October 13, 2025 at 6:00 PM - Board of Education Regular Meeting

1. Call to Order

1.1. Roll Call

1.2. Recognition of Open Meeting Law

1.3. Pledge of Allegiance

2. Public Participation, Presentations, and Reports

2.1. Public Participation

2.1.1. Board accepts public comments

2.2. Presentation(s)

2.2.1. Job's for America's Graduates (JAG) Program

2.2.2. Presentation: Progress Made on the District's Master Plan

The Superintendent will provide an update on progress meeting the goals established in the district's Master Plan. 

3. Approve the consent agenda which includes the minutes and financials

3.1. Approval of Expenditures/Payroll for September 2025

4. Reports from Staff Members and Committees

4.1. Administrator's Written Reports: Please review prior to meeting.

5. Finance Committee Meeting

6. Superintendent's Report

Review and Consider Revision of H.S. Grading Scale

• A cursory review of our current grading scale has shown that very few school districts continue to use the once popular system.
• During the next several months we are going to need to engage stakeholders: teachers, administration, patrons, and board members to gather input on desired changes. Focusing on maintaining balance between rigor and scholarship competitiveness. 
• We will also need to research alternative scales and evaluate their impact on GPA, honors courses, and post-secondary opportunities.
• The Programs Committee will be intimately engaged with the process, leading discussions and reviewing feedback. 
• A proposal for change may be presented to the board of education in late spring or early summer.

Policy Update 3132 -- Internal Controls

• The policy committee is recommending a change to policy 3132 due to changes in federal legislation. 
• Within this policy, the district provides guidelines for how travel expenses are to be covered when staff members attend training for state, federal, or professional development purposes. Federal legislation has been enacted that requires school districts to treat travel paid for using federal resources, such as grants, to be treated in the same manner that travel is paid for using district and state funds. 
• This change in policy will have little to no impact on staff travel procedures and protocols. 

School Improvement Update

• This month the building level teams will be focusing on two big tasks:
  • Sharing and discussing the district's mission and vision statements with staff from across the district and accepting feedback. 
    • Patron feedback is also being collected this month.
  • Reviewing district and state level assessment data looking at performance trends for the purpose of identifying a weakness and a potential school improvement goal(s). 

 Essential Learning Objectives and Criterion Referenced Assessments (CRT)

• District staff will be reviewing the quantity and value of our essential learning objectives.
  • It has been determined that some content areas fall short of expectations when it comes to the number of identified essential learning objectives. 
  • Work will begin on:
    • Identifying gaps in our cuticulum where  essential learning objectives or power standards need to be added.
    • Unpacking and sequencing those essential learning objectives into an appropriate learning progression. 
    • Developing CRT assessments to measure mastery of those essential learning objectives. 
• Certain content areas and specific grades are in need of reviewing and updating their essential learning objectives. 

Changes to Early Literacy Diagnostic Tool

• The state is going to require districts across the state to adopt one of three diagnostic tools for measuring early literacy gains. This is going to force us to move away from our current tool and select one of the tools approved by the state. 

State Education Conference

• The state education conference hosted by the state school boards association is going to be November 19-21. Please let Trisha know if you plan to attend. 
• Conference program PDF attached

7. Monthly Business Manager Board of Education Report

September 2025 for October 2025 Board Meeting

Monthly Lunch #’s =  15,703 meals served

Financial #’s After 8.33% of fiscal year 

• General Fund YTD Revenue is 11.6%, while YTD Expense is 10.2%. All Funds' YTD Revenue is 11.3%, and YTD Expenses are 10.0%.
• The 2025-2026 budget has been submitted to the state and counties.
• The 2024-2025 Audit is being finalized.  The on-site portion is complete and work is ongoing on the annual financial review and auditors' report.
• SPED Final Financials for 2024-2025 

Facilities — Updates

• Concrete work has begun on the parking lot west of the YMCA and tennis courts.

Storm Damage

• The district received substantial hail damage from the storm on September 16th.
• Several roofs sustained damage.
• The vehicle fleet sustained damage.
• Skylights and light panels
• Alicap and their adjusters have been here and bids are being received and repairs are being scheduled.

Federal/state Reports filed in September:

• Final budget documents have been filed:
• With NDE (LC-2)
• With state auditors
• With County clerks (Red willow, Hayes, Hitchcock, Frontier)
• State Reporting:
• Poverty funds
• LEP funds
• Summer School student units
• Non-Certificated personnel
• 24–25 Instructional hours

8. Board Comments

9. New Business

9.1. Accept Resignations

9.2. Accept the resignation from Joan Bass, McCook Junior High counselor

9.3. Approve Policy Number: 3132 — Internal Controls

Changes have been made to policy 3132 to meet new requirements established in federal statute. The changes impact staff travel expenses paid by federal grants and/or other federal resources. 

9.4. Approve Superintendent's compensation. 

9.5. Accept a gift from Graff Charitable Foundation in the amount of $1000.00 for the Boys Tennis program.

9.6. Accept a donation from MNB bank from the Bison debit card program in the amount of $1,244.10.

10. Positive Comments

11. Adjournment

12. Items for Review