 563-488-4281 or 319-480-7869 pwhitmarsh@midland.k12.ia.us – Term expires Sept 2027 – Appointed to Fill Vacancy

OLD SCHOOL BOARD MINUTES (prior to using Simbli):

SCHOOL BOARD DOCUMENTS

Midland School Board Legislative Priorities:

  1. Mental Health
  2. Teacher Recruitment & Licensure
  3. State Supplemental Aid including Preschool
  4. Unfunded Mandates with an efficacy on Vouchers/Educational Savings Accounts (ESA)