School Board approves early start waiver

    GRUNDY CENTER — The Grundy Center Community School District is likely heading to another August start date.
    Last Wednesday the School Board approved an Early Start Waiver that allows the District  to begin classes earlier than the state-mandated start date of the calendar week that includes Sept. 1. The waiver, which has been approved for several years and is used in most Iowa school districts, was approved unanimously. Superintendent Cassi Murra said a preliminary draft of the 2014-15 school calendar has a start date of Aug. 20, which corresponds to the same day school started a year ago.
    Murra briefed the Board on the hiring process for a new junior-senior high school principal who will replace the retiring Steve VanderPol. The District received 24 applications for the position, of which three finalists will be chosen after telephone interviews are conducted. Finalists will be interviewed Jan. 28, and the Board will act on the recommendation at a special meeting Feb. 11.