OSKALOOSA — The Sept. 9 school board election has shaken-up the face of the North Mahaska School Board, as Tina Layman and Dirk Wilkin were sworn in as new board members Monday night.

Layman won her school board seat by defeating District 3 incumbent Duane White by three votes, 21 to 18. Dirk Wilkin, who received 18 votes running unopposed in District 2, replaces Mike Boyle, who did not seek reelection. Daniel Gruber, who was appointed to fill the vacancy of school board member Jeff Walston in District 5 several months ago, received seven votes and was also sworn-in Monday night.

Following the swearing-in, board members elected Jimmah White as board president and Mike Bair as board vice president. White was then appointed to serve as the Iowa Association School Board delegate and legislative network representative. Gruber was appointed to the County Conference Committee. Gruber and Bair were appointed as representatives to the Negotiation Team. Wilkin was appointed to the County Advisory Committee and Layman was appointed as a representative to the District Planning Team.

Under new business, the school board approved a new bus pickup policy for 4-year-olds who are attending preschool, North Mahaska School District Superintendent Randy Moffit said Tuesday afternoon by telephone. Under the new policy, all 4-year-olds attending preschool, whether they live in the city or not, will be picked up at the door of the house where they live. Before, students were picked up at predesignated locations.

“On in-town pickups, we have certain stops that we make in town in New Sharon and in Barnes City, for example, where we only stop at a stop and the kids have to come to that stop to come to school,” Moffit said. “And what we have said is, with four-year-olds now that we’re starting to pick them up to provide transportation for four-year-olds for preschool, we’re a little uncomfortable with the idea ... it’s just enough younger we’re concerned about them walking very far.”

Still under new business, the board approved a shared teacher agreement between the school district and Sunshine and Smiles Day Care. Under the agreement, Sunshine and Smiles purchased one-fourth of early childhood special education teacher Terri Mateer’s contract, for a nearly $10,000 contract obligation.

“(Mateer) does our special ed preschool. And she is also going to be teaching the three year-old preschool. But the three-year-old preschool is run by the day care. It is not run by the school,” Moffit said. “And so what we agreed to there is that the day care is going to basically buy part of her contract from us for her to teach the three-year-old preschool.”

Under old business, Moffit said construction on the North Mahaska Early Childhood Education Center has progressed to the point where windows are being installed and roof decking is being put down. Construction is on schedule to have the center up and running by mid-November.

Herald City Editor Michael Schaffer can be reached by email at mschaffer@oskyherald.com