June 8, 2026 at 5:30 PM - Board of Education Regular Meeting

Rationale:  The Norfolk Public School District's Board of Education meeting is called to order.  

Rationale:  If any board member is absent, there will need to be a  motion to excuse the absence.

Rationale:  This is a legal meeting of the board of education, as advertised by the means specified in board policy. A complete copy of the Open Meetings Act is posted in the board room for your review. A copy of the agenda is available at the desk of the recording secretary.

Rationale:  Please stand and join us in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.

Rationale: 

This is the time during the meeting when the public may request to address the Board. According to state law, if you wish to comment you must identify yourself, including your address, the name of the organization you represent and the topic that you wish to address. "Public Comment" cards are located at the Media table, in the back of the room.  Please pick up a card and provide the required information, if you plan to speak.  Each individual’s comments will be limited to five minutes.

Please note that the Board cannot discuss or act upon matters that are not listed on the agenda. Therefore, Board members will not respond to your comments or questions. If you wish to request that an item be placed on a future Board agenda, you may contact the Superintendent or his assistant during normal business hours.

Also note that concerns related to school personnel need to be addressed to the Superintendent using the approved district protocol. Individuals who make false, defamatory,  or slanderous statements during public comments may be held legally liable. Slanderous comments are not protected just because they are made at Board meetings.

Additional procedural guidelines are available at the media table.

Rationale: 

The total amount of claims to be approved on the consent agenda by specific fund are listed below:

General Fund = $682,816.46

Nutrition Fund = $321,256.23

Subsidiary Fund = $159,525.50

Senior High Activity Fund = $86,697.81

      May Senior High Activity Fund = $4,402.00

Junior High Activity Fund = $4,373.87

      May Junior High Activity Fund = $300.00

Student Fee Fund = $92,921.22

All of these claims were reviewed earlier today by the Finance and Facilities Committee.

Rationale: 

• Summer Data Cleanup

• Bright Spots and Beating the Odds Schools  

• CLSD Update

  • LETRS - 42 Teachers, 5 Administrators 

  • Secondary Science of Reading - 35 Teachers, 8 Administrators

Rationale: 

• English Language Learner Data

• Summer School

Rationale: 

• Handbooks

• Summer School

• State Personnel Development Grant (SPDG)

• Active Shooter Tabletop Exercise

• Junior High Cell Phone Report

Rationale: 

• Classified Staff Openings 2026-2027 School Year

• NDE Accreditation Host School Training

Rationale: 

1.      Congratulations to Grant, Westside, and Washington Elementary Schools for being among a select group across the nation that are beating the odds in literacy.

2.      Also noted that Woodland Park and Jefferson exceed the best-fit line as well. 

3.      Thanks to the Board 

Rationale:  The Finance and Facilities Committee met on June 8th. The committee discussed and reviewed:

• Claims/Board Bills
• Quitclaim Deed
• Food Service Management Contract
• Student Fees
• Transfer of funds
• Auction items
• Facilities update

Rationale:  Minutes from the Committee’s May 18th meeting.  

Rationale:  The Norfolk Public Schools Foundation Board met on May 18th. This year, scholarship awards to Norfolk Public Schools students totaled more than $86,000 and were distributed to 38 recipients, with board members presenting awards at Honors Night. The Board also received an update on fundraising efforts through Norfolk’s Big Give campaign, which will help support Classroom Grants to teachers. Members concluded the meeting by discussing fundraising ideas.

Rationale:  Superintendent Evaluation Summary

Rationale:  Minutes from the meeting on May 11th are attached for review. 

Rationale:  Bennett, Amy

• 2026 - 2027 Speech Language Pathologist
• 2004 - 2007: Bachelor's of Science, Eastern New Mexico University
• 2007 - 2009: Masters of Science, Eastern New Mexico University
• 2025 - Present: Speech Language Pathologist - ESU 1, Wakefield, NE

Jones, Mackenzie

• 2026 - 2027 5th Grade Teacher, Middle School
• 2011 - 2015: Bachelor of Arts, University Nebraska at Kearney
• 2018 - 2020: Master of Science, Wayne State College
• 2024 - 2025: Christ Lutheran Schools - 5th Grade Teacher, Math/ELA
• 2016 - 2023: Norfolk Public Schools - 6th Grade Teacher, Math/ELA

Rationale:  Attached are the claims. These claims were reviewed earlier by our Finance and Facilities Committee. There are no conflict statements this month. 

Rationale:  This action fulfills the district’s binding obligations under the court settlement (Case No. CI 23-12) approved by the Board on October 14, 2024. Authorizing the Board President to execute the quitclaim deed formally conveys the district's interest in the Wayne County District 83 property, providing a transparent public record and officially concluding the matter.

Rationale:  We had 4 bidders who submitted proposals for our Food Service Management Contract for next year. All of them put forth great proposals but after review by representatives from NPS administration, teachers, and classified staff members, LSI was selected. NDE has reviewed and approved their contract. I am asking the Board to approve this contract now so we can start making plans for the next school year. I would like to note that the contract will allow us to keep meal prices the same next year as they were this year so no increase for regular priced meals for 2026/27.

Rationale:  Federal transportation requirements no longer allow 11 passenger vans for transportation of students. We have purchased (4) 10 passenger vans to replace our (4) 11 passenger vans. As we do not have a lot of things to dispose of this year, we will not be having a summer sale so I plan to try an online auction site to sell our older outdated vehicles that are being phased out due to cost of upkeep. We will be keeping 2 of the 11 passenger vans and converting them to Maintenance vans to replace older maintenance vehicles. Items we plan to auction are listed below. If we do not get bids, we will take them to metal recycling for scrap. 
 

Year	Make	Model
2010	Chevy 11-passenger van
2010	Chevy 11-passenger van
2008	MCI	Coach Bus
2003	Chevy	S-10 pickup
1995	Chevy	Cargo Van
1996	Ford	Cargo Van
1994	Ford 150
	Clay Plug Machine

 

Rationale:  NDE and our auditor have requested a change in the way we operate with the Student Fee Fund. Their recommendation is that dollars that are charged for specific activity fees, run through the Activity Fund. I am requesting permission from the Board this evening to transfer those dollars in the Student Fee Fund to the Activity Fund. We will keep the specific line items the same so if a fee was collected for technology, it will stay coded for technology only purchases. NDE and our auditor recommend that we only use the Student Fee Fund as an in and out for dual credit courses or college fees/summer school fees moving forward. Once I have permission from the Board this evening, we will start moving things over as this will take a little time but we want to have everything ready for the start of school this fall.

Rationale: 

Nebraska state statutes require school boards to review these policies annually. There have been no revisions, so it is recommended that these policies be reaffirmed.

Rationale:  It is my recommendation to the Board of Education to reaffirm Board Policy 5416 - Student Fees (Attachment A) and approve the Appendix (Attachment B) setting student fees for 2026-2027

Rationale:  There have been no additional changes to these policies since the first reading on May 11th. 

6020 - The Program of Instruction
6110 - School Instructional Hours
6111 - Classroom Environment
6112 - School Day for Students
6118 - Attendance Area Boundary Line Review
6119 - Attendance Districts
6130 - Limitations on Minimum Class Size
6200 - Objectives of the Instructional Program
6212 - Assessments—Academic Content Standards
6220 - Experimental/Innovative Program
6240 - Homework
6250 - Grading

Rationale:  This is updated language from our attorney in response to LB 429 adding new requirements for "equal access" to teachers by professional organizations and teacher associations.

Rationale:  This is updated language from our attorney in response to LB 596 updated references in the record retention laws to better reflect current technology and electronic storage capabilities.

Rationale:  This is updated language from our attorney in response to LB 937 refining the part-time enrollment statutes to provide greater flexibility for students participating in national and state activities, such as FFA. 

Rationale:  This is updated language from our attorney in response to LB 937 imposing a new requirement that school districts may not disenroll a student who is the subject of a DHHS investigation.

Rationale:  This is updated language from our attorney in response to LB 653 requiring the "automatic" acceptance of siblings of option students currently enrolled in a district and removes capacity limitations. 

Rationale:  This is updated language from our attorney in response to LB 937, which amended the student attendance laws to provide that a documented absence from a credentialed health professional shall excuse a student’s absence for that day and not count toward a student’s truancy accumulation.

Rationale:  This is updated language from our attorney in response to LB 653, including PK-2 graders can be suspended for violent behavior.

Rationale:  This is updated language from our attorney in response to LB 296 amended Nebraska’s graduation statute to provide an exception for students who, at some point during their high school career, were under the supervision of a juvenile court.

Rationale:  This is updated language from our attorney in response to LB 596, which requires each board to designate the method by which they will give advanced public notice of board meetings.

Rationale:  In response to legislative updates to the Open Meetings Act under LB 596, Policy 8342 has been revised to reflect that formal notices of regular meetings are now legally required to be published only four times per year. Please note that this is a change to the statutory minimum; Norfolk Public Schools will maintain its current practice of publishing notices for all board meetings to ensure continued transparency.

Rationale:  No changes were made to the following Board policies. The Policy Committee recommends that they be reaffirmed.

1. 6260 - Guidance
2. 6271 - School Activity Trip Drivers
3. 6280 - Activities
4. 6281 - Activity Funds Management
5. 6283 - Concussions
6. 6284 - Initiations, Hazing, Secret Clubs and Outside Organizations
7. 6286 - Return To Learn From Cancer
8. 6290 - Dedications and Commencement
9. 6320 - Parent Requests for Exclusion
10. 6360 - Recognition of Religious Beliefs and Customs
11. 6361 - Acknowledgment of Religious Holidays
12. 6362 - Religion in the Curriculum
13. 6363 - Purpose of Religion in the Curriculum
14. 6391 - Controversial Issues in the Classroom
15. 6500 - Free and Reduced Price Meals
16. 6600 - Special Education Policies and Regulations
17. 6900 - Chronic Infectious Disease Practice and Procedure
18. 6910 - Dispensing Medications
19. 6920 - Student Self-Management of Asthma, Anaphylaxis, and/or Diabetes
20. 6921 - Seizure Safe Schools
21. 6930 - Behavioral Points of Contact
22. 6931 - Behavioral Intervention and Classroom Management

Rationale:  The Policy Committee reviewed the policies listed below and recommends the proposed revisions.

1. 6270 - Field Trips
2. 6282 - School Colors
3. 6370 - Multicultural Education
4. 6380 - Equal Opportunity: Instruction Program
5. 6390 - Controversial Issues
6. 6700 - Firearm Policy
7. 6800 - Computer—Internet Safety and Acceptable Use Policy

Rationale:  This policy has been revised and condensed to align with current practices.

Rationale:  This policy has been revised to inlcude high quality instructional materials and school library materials access. 

Rationale: 

The following regular meeting of the Board of Education will be held on Monday, July 13th, 2026 at 5:30 PM. 

All components of these meetings will be held at the NPS Central Administration Offices and will be open to the public unless a Closed Session is needed in order to protect the interest of the district or the reputation of an individual.