A successful 2025-26 academic year on the activities side was the highlight of the Fort Dodge Community School District board meeting Monday.

Senior High School Activities Director Brandon Ruffridge and Middle School Activities Director Will Davidson noted participation has been on the rise in 2025-26.

“Participation was a big focus at the middle school,” Davidson said. “At this level, most student-athletes are experiencing a sport full-time for the first time. We’ve been continuing to increase communication with parents and families due to that.”

“We are up to 34 combined clubs and sports at the Senior High,” Ruffridge said. “I was talking at the eighth-grade night recently and told them that there is truly something for everyone to be involved with as they make their plans for high school.”

Ruffridge added that a new bill from the statehouse requiring school districts to take cash payments for event admissions brings an end to the district’s move to make those cashless. He also talked about the current state of the Alliance Conference that Dodger athletics is part of going from two divisions to one due to Ames’ departure; his being on a freshly-minted statewide conference committee to help take the pressure off the boys and girls athletic associations when districts are looking for new groups to go into; and that the on-the-field success for Fort Dodge athletics has been strong with a playoff football team, Dreshaun Ross’ fourth state wrestling title and recent track and field awards being among the many headlines.

Superintendent Josh Porter added to the information noting the high school musical presentation of “The Addams Family” was “wonderful.”

“My family and I have attended every year, and it’s always been great,” he said.

Ruffridge did inform the board that the district brought in over $17,000 in admissions from the musical.

In action items, the board:

• Approved the 2026-27 certified budget and an adjustment to it, as well as an adjustment for the 2025-26 budget.

• Approved Robert W. Baird investment bank of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, as the purchaser of approximately $27,000,040 in general obligation school bonds for the Fort Dodge Senior High school upgrade project. Baird’s winning bid included an annual interest rate of 4.085 percent. “This sale was very successful,” said Brandon Hansel, district financial director. “We received very favorable rates and terms. There will be another bond sale in the spring for the remaining $15 million.”

• Approved the March 2026 financial reports. Hansel indicated $32.2 million in revenue and $31.78 million in expenditures have come in for the year.