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

Dr. Jonas introduced Mrs. Bartels, who serves as the K-1 School Counselor and the K-12 School Safety Coordinator. Mrs. Bartels led the Board through an overview activity on the Standard Response Protocol (SRP), which outlined the five emergency protocols the school employs in crisis situations. These protocols include:

• HOLD - Remain in your room or area; clear the hallways

• SECURE - Move inside and lock all exterior doors

• LOCKDOWN - Lock doors, turn off lights, remain out of sight

• EVACUATE - Relocate to a designated safe area

• SHELTER - Take protective measures based on the specific hazard and safety strategy announced

The activity provided Board members with a clear understanding of the procedures in place to ensure student and staff safety during emergencies. Mrs. Bartels also noted that we are continually looking for ways to enhance security of our campus and one area that continually gets brought up in our Safety Audits is the lack of a secure entryway for the Jr/Sr High. Mrs. Bartels noted that this is an area for the facilities committee to evaluate in the near future.

Mr. Fornoff stated that, in alignment with Board Policy 4057, the Board is required to review and select the criteria and evaluation system for assessing the Superintendent’s performance. The Board must formally adopt the selected criteria, which is outlined in the attached document and will serve as the official Superintendent Evaluation Tool.

Following adoption, the Superintendent is directed to submit a copy of these meeting minutes, along with the approved evaluation criteria, to the Nebraska Department of Education for review and approval.

Mr. Fornoff presented the proposed evaluation timeline as follows:

• Wednesday, November 12: Superintendent completes self-evaluation

• Monday, November 17: Evaluation link is sent to Board members

• Saturday, November 22: Deadline for Board members to complete evaluations

Board members will receive an email with instructions to complete the evaluation individually. Once completed, the Personnel Committee will review the compiled evaluations in PDF format and meet with Dr. Jonas to discuss performance prior to the holiday break.

Mr. Fornoff noted that this agenda item also serves as a formal reminder of the Superintendent evaluation requirement pursuant to Section 15 of the Superintendent’s contract. As stipulated, the Superintendent must provide a written reminder to the Board no later than the regular November meeting. The evaluation must be completed no later than the regular December meeting.

During discussion, Mrs. Jobman asked for clarification regarding whether the Personnel Committee or the three Board Officers would be conducting the review, as the Officers served as the Personnel Committee the previous year. Mr. Fornoff responded that the term "Personnel Committee" may not be specified in policy and could be adjusted if needed. Dr. Jonas clarified that only the evaluation tool requires Board approval; the timeline and review committee does not. An updated timeline will be provided to the Board accordingly.

Mr. Fornoff concluded by noting that while there are currently few evaluation tools available, the Board may revisit available options next spring to ensure they are using the most effective system moving forward.

Committee Reports

Personnel Committee
Mr. Fornoff confirmed that the committee is scheduled to meet this week to begin preparations for the upcoming negotiation season with the GEA.

Transportation and Facilities Committee
Mr. Dalrymple reported that the committee met to review plans for building areas A through F. He expressed appreciation for the detailed condition assessments that were provided, which included ratings and scores for each area. He confirmed that Mr. Sukraw and the committee completed a full walkthrough and are now fully up to date on current facility conditions.
The committee also reviewed the Request for Proposals (RFPs) for architectural and project management firms. In response to a question from Mr. Fornoff regarding the number of RFPs received, Dr. Jonas stated that eight firms are currently on the list after additional additions.
She noted that the purpose of the meeting was to ensure all members are informed about the status of the process. If the district intends to pursue any projects during the upcoming summer, it will be important to issue the RFPs as soon as possible.

Finance Committee
Mrs. Jobman reported that the Finance Committee met prior to the board meeting. They reviewed standard financial categories but focused most of their discussion on the activities budget.
She recalled that, beginning last year, the committee committed to reviewing the activities budget in greater detail to better understand its components and how year-end expenditures align with expectations. She noted that Mr. Mroczek has made significant improvements by identifying areas to reduce spending and increasing budget efficiency.

Looking ahead, Mrs. Jobman shared that beginning in the 2025-26 school year, both Speech and One Act will be included in the activities budget. Historically, these programs have been expensed through the general fund. This change will result in an accounting shift and is expected to increase the activities budget by approximately $10,000, based on current estimates.

Aside from that, she noted all fund balances are on target given the early stage of the fiscal year.
The committee also discussed identifying a new audit firm, as the district’s current auditor will not be available for the next cycle. A Request for Proposal (RFP) for audit services will be issued via email.

Mr. Dalrymple emphasized that although this change will increase the activities budget, it reflects a reclassification of expenses rather than a budget increase.

Mrs. Terrell inquired whether costs for audit services might increase due to evolving regulations. Dr. Jonas responded that pricing should remain consistent. She shared that she reviewed the Nebraska Department of Education’s (NDE) list of approved audit firms and also contacted STANCE schools for comparison. Based on that feedback, current costs appear to be in line with other districts.

Mrs. Jobman pointed out that fewer auditors are available, and Dr. Jonas agreed, noting that several firms on the NDE list are no longer providing school audit services. In a recent survey of STANCE schools, only a small number out of a potential list of 20 were actively working with school districts.

Dr. Jonas highlighted that, thanks to Becky’s efforts, the district is now fully online and can engage with firms beyond the local area, including those in Omaha or Denver. This flexibility significantly increases the district’s competitiveness in securing audit services and reflects major progress compared to three years ago.

Committee on American Civics
Mrs. Terrell reported that the committee has not met.

Policy Review Committee
Mrs. Brass reported that the committee has not met.