June 11, 2012 at 8:00 PM - Board of Education Regular Meeting

Rationale: 

Public Participation at Board of Education Meetings:

BOE Policy/Regulation 8346 outlines the parameters of public participation at Board meetings concerning items on the agenda as well as those not on the agenda.  A copy of this policy is available in the Superintendent’s office and at each monthly Board meeting.

Rationale:  These items are ready to be approved for second reading.  I have not heard any comment from last month's meeting when they were approved for first reading.  If there are no concerns, I would ask that someone please make a motion to approve them.

Rationale:  This student handbook reflects the changes that were made to be in accordance with changes in statute and changes in the 5000 series of policy.  Sections that were changed are highlighted in yellow.

Rationale:  Mrs. Bolin is choosing to resign to take a position with Red Cloud Public Schools.

Rationale:  Lacey is being hired to replace Mrs. Paige Bolin, who resigned to take a job closer to home in Red Cloud.

Rationale:  Kelsey would like to resign to take a position with Thunder Ridge Public Schools

Rationale:  The board has traditionally offered this financial support for the vice president and the president each summer.  Mr. Rocker is requesting that you do the same again.

Rationale:  There are 12 members who would participate in this summer camp.  Therefore, the requests total $1200.  Mrs. Antholz and those attending the summer camp are requesting your support.

Rationale:  Mrs. Marks, the new cheerleading sponsor, has made a written request in the attached letter.

Rationale:  This is the bill for the tuckpointing and brick replacement that was done around the perimeter of the building.

Rationale:  This is payment for the signs that were replaced above the elementary, middle school/high school entrance, and media center.

Rationale:  The bus was checked out by Shad's.  The kingpins were bad and there were two safety lights that were not operational.  Master's agreed to pay for the repairs to these two items (about $1000) with no additional cost to the school.  Other than those two items, Shad didn't find anything wrong with the bus.

Rationale:  We are moving forward with splitting the junior high PE into boys and girls classes.  The "sport in season" will be taught in the classes.  Those students who elect to leave when PE has ended, not participate in competitive athletics, or choose an alternate course of study for legitimate reasons will be obliged.

Activities Director Dreher and Coach Roether have eliminated two more volleyball contests for the future.  We will be out of the Stockon volleyball game beginning in 2013 and we will be out of the triangular with Southern Valley beginning in in 2014.

We have officials who have double booked us for the Alma game.  We have three options that Tom would like some guidance on.  We could schedule the game for Thursday, September 6th, and have an evening game.  We could leave the game on Friday, September 7th, and play it at 3:00.  Or, we could play it on Saturday, September 8th, and have an evening game.  Do you have a preference on this?

Rationale:  For the past couple of years that I have been here, I have followed the tradition of providing financial support for activities that are competing at the local, state, and national level.  I'd like to have a brief conversation about whether you'd like to develop a standard rate of participation for students and sponsors, or if you would simply continue to allow my office the ability to make those decisions.

Rationale:  Last year you approved issuing stipends for mentors.  This year, I'm again seeking approval for doing that.  We have Nathan who will require a mentor.  Nathan also has some extra things he needs to do to get ready to make the CCC English Dual Credit Course more successful for next year.  I'd like to offer Nathan and his mentor a stipend for the time they will put in during the summer and during the school year.  I was thinking of using Steve as a mentor if he would agree to do it again.

Rationale:  I have attached a spreadsheet that is updated weekly that tracks negotiation settlements across the state.  The comparability study I put together is attached.  Also, there are formula worksheets based on various increments of increase in the base.  If there is additional, specific information you want me to bring to the board meeting pertaining to this item, please just call or email me and I will provide it to you in as timely a fashion as possible.  Finally, a pay increase request from Jan is included.  She wanted to me to mention that she likely WON'T be doing the mail duty next year as is mentioned in her request.

I did speak with Dave Rocker and he and Steve are asking for a $325 increase on the base, which would bring the base to $30,000.  I have included a tab that calculated the cost of this increase to the district in the spreadsheet which has $100 incremental increases in the base.

The Board of Education reserves the legal right to convene in “closed session” for discussion of any and/or all agenda items that may legally be discussed in a Closed Session R.R.S. 84-1410.

Rationale:  We'll be dining at Simmy's in Alma.  The place is owned by our new guidance counselor, Kelly Simmons and her husband.  They have an Italian buffet on Monday nights.  Regarding the format of the retreat, I am curious about anything you want to specifically cover during the retreat.  I'd like to discuss the format to ensure it is productive and that the board is getting what they want from the experience.  I have attached a copy of the goals you updated for me last year.  These may be a good starting point for our conversation.

Rationale:  I have been in contact with Bev Benes (Food Nutrition Supervisor) from NDE and Shannon Vogler from the Healthy Schools Program. The Healthy Schools Program is a program that is being supported and offered through the ESU to provide training to help improve the quality of food and fitness in public schools.  Local schools such as Lexington and Cambridge have participated in this program and seen dramatic, positive changes according to Shannon.  A team comprising of Mary, Jan, Angie Grube, and an administrator would attend a couple of trainings, with follow up and consultative support from the Healthy Schools Program as we make improvements at the school.  The program offers the support and training for a period of 4 years.  I've applied for our school to be a part of this program.  We will find out in August whether or not we have been accepted to participate.  According to Shannon, the chances are good that we will be accepted.  This will be the first step in improving the quality of meals.  I've attached the Healthy Schools Program Framework for your review.  It will give you an idea of the types of changes we would be looking at making.  Many of them are in accordance with the new nutritional guidelines that are being implemented by the USDA in the school lunch program.

I'm also scheduled to attend a meeting hosted by NDE on the new meal pattern requirements on June 18th in Kearney. 

Rationale:  We can take a walk around the building and see the progress that has been made this summer.  We can also generate ideas for next summer.

Rationale:  The board needs to evaluate my performance again.  Ron & John will take a minute to get everyone on the same page regarding the evaluation process you will use.  If there are any documents you want loaded electronically onto the Emeetings Board Agenda to facilitate this process, please simply send them to me either before or after the meeting and I can make them accessible to all board members.