Superintendent's Message for March 2026

Dear Parents and Guardians,

As we move into March, we are entering an important and exciting time in the school year. Our students and staff continue to work hard in classrooms each day, and it is always rewarding to see the growth and progress being made across our district. This time of year also brings opportunities to reflect on our accomplishments, prepare for the final stretch of the school year, and begin planning for the year ahead.

Thank you for your continued support of our schools, staff, and students. Your partnership plays a vital role in helping us provide the best possible learning experience for every child in our district.

Congratulations to Board President, Ryan Dachenbach

The Iowa Association of School Boards (IASB) has awarded Board President Ryan Dachenbach with the Individual Achievement Award Certificate for his dedication and leadership in ongoing professional development.  

A school board member earns the Individual Achievement Award from the IASB by completing at least 15 hours of professional learning in a single year.[[removed image]]

Board members accumulate hours by participating in IASB learning opportunities, such as: 

• IASB workshops and training sessions
• The IASB Annual Convention (BoardCon)
• Regional or division meetings
• IASB webinars or leadership development programs
• Other approved governance or board development   activities

If you see Ryan, please congratulate him for his dedication to the Chariton Community School District!

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2026-2027 Proposed School Calendar 

The link below contains the proposed school calendar for the 2026–2027 school year.  When developing this year’s calendar, we took everyone’s top priorities from last year into consideration. We also incorporated recommendations from our Department of Education consultant and added several full-day professional development days. These days are scheduled to allow our staff to review student achievement data and make instructional adjustments as needed to better serve our students. Examples of these adjustments include lesson planning, staffing assignments, and shifts in resources needed to better support student learning.

We will hold two public hearings to gather feedback on this proposal. The hearings are scheduled for March 26 and April 13. The March 26 hearing will be held during a special board meeting, which will also include a public hearing regarding the proposed school tax rate. The April 13 public hearing will take place during our regular board meeting. Both meetings will begin at 5:30 PM in the Board Room.  2026-27 Proposed School Calendar

Survey to be Released

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I want to inform you that we plan to conduct a survey in April or May to gather your input regarding a potential four-day school week. We will also seek feedback from our staff and students during that same time period.

The information collected will be shared with the school board and administrative team to help determine our next steps, including whether we should continue gathering information from districts that have implemented a four-day schedule, as well as from those that have chosen not to.

This survey is intended to serve as an information-gathering tool, and a timeline has not yet been established to either move forward with or abandon the idea. The school board and administrative team want—and need—to hear from all stakeholders who may be impacted by this decision.

At this time, we do know that any potential change would not affect the 2026–2027 school year. We will move forward with approving the proposed 2026–2027 school calendar, which reflects a traditional five-day instructional week for our students and staff.  We plan to release the survey through Parent Square in the months to come.  

Iowa Department of Education Website

The Department of Education shared an article about Ms. Arias’s Middle School classes on their Facebook page. If you go to their link attached below you will see the following information. Check it out - it is cool to see all the wonderful things our students are learning.  

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 https://educate.iowa.gov/headline-story/2026-02-13/chariton-middle-school-strives-create-early-cte-exposure-and-experiences 

Middle School Renovation Project – Update

We want to share an update on the ongoing planning for the Middle School renovation. Earlier this year, during a School Board work session on January 30, 2026, the board reviewed the scope and schedule for renovations with our architectural partner, 10Fold. Based on recommendations from 10Fold and our mechanical and electrical engineering team, MODUS, the board decided to pause the proposed Entry, Commons, and Gym renovations to undertake a comprehensive Master Planning effort for the entire school.

The Master Planning process is designed to carefully plan and sequence all future renovation projects for the Middle School before construction begins. Its main goals include:

• Updating and simplifying the building’s mechanical systems, replacing or retiring those near the end of their life.
• Establishing IT and technology standards for the building, with potential for district-wide use.
• Addressing life safety and fire protection needs.
• Coordinating architectural, structural, and aesthetic improvements in a way that makes the best use of district resources.
• Planning for a potential roof replacement after a new mechanical system is selected, targeted for May 2026.
   

We are currently working with MODUS to develop several HVAC replacement options for the Middle School. These options, along with preliminary cost estimates, will be shared with the district at a later date. 

We have also been conducting settlement testing on the school site. Engineering crews conducted scans on October 24, 2025, and January 2, 2026. We also have two more planned on March 13, 2026, and June 1, 2026, which will allow a final report to be completed by August 1, 2026. Our goal is to ensure that renovations are carefully planned to improve safety, technology, and learning spaces for our students while making the best use of district resources.

Thank you for taking the time to stay informed about the exciting work happening in our schools. Your partnership, feedback, and support are invaluable as we continue to provide a safe, engaging, and high-quality learning experience for every student. I encourage you to stay involved, ask questions, and share your thoughts with us throughout the year. Together, we can ensure a successful and rewarding school year for our students.

Please visit our website at https://www.charitonschools.org/ for additional information about our school district. 

GO CHARGERS and THINK BIG !!!!  

Mr. Baker, #LBE

Phone - 641-774-5967

Email- brad.baker@chariton.k12.ia.us

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