The Ames school board's approvals Monday night included a new Spanish-language high school course and the timeline to demolish Ames High School.

A new high school is under construction next to the current one, with an anticipated substantial completion date of April 30, 2022, and an August 2022 opening.

While the demolition of the old building is not expected to take place until sometime between November 2022 and March 2023, the board approved Monday putting the demolition out to bid on Nov. 18, with plans to approve the winning bid at a Dec. 13 meeting.

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There would be pre-bid site visits and tours of the high school before the opening of bids, according to the timeline.

Meanwhile, board member Allen Bierbaum told the rest of the board that supply chain issues have not led the new high school project's construction manager, Story Construction, to think there will be delays to the anticipated end dates for the project.

"They're changing the order of how certain things are happening" in an effort to avoid delays, Bierbaum said, adding that the company would let the board know as soon as possible if any issues arise.

The most recent monthly project status report shared with the board's facilities committee last week noted that supply issues delayed the installation of some roofing, and a shipment with the remaining needed roof underlayment was received on Sept. 30.

The report also noted delays in the fabrication and shipment of curtainwall framing material, and that Story Construction is "meeting with the contractor to work on maintaining material delivery dates and installation schedules."

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There have also been delays related to control devices, sheet metal ductwork, metal studs and other materials, according to the report. "The nature of many of the delays is difficult to predict and plan for. We are continuing to react and re-sequence as issues occur, but these issues are impacting the work. We will continue to keep the ACSD updated as these issues come to light," Story Construction noted.

The new high school project was $195,000 over the original cost projection of $137 million, as of that report, though more than $2.1 million in contingency funds remained.

The board also unanimously approved a new high school Spanish course Monday that focuses on reading and writing for students who speak Spanish at home.

The teachers behind the idea — Anne Deam, Julie Dunkin and Monica Martinez, as well as English language coordinator Shaeley Santiago — were not present Monday night, having presented the proposal for the new course two weeks ago.

Deam said at the time that current, beginning high school Spanish courses are designed for students who know little to no Spanish.

The group's proposal noted that improved literacy in heritage speakers of any language translates to bettered literacy skills in English, which translates into improvements in anything that involves reading, such as history or social studies.

The district anticipates that approximately 25 students would be interested in enrolling in the class, though interest is expected to climb in the future.

Erin Miller, the district's director of teaching and learning, said Monday the course would begin next year.

Board President Sabrina Shields-Cook said Monday that superintendent search focus groups would be held Thursday and Friday this week.

Former superintendent Jenny Risner resigned in May, and interim superintendent Paula Vincent is leading Ames schools through the current school year while a permanent successor is found.

Two hundred people were invited to participate in the focus groups, which are being organized by Hazard, Young, Attea and Associates, the third-party search firm the district hired to help find its next superintendent, to share what they want to see from the district's next leader.

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District spokesperson Eric Smidt said 32 focus groups will meet privately and virtually with representatives of the search firm between Thursday and Friday.

Smidt said the groups include parents, students, teachers, school board members, school board candidates and representatives of various community groups, including members of the Ames City Council, the Ames Police Department and various religious organizations.

Smidt said the information gathered from the focus groups would become part of what will be presented to the school board during an Oct. 26 work session. That presentation is also expected to be informed by results from an online survey that's open through the end of the week and asks for input on the district's direction and what residents are looking for in its next superintendent.

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The survey in available in English and Spanish and can be found at survey2.ecragroup.com/index.php/283685.

Smidt said that, as of Monday morning, 843 surveys had been completed — 469 of which had been completed by parents, 150 by students and 120 by teachers.

The next superintendent is expected to assume their responsibilities on July 1, 2022.

The district's timeline for the superintendent search is available at ames.k12.ia.us/district/district/superintendent-search.

Phillip Sitter covers education for the Ames Tribune, including Iowa State University and PreK-12 schools in Ames and elsewhere in Story County. Phillip can be reached via email at psitter@gannett.com. He is on Twitter @pslifeisabeauty.