July 14, 2025 at 8:00 PM - Board of Education Regular Meeting

Rationale: 

1.  Review monthly bills using the EMeetings Software.

2.  Review all credit card transactions for the month

3.  Finance Committee Members Sign-off on review of monthly bills, credit card transactions, and district fund balances.

4.  Approve superintendent's expenses 

5.  Lunch Fund Review-Monthly Lunch Fund Balance Worksheet Attached

6.  General Fund & Other Fund Reviews

7.  Payroll Ledger Review

8.  Insurance Billing Review

9.  ACH Payroll Review



 

Rationale: 

Members of the Public, 

This is the portion of the board meeting when we invite anyone in attendance to address the board of education. If you would like to speak to the board regarding any of the items on tonight's agenda or a public concern, now is your opportunity to do so.  Please review the orange sheet (found on the visitors' chairs) of paper that contains the guidelines for public participation.  If you wish to speak to the board at this time, please let me know.  "Would anyone like to address the board at this time?"

 

AFTER THE PERSON(S) INDICATE(S) THEY WISH TO SPEAK

1.  Please stand and state your name?

2.  What topic will you be speaking on?

3.  Are there others in the room who wish to speak to the same topic? (If so, ask that they be recognized so that 30 minutes of time for public comment can be apportioned as per the policy-5 minutes per person).

4.  Optional-"Please understand that public comment is your opportunity to speak to the board and present your concerns, thoughts, feelings, ideas, and observations.  Members of the board are happy to hear from members of the public, but the board will not engage in conversation or dialogue with you during public comment."

4.  "You'll have approximately 5 minutes to address the board, as we allow 5 minutes per person and a total of 30 minutes for public comment.  You may begin when you are ready?"

 

 

 

Rationale:  Each year, the Ravenna Public School Board of Education reviews and updates its school board policies.  The policy updates and the memo regarding those updates from the school district's attorney is attached to this agenda item for review by the board members.

Also attached is a letter from the ACLU of Nebraska and OUTNEBRASKA that the superintendent was asked to share with the board members regarding LB98, which addresses the language contained in proposed school board policy 6044 - Participation and Assignement of Athletic Teams.

A copy of the Final Legislative Report from NCSA is also attached, so that board members and members of the public can reference any legislative bills that are mentioned in the KSB School Policy Update.

Below is a brief description of each of the policies and a recommendation for any that require a recommendation to the board of education:

1002-The policy is simply revised so that it no longer contains a lists all of the policies the board must review every 3 years.  KSB will remind us to review each of these policies.

2006-This policy revision removes references to the Biden Administration, since he is no longer president.

2008-This policy allows for the district to publish the meeting notice on any of the school district's newspapers' websites (Ravenna News, Kearney Hub, Grand Island Independent, or Omaha-World Herald), on the statewide website established and maintained as a repository for such notices, or the school's website, in the event the newspaper doesn't publish the notice.  (NOTE: This didn't appear in the policy memo from KSB, because it was passed the last legislative session and didn't go into effect until January 1, 2025. 

3003-There is a dollar threshold which requires the school to get an architect or engineer for a project.  That amount has increased from $119,000 to $144,000.  This policy reflects that change.

3004.1-A typo, in "Section G" - Allowability of Cost, was left.  This has been corrected. 

3023-The policy has been revised to include that the school must retain federal award records.

3026-This policy was updated so the principals can make changes to the handbook and  only share the amended portion of the policy, rather than reshaping or reprinting the entire handbook.  Also, policy 5034 should be deleted as the one sentence that made up policy 5034, has been added to this policy.

3036-There was a typo regarding an inappropriate reference to a nonexistent reimbursement.

3043-This policy was changed to make it easier for districts to engage in the design-build project delivery system.  The district currently does not use this method, pay may wish to in the future.

3047-This policy was changed to include contacting the insurance carrier during a data breach.  Also, it required the district tech coordinator to carry some additional responsibilities.  Dave, Ken, and Coady Pruett had a conversation about these additional responsibilities for Dave and Dave believes he can do what is called for in the policy as it is written.

3057-There are two choices being offered by KSB for this policy.  It is being changed due to a change in the presidential administration and the corresponding changes imposed by the new administration.  After reviewing both of the policies, the superintendent would recommend going with "Option 1-SLIM."  School district attorneys will generally tell you that "lean and clean" makes for better policy.  Additionally, they indicate that, "We believe this policy would satisfy all requirements required by a Trump-led Office of Civil Rights."  Furthermore, if there is a Title IX investigation required, the administrative team will end up working arm in arm with the school district's legal counsel to conduct the investigation.  Selecting the "Option 2 - Full" policy only puts procedural trip hazards in the way of the administration.  The "lean and clean" Option 1 - SLIM Policy with the attorney's guidance is the formal recommendation from the superintendent.

4051-This policy has been updated to reflect changes in expected behavior by staff regarding the use of district technology and social media accounts and attempts to address the blurry line between personal and school social media accounts and employee rights when it comes to using government (school) accounts to express their personal views and engage in their social media viewing habits.  It is consistent with what we would expect of staff.

4057-This revision changes the requirement that the superintendent be evaluated at a board meeting.  This gives the board more flexibility with the timing and place of the superintendent's evaluation.

4059-The revisions to this policy make the length of the required mental health training "a reasonable amount of time as determined by the school board" instead of an hour.  Staff all complete this training early in the year with the other training they complete during pre-service, so there won't be any change for the staff members.

5001-This revised policy is more prescriptive and provides a step by step process for the attendance officers (principals) to take regarding student absenteeism.  There is an option in this policy to have students who miss an excessive amount of time make up that time in a "Saturday School," on non-student days, or in summer school.  But we have never done that in the past.  Honestly, I think doing so would penalize the principals and teachers, as someone would have to supervise them while doing so, but it is an option if the board and principals want to pursue it.

5015-This policy revision goes "hand in hand" with the proposed revisions to policy 5018, which are required as a result of the passage of LB71.  It simply states the district will comply with all survey requirements found in Policy 5018.  Since this policy goes hand in hand with policy 5018, specifically in regards to the administration of student surveys, it made sense to also offer the public the opportunity to provide input on it as part of the policy development process, even though this is not required by statute.

5016-This policy clarifies what constitutes "student records" to make the responsibility of maintaining and producing student records upon request by a parent less cumbersome for the district. 

5018-This policy must by adopted by July 1, 2025.  LB428 caused this policy to be revised so that parents can have access and be notified when their student will be taking surveys that ask personal questions about sex, religious beliefs, drug use, etc.  We are required to have stakeholder feedback on this policy, which is the reason for the hearing on the policy and for the text correspondence that went out to all contacts in Infinite Campus on June 5, 2025.

5031-The district has a dress code already.  This sample policy is based on the model policy by NDE.  The district is required to adopt a policy that is consistent with NDE's model policy.  The superintendent would recommend approving this policy as it is presented.  The superintendent believes it is sufficient and probably more detailed than the district's existing policy and would recommend the board adopt it as presented.

5034-Goes away, as it has been included in 3026.

6025-The district has a cell phone policy, but the legislature passed LB 140 requiring the district to have a cell phone policy.  Our current cell phone policy is attached as well as a draft policy from KSB that offers several options.  We are required to have stakeholder feedback on this policy, which is the reason for the hearing on the policy and for the text correspondence that went out to all contacts in Infinite Campus on June 5, 2025.

6031-This policy revision cleans up a timeline discrepancy for the hearing process when dealing with an emergency exclusion.

6034-This policy update simply removes specific references to guidance and training for concussion awareness and protocols.  This will not make any major changes for our staff, as they are trained on this every year and as students and parents are provided with this information each year.

6044-LB89 passed and basically details which genders can participate in each team sport.  This list of sports will be updated to reflect those offered by the school district before the second and final reading of the policy.  This was controversial, and school districts were sent a memo by the ACLU of Nebraska and OUTNEBRASKA, which is attached to this agenda item for review by the board.

6045-This is another example of the unicameral telling us to have a policy and practice for something we already do.  It calls for the staff to be trained in behavioral intervention techniques and to use a multi-tiered system of support when addressing the behaviors of students.  Our staff already do this.  Currently, the training all staff take annually, provided through ESU 10, is one hour long.  That length of time will be included in the policy before the second and final reading.

Notes:
Ensure principals look at 3057, 5001, 5031, 6034, & 6044 (6044 may also need to be updated in the activity handbook) in respect to the student handbooks and at policy 4051 for the staff handbooks.


 

Rationale:  1.  Summer Projects Updates & Decision:

• Air Conditioning in the Concession Stand-$8,000 (Budget Price)
• Playground Fence - Schumacher Fencing LLC: $19,801 - Worked with local company to get the price down.  Fence is coming from exactly the same supplier.  It's the same fence for $10,000 cheaper.
• 7 Countertops/Sink bases in the Elementary: $6,000 (Depreciation Fund - Dan will perform the work)
• 4 Classrooms of LED Lighting in Elementary: $6,000 (Depreciation Fund)
• Tree Removal & Replanting: $10,000 (Grant Funded) - Completed - $8,500 for removal is flowing through the Special Building Fund.  The district will now wait 6 months to re-plant trees with the assistance of the NRD.  The cost of replanting the trees will also be covered by the grant.
• Football Field Lighting: $152,500 (Superintendent earned an additional $7,500 deduction on the project) - Budget Price After Insurance (Depreciation & Insurance Joint Funded)
  • The total for the pole lights and new audio system would be: $172,967
• Drywall Cracks in Elementary Walls & Removing Sliding Glass Door and closing up the Wall Between Mr. Ellis & Mrs. Zinnel's Room -  $2,816 (Estimate Attached - General Fund or Special Building Fund) 
• Speaker Wiring Conduit Bid ($7,120) & Electrical Receptacle Bid ($9,575) for Football Field & Track - (Budget Pricing is attached).  This could be done as a change order with Ensley. 
• Sound System Bid for Football Field (Attached) - $13,847
• Theater Lighting - Securing pricing from Yanda's and from R8 Productions.  - Budget Pricing is $65,000 - $68,000 (Estimates Attached)

2. Budget Workshop Reminder - July 7th @ 6:30 PM


 

Rationale:  NASB MEMBER GOLF OUTING
Wednesday, June 11 - Kearney

SCHOOL LAW SEMINAR
June 11-12 - Kearney

LEADERSHIP WORKSHOPS
Monday, July 28 - Gering
Tuesday, July 29 - Kearney
Wednesday, July 30 - Lincoln