As the 2025-26 school year moves into its latter stages, preparations for 2026-27 are moving along for the Fort Dodge Community School District Board.

The group approved ratifying agreements Monday with the bus drivers bargaining unit, the education association, and administrative and professional support staff. Paraprofessional contract agreements were ratified at the Feb. 23 session.

“We have a good relationship with the groups we work with on these processes,” Superintendent Josh Porter said. “We want to give a huge shoutout to each of them for the work they did in getting these things done.”

“Mr. Porter has done a fabulous job of developing strong relationships in this area,” financial director Brandon Hansel said. “He deserves a lot of recognition for what he’s done.”

The bus driver and paraprofessional agreements are for three years, from July 2026 through June 2029. The Fort Dodge Education Association and administrative and professional support agreements run for the 2026-27 school year.

“Ultimately, all district staff will receive 3 percent increases in pay,” Porter said. “The teacher raise is a set amount of $1,875.”

Porter also pointed out the recruiting of top flight teaching professionals is constantly underway. “(High school principal) Staci (Laird) and I recently attended the University of Iowa career fair, and we’ve had others visit similar events,” he said. “There are some great young men and women out there, ready to step into roles. I feel like we have a lot to offer here at FDCSD with great facilities and other things we’ve done to attract people.”

In other action items, the board:

• Approved rescinding the district fiber services for wide area network connectivity contract approved on Feb. 23, due to some initial bid timing and other issues. They approved the new contract, with Fort Dodge Fiber still having the low bid for their dark fiber connectivity.

• Approved the first reading of the revision of Board Policy 704.03 regarding investments. According to Hansel, it deals with continuing to prepare for the sale of the bonds for the high school improvement project by investing them with the U.S. Treasury.

• Approved setting April 13 as a date for a public hearing on the 2026-27 certified budget. “A postcard will be mailed out to all taxpayers in the next couple of weeks,” he said. The meeting is set for 5:45 p.m. before the regular session.

Porter and Diane Pratt, board vice-president, saluted outgoing middle school vocal and theatre teacher Joan Ascherl and her students for the recently held Wizard of Oz production. “She has always done an outstanding job,” Pratt said about Ascherl’s influence with the productions as part of her 40-year career. “She has strengthened that program in everything she does and in such an excellent way. It was wonderful seeing 100 students involved. We will miss her.”

“She has been a big reason for the long-standing history of success from middle to high school in music and theatre,” Porter added.

The next meeting of the Fort Dodge Community School District Board is at 6 p.m. on March 23.