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The new multipurpose school building was the main subject at the Fort Dodge Community School District Board of Education meeting Monday.
Superintendent Josh Porter announced that there will be a groundbreaking ceremony for the new multipurpose building at 11 a.m. today at Fort Dodge Senior High School.
The new building was backed by a voter-approved school board referendum extending district borrowing authority. It is designed to expand student space for extracurricular activities.
Porter explained that steel supplies for the new building should arrive at the construction site in September. Once the steel arrives, it should take around a month to complete the entire structure, he said. The goal is to have construction completed by November.
Porter also announced plans for a major reconstruction of the high school swimming pool.
The board also unanimously approved two new "operational sharing agreements" with the Manson Northwest Webster Community School District for the upcoming 2026-2027 school year. The first agreement allows the two schools to share a social worker, and the second agreement allows the two schools to share a school counselor.
Porter explained that the Manson district will be compensating the Fort Dodge district for use of two Fort Dodge staff members. Each staff member, employed by Fort Dodge schools, will work in the Manson school district one day per week.
Porter also noted that the new school year will begin on Wednesday. He explained that Fort Dodge schools previously began on Mondays, but the decision was made to begin school later in the week.
"We chose intentionally to have a little bit of a softer start this year," he said. "Our elementary school children survive a little bit better in the first week if we ease into it just a little bit."
There was a revenue report from Brandon Hansel, executive director of financial services for the school district. Hansel noted there was a large increase in the number of free breakfasts and lunch meals served in the summer of 2026 compared to the previous summer.
The summer meal program ran from June 2 to Aug. 13 at Duncombe Elementary School, Hansel said. Free meals were provided for any child in the community, 18 years of age and younger.
There were 24,509 free breakfasts served, and 24,509 free lunches served. A total of 49,018 meals were served this past summer. Nearly 8,000 more summer meals were served in 2026 than 2025.
The board unanimously elected School Board Vice President Diane Pratt as the Fort Dodge delegate representative to attend the Iowa Association of School Boards Convention, scheduled for Nov. 18.