April 8, 2019 at 6:00 PM - Board of Education Regular Meeting

Rationale: 

Rationale: 

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

Rationale: 

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. 

Rationale:  FBLA students will present. 

Rationale:  To verify that notice of the meeting was given by publication in the Benkelman Post, a legal newspaper for Dundy County Stratton and by written notice to each member of the board, the designated method of giving notice

Rationale:  Sadie

Rationale:  Mrs. Rotherham has submitted her resignation and request for release from her contract. She will be moving this fall and has accepted a new position in another district. 

Rationale:  We have extended a contract offer to Shelby Zoltenko. The original offer was high school special education, that will be changed to elementary education. Shelby is from Taylor and currently resides in Courtland, KS. with her family. They will be relocating to the area. She has been teaching and helping with Volleyball at Superior. 

Rationale:  We have extended a contract offer to Sam Cahow. Currently Mr. Cahow is student teaching with Mr. Rettele in the special education program at the high school. This spring he has helped with track as well. Sam is from Imperial and attended college at UNL. 

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

Rationale:  There are some questions yet on the track project. What do do with the runways and the color of the surface. 

The minimum width for a runway is 42", which is exactly what ours are. The concrete is 42" and so is the rollout runway we use. The NFHS recommended width is 48" of surface on a 60" concrete runway. 

We will need to do a significant amount of work around the long and triple jump areas this summer no matter which way we go. In the 30 years that the concrete has been there the grass/ground level has risen. There are now places where the surrounding dirt is 4-6 inches above the runways.At a minimum we need to cut the sod back and remove some dirt. 

Runways surfaced in the same fashion as the track cost $1,069 for the Pole Vault and $3,667 for the Long/Triple Jump facility ($4,706). Purchasing the rollup runways we currently use would cost $2,372 for the Pole Vault and $5,118 or the Long/Triple Jump ($7,490). 

Leaving the surfaces black would result in a deduction of $5,280. That was assuming we were doing the larger surface on the Long/Triple jump areas. If not that would be a smaller deduct. Red is significantly cooler for people to be on than black. Our students and coaches are on that track for practice every day in the spring. 

Rationale:  Based on both the recommendation (for many years) of our workers compensation inspector and what I see as a need I would like to purchase a scissors lift for the use of our staff. It keeps us off ladders, from going up and down ladders and helps us reach high places safely. We would also use it at the bus barn for working around the upper windows and lights on the bus as well as reaching the higher places in the barn. 

We would use one of these nearly every day. By housing it at the bus barn, where it would receive the most use, Robert could take daily care of the batteries. We would probably have to spend $8,000 to get the type of unit I believe would serve us best. 

Rationale:  We had our bi-annual lunch program review. Stacey will review that review at the meeting. 

Rationale:  Stacey will review the IRS Audit and the things we will need to do differently moving forward. 

Rationale:  DCS Superintendent Report
April 8, 2019

 

1. Track timing: District Track is at Hitchcock County this year. They are responsible for running the meet. We will be using our timing equipment to time the meet and our scoring equipment to score the meet. They will pay our school to do this as well.

We put the money aside to purchase equipment for this purpose when we need to.
 

2. Foundation Meeting: The foundation meeting is April 8 this year.

 

3. School website and App update: We are looking at ways to change our website, make it easier to keep up to date and something that is easier to look at on a mobile device. It’s not a cheap thing but I can see the benefit. If you are curious go to the App store on your device and download the Paxton Schools NE App.
4. Road work: Attached is a letter from the Dundy County Roads Department showing some road work. We don't currently use that road. 

Rationale:  DCS Board Items
4/9/2018
 

1. NRCSA Spring Conference:

There were many good sessions this year at the conference. Peggy Parker was genuinely surprised by her award.