July 10, 2017 at 6:00 PM - Board of Education Regular Meeting

The board may take action to excuse absent board members. Members how miss 3 consecutive meetings and are unexcused from those meetings are, by state statute, removed from the board.

1. The Board of Education reserves the right to enter into Closed/Executive Session for 1) the protection of public interest or 2) the prevention of needless injury to the reputation of an individual, and the individual has not requested a public meeting. When making a motion to enter into Closed/Executive Session, the member making such a request should be as specific as possible keeping the previously listed stipulation in consideration. 
2. If the Board is in agreement, a motion maybe to enter into Closed/Executive Session to 1) discuss a personnel matter, or 2) for the prevention of needless injury to the reputation of the individual, or 3) to discuss litigation and for the protection of the public interest.
3. Action concerning matters discussed in Closed/Executive Session will be acted upon in open session

Welcome to the Dundy County Stratton Public Schools Board of Education Meeting.  The Board welcomes citizens to attend board meetings to become acquainted with the programs and operations of the district.  Members of the public are also encouraged to share their ideas and opinions with the Board during the agenda item labeled “Public Items”.  Comments or questions from the audience at any other time during the meeting except for the agenda item “Public Items” will out of necessity be declared out of order.

The Nebraska Open Meetings Act prevents the board from speaking to a matter that is not on the agenda.  Please understand that the board may be unable to address your issue during the meeting.  It is not permissible for the board to comment on items not listed for the protection of the public’s right to know and participate in the discussion of items that do come before the board and stated appropriately in the meeting agenda.  

During this agenda item “Public Items” we ask that you abide by the following rules:

Public Comment Protocol and Procedures

1. Anyone wishing to speak to the board on specific agenda items or on other topics relevant to board business must complete a Public Comment Request Card and submit it to the Board President prior to the opening of the meeting.   The public will only be recognized and their comments heard at Item “Public Items” on the board agenda.  The total time allotted for the public comment will not exceed thirty minutes and each member of the public will be allotted not more than five minutes to address the Board.  If a group wishes to speak, please designate one spokesperson for the group.
   
   
2. Please state your name and the topic you are addressing before you begin.  
   
   
3. Speakers are asked to direct their questions and comments to the chair.  A member of the Board of Education or the Superintendent may direct clarifying questions to the chair, but the board will not under any circumstance enter into a debate with any the member of the public.
   
   
4. Speakers may offer objective criticism of district operations and programs, but the Board would encourage members of the public to address complaints concerning individual district personnel through the proper chain of command.  The chair may direct the member of the public to the appropriate means to address concerns brought before the Board; however, the board will not respond with action but will take comments under advisement and direct the comments to the appropriate staff member to address outside of the board meeting.
   
   
5. Please remember that is a public meeting for the conduct of business of the Dundy County Stratton Public School District. Offensive language, personal attacks and hostile conduct will not be tolerated. You should further be advised that there is no legal protection for any comments that are made. 
   
   
6. As stated in NEB. REV. STAT. § 79-570 Class I, II, III, IV, or VI school district; president; meetings; maintenance of order.  

   If any district meeting of a Class I, II, III, IV, or VI school district any person conducts himself or herself in a disorderly manner and persists in such conduct after notice by the president or person presiding, the president or person presiding may order such person to withdraw from the meeting and, if the person refuses, may order any person or persons to take such person into custody until the meeting is adjourned.

7. As stated in NEB. REV. STAT. § 79-571 Class I, II, III, IV, or VI school district; meetings; disorderly conduct; penalty. 

Any person who refuses to withdraw from such meeting on being so ordered as provided in section 79-570 or who willfully disturbs such meeting shall be guilty of a Class V misdemeanor. 

We annually set activities admission prices. They are consistent with our conference schools and I recommend they stay the same for 2017-2018

We annually set lunch prices. I would recommend no increase.

We annually set substitute teacher pay. I would recommend raising it to $105. It has been at $100 for several years

We annually review the activities shuttle per the respective merger agreements. The service is usually provided by staff, who use a school vehicle, whenever we can. If not a driver is hired at a rate of $15 per trip. A copy of the information relating to the shuttle service is attached. We have not charged for the service recently, most of the time staff have driven the school vehicles. They get a free ride to work and take students home for us. We don't have to find aor pay a driver that way. The students also get a free ride, because if we hire a driver the students split that cost. 

Annual item of business to approve the teacher handbook. I believe all policy changes are in the new handbook

This portion of the teacher handbook has been removed into it's own handbook for your approval. This our first activity sponsor only handbook.

Annually approved item. Updates from new policy have been made. 

Presentation of the financial status of the district, balances in various funds, recent/impending activity therein, anticipated expenses and planning for future considerations.

We are required to conduct, with the involvement of parents, an annual evaluation of this program. We will seek written input and have those recorded into the minutes. Mr. Rotherham will present at the meeting.

The board is required to annually hold a public hearing on our parent involvement. There is no requirement that it be a separate event from the regular meeting. After the hearing we alter and adopt a revised policy (2 readings) or reaffirm it as written. 

This is the required hearing time on the student fees policy. 

We have offered a part time contract to fill the openings left when Sharriea Burke moved to become Special Education Pre-school Teacher all day. The position will be half time at Stratton Elementary doing Special Education and Title I. 

NDE requires the board to receive an annual report about the districts multicultural education curriculum. The principals will present this information.

Negotiations for the superintendent compensation package and contract were not completed in June.

We are working with Eakes on a lease program for copiers and possibly printers for the district. We are meeting with the representatives from Eakes Friday morning and may have something to present to the board. In any case I would recommend we have KSB review any contracts before we accept them. 

Sandy will update the board on the latest NASB items