June 15, 2026 at 5:30 PM - Regular Board of Education Meeting

Rationale: 

LEADERSHIP  •  SERVICE  •  SUPPORT

Notice of this meeting was given in advance according to State Law 84-1411, by giving notice of the meeting to the public on ESU 7 website www.esu7.org and posted at location of meeting. Notice of this meeting was also given in advance to all members of the Board of Education of Educational Service Unit 7. Availability of the agenda and purpose of the hearing was communicated in the advance notice of the meeting and in the notice to the members of this hearing. All proceedings of the Board of Education of Educational Service Unit 7 were taken while the convened hearing was open to the attendance of the public.

Rationale: 

This meeting has been preceded by reasonable advance notice and is hereby declared to be in open session. A copy of the Open Meetings Act is posted in the meeting room.

Rationale: 

Board members Bob Arp, Clark Lehr, and Don Graff will be absent. They notified of their absence prior to the meeting.

Administrator Recommendation: Discuss, consider and take all necessary action to approve Board member absences.

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The sequence of agenda topics is subject to change at the discretion of the Board.

Administrator Recommendation: Discuss, consider and take all necessary action to approve the agenda as presented.

Rationale:  The Board has the discretion to limit the amount of time set aside for public participation.

Citizens wishing to address the Board on a certain agenda item must complete the Request to be Heard Document prior to the start of the board meeting. Citizens wishing to present petitions to the Board may do so at this time. However, the Board will only receive the petitions and not act upon them or their contents.

Rationale: 

Applications have not been received for the board vacancy in District 8. NEB. REV. STAT. § Section 32-574 states, "Unless otherwise provided by law, all vacancies shall be filled within forty-five days after the vacancy occurs unless good cause is shown that the requirement imposes an undue burden." 

District 8 includes the following school districts, Clarkson, Columbus, David City, Lakeview, Schuyler. The term will expire December 31, 2028.

Rationale:  Filing Deadlines:

• Incumbents: July 15, 2026
• Non-Incumbents: August 3, 2026

These are the districts up for election in 2026:

• District 1 - Richard Stephens - NOT re-filing
• District 3 -  Amy Blaser - Re-filed
• District 5 - Jack Young NOT re-filing
• District 7 - April Emeigh - Re-filed
• District 9 - Joyce Baumert NOT re-filing
• District 11 - Don Graff - Re-filed

Rationale: 

Unless removed from the consent agenda, items identified within the consent agenda will be acted on at one time. 

If any Board member wishes to discuss an item, it must be removed from the consent agenda at which time the remaining items will be acted upon.

Consent Agenda Includes:

• Minutes from the previous meeting(s)
• Presentation of the bills
• Policy review with no recommended changes
• Other routine agenda items

Administrator Recommendation: Discuss, consider and take all necessary action to approve the consent agenda as presented.

Rationale: 

This is a consent item.

Rationale: 

The summary of bills for the current month total: $1,131,660.89 - Bills #81681 through #81871

General Activity Fund total: No activity
 

	Amount	Vendor	Description
81687	$9,092.80	Amergis Healthcare Staffing	Bridges contracted services
81706	$10,129.36	Courageous Literacy LLC	Title III contracted services
81711	$10,000.00	Dan's Tree Service	Tree removal
81713	$35,762.60	Dell Technologies	School Technology flow through
81715	$10,937.89	Eakes Office Solutions	Copier service agreements
81722	$31,058.74	ESU 9	NRPDHH DC student trip
81723	$30,050.00	ESUCC	Facilitator LETRS training/registrations
81782	$25,680.48	Paper 101	Copy paper for print shop
81787	$9,968.35	Pyramid Educational Consultants	ASD contracted services
81792	$5,636.78	Seidlitz Education	Title III contracted services
81795	$6,357.40	State of NE DAS State Accounting	Network Service Charges
81816	$6,400.00	Amplify Education Inc.	CLSD grant

This is a consent item.

Rationale: 

The summary of bills for the current month total:$1,091,967.59 - Bills #81873 through #82044

General Activity Fund total: $130.94

	Amount	Vendor	Description
81878	$9,555.60	Amergis Healthcare Staffing	Bridges contracted services
81892	$27,531.00	Columbus Public Schools	SPED Deaf Education contracted services
81901	$7,853.83	Eakes Office Solutions	Copier service agreements
81903	$8,769.75	Educational Products, Inc.	Title IC materials and supplies
81908	$5,000.00	ESU 1	Title III contracted services
81938	$18,150.00	Imagine Learning	Title III software licenses
81940	$7,000.00	Jim Gill, Inc.	ELC contracted services
81957	$50,670.00	On To College	College test prep for schools flow through
81963	$15,690.38	Paper 101	Print Shop paper
81969	$9,940.00	Rutt's	North Building service agreement
81980	$8,324.00	Teachtown	SPED Intructional supplies
82019	$20,749.00	Lexia Learning Systems	LETRS training and software

This is a consent item.

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This is a consent item.

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This is a consent item.

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This is a consent item.

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This is a consent item.

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This is a consent item.

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This is a consent item.

Rationale: 

• Natividad Millan, Title 1C Education Program Liaison. Last Day: July 28, 2026.

This is a consent item.

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Rationale:  Board Policy requires the Board to annually approve a Non-Member School Contract for Services Agreement. 
Article III, Section 1, D. Requests, Cost, and Payment

This is a consent item.

Rationale:  Review the breakdown of the Treasurer's Report.

Administrator Recommendation: Discuss, consider and take all necessary action to accept the Treasurer's Report as presented.

Rationale:  Review the breakdown of the Treasurer's Report.

Administrator Recommendation: Discuss, consider and take all necessary action to accept the Treasurer's Report as presented.

Rationale:  Professional Development Director, Dr. Beth Ericson, will present the Spotlight on Literacy.

Rationale:  New Hire: Guadalupe Ramirez, Title 1C Education Program Education Liaison for 2025-2026 summer and 2026-2027 school year.

Administrator Recommendation: Discuss, consider, and take any necessary action to approve the contracts for Guadalupe Ramirez, Title 1C Education Program Education Liaison for 2025-2026 summer and 2026-2027 school year as presented.

Rationale:  New Hire: Lisa Emeigh, Level III Resource Teacher for the 2026-2027 school year.

Administrator Recommendation: Discuss, consider, and take any necessary action to approve the contract for Lisa Emeigh, Level III Resource Teacher for the 2026-2027 school year as presented.

Rationale:  New Hire: Tracy Muller, Licensed Mental Health Practitioner for the 2026-2027 school year.

Administrator Recommendation: Discuss, consider, and take any necessary action to approve the contract for Tracy Muller, Licensed Mental Health Practitioner for the 2026-2027 school year as presented.

Rationale:  Per Justin Knight with Perry Law Firm: "LB 596 allows each board to designate the method by which they will give advanced public notice of board meetings. The method must be noted in the meeting minutes. At the annual organizational meeting, each ESU board should approve (and note in the minutes) the designated method of giving notice, such as on the ESU's website or posting in conspicuous places within the ESU." 

Administrator Recommendation: Discuss, consider and take all necessary action to approve Article II, Section 3, A as presented. 

Rationale:  Per Justin Knight with Perry Law Firm: "LB 596 amends the Open Meetings Act's notice requirements. Previously, notices of board meetings were required to be published in the newspaper, with several exceptions. Now, notices of regular meetings only need to be published four times per year. An ESU that wants to continue publishing monthly notices in the newspaper is free to continue doing so. But for those ESU's that do not want to be tied to a newspaper each month, notices of the regular meeting schedule need only be published four times a year."

Administrator Recommendation: Discuss, consider and take all necessary action to approve Article II, Section 6, A as presented.

Rationale:  Per Justin Knight with Perry Law Firm, "The Purchasing Policy is important to ensure that Boards have oversight of large purchases in the ESU, while affording the administration the flexibility to make smaller purchases when needed. However, existing policy does not specifically address ESU funds for ongoing service or renewals previously approved (such as utility bills, insurance renewals, and so forth). To better address the distinctions between these scenarios, each ESU Board may consider updating this part of Article 3."

Administrator Recommendation: Discuss, consider and take all necessary action to approve Article III, Section 5, F as presented.

Rationale:  Per Justin Knight with Perry Law Firm, "LB 596 updated references in the record retention laws to better reflect current technology and electronic storage capabilities. This section of ESU Policy has been updated to reflect these changes."

Administrator Recommendation: Discuss, consider and take all necessary action to approve Article III, Section 9, A as presented. 

Rationale:  Annually, the Board of Educational Service Unit 7, will review and approve the ESU 7 Student Handbooks. The Handbook Committee will provide an update.

Administrator Recommendation: Discuss, consider and take all necessary action to approve the ESU 7 Student/Parent Handbooks and the ESU 7 Employee Handbook as presented. 

Rationale: 

The ESU 7 Board of Education will not meet in July, 2026. This Board action gives authority to the Administrator to pay July bills. The ESU 7 Board will approve these expenses in the next possible Board Meeting.

Administrator Recommendation: Discuss, consider and take all necessary action to approve the Administrator's payment of bills in July 2026.

Rationale: 

Nebraska Statute allows an additional 1% in budgeted property tax asking requiring an affirmative vote of 75% of the governing body for approval. These additional budget authority dollars remain critical as we continue to operate with the one and a half cent levy, no state aid funding for 2026-2027, and spending restrictions for the upcoming years. In the event valuations change or additional funding becomes available, this action will allow ESU 7 additional budget authority to access those dollars.

Administrator Recommendation: Discuss, consider and take all necessary action to approve the additional 1% in budgeted tax asking.

Rationale:  Monday, September 21, 2026 at 5:15 pm in the ESU 7 Oak Room - Budget Hearing and Budget Summary, followed by the Final Tax Request Hearing, which will be followed by the Regular Board Meeting to start at 5:30pm or when the Final Tax Request Hearing is concluded, whichever is later.

Administrator Recommendation: Discuss, consider and take any necessary action to approve the Monday, September 21, 2026 schedule for the Budget Hearing and Budget Summary, Final Tax Request Hearing, and the Regular Board Meeting as presented

Rationale:  After the passage of LB 1329, school districts are required to determine the length of time for every required annual training. ESU 7 will follow the same requirements for the same training we do for our pre-service days.

Administrator Recommendation: Discuss, consider and take all necessary action to approve the resolution as presented.

Rationale: 

• Spotlight Funding Revisit
• ESUCC Update
• Accreditation Letter & Certificate 
• Quarterly Report
• Professional Development and Print Shop Report - Director Ericson
• Special Education Report - Director Clay
• Technology Report - Director Ellsworth
• Administrator Leave Report

Rationale: 

Board of Education
Goal 1: By July 2026, the ESU 7 board will formalize a process to mentor and onboard new board members.
- Update: Mentoring in process!

Goal 2: By July 2026, the ESU 7 board will attend at least two professional/personal learning events annually.
- Update: Screenshot attached

Goal 3: By July 2026, the ESU 7 board will attend the corresponding school district board meetings at least once every two years to report the tailored services provided by ESU 7 and the outcome measured.
- Update: All district board meetings have been completed for the 2024-2026 cycle.

Goal 4: By July 2026, the ESU 7 board will continue to use the operationalized communication materials detailing tailored services and outcomes at scheduled visits to each district and train board members on the meaning of the data. 
- Update: Revised this year and deployed with school boards. 

Administrator
Goal 1: By July 2026, assess, consider, and revise the current staff onboarding and mentoring process for incoming staff. 
- Update: Done in conjunction with Agency Team. Will deploy this summer!

Goal 2: The ESU will establish and sustain a transparent program- and service-focused budgeting process.
- Update: Training for Board Budget committee and the rest of the board. 

Goal 3: ESU 7 will establish and complete comprehensive facilities and staffing analysis to support the short and long term goals of ESU 7.
- Update: Facilities plan being reviewed by Board Buildings & Grounds Committee. Short and long term goals being established. ??

Rationale: 

• SMART Update

Rationale:  During this item, the Administrator will provide a Legislative Update to members of the Board.

Link to Legislative Update

Rationale:  The Administrator will provide a facilities update during this item.

• Barcel adjacent land

Rationale:  New Hires:

• Adi Perez - Title I Part C Education Program Recruiter. Start Date, May 12, 2026.
• Traci Seim - Receptionist/Administrative Secretary. Start Date: June 15, 2026.
• Alan Valles - District Technology Coordinator. Start Date: July 1, 2026. 
• Megan Kassing - Special Education Financial Specialist. Start Date: August 1, 2026.
• Alexandra Kemp - Cen7ter Paraprofessional. Start Date, August 10, 2026.
• Susan Pernicek - Bridges Paraprofessional. Start Date, August 10, 2026.

Rationale:  2026 Title IC Education Summer Programs
The TIC will have summer enrichment programs during the month of June and July. The Learning Academy, Cen7ter, and Bridges along with some space in the Columbus Public Library will host the program in July. Our attendance goal is 120 students from within the ESU 7 area. Other TIC summer program sites include O’Neill, Ainsworth, and Fremont. 
 
The following individuals are recommended for employment.
 
ESU 7 Summer Staff:

Lizbeth Chirino 
Barbara Raya
Meghan Wolfe
Anne Baptiste
Cindy Lorentzen
Shanda Hall
Melinda Velecela
Cory Waite 
Patricia Acosta 
Susan Doehling 
Harriet Kibalya
Kinsey Staab Cavalli
Iris Medina Gonzalez
Nichole Flynn - Ainsworth / O’Neill

District Reimbursement:
Tina Reeg - Twin River 
 

Rationale:  2026-2027 Contracts offered and authorized by the Chief Administrator for the following staff: 
- Alicia Kardisco-Hastreiter, Paraprofessional
- Ashley Lerch, Paraprofessional
- Barb Brockhaus, Paraprofessional
- Breena Walkenhorst, Paraprofessional
- Harriet Kibalya, Paraprofessional
- Jeri Glenn, Paraprofessional
- Joanna Terrazas, Paraprofessional
- Kristen Cattau, Paraprofessional
- Sherry Olney, Paraprofessional
- Tammy Semrad, Paraprofessional

Rationale:  Budget Committee Chair, Dawn Lindsley, will provide an update.

Rationale:  The Buildings and Grounds Committee Chair Jack Young, will provide an update.

Rationale: 

• Upcoming Events
  • ALICAP Summer Workshops
    • Tuesday, July 7 - Gering
    • Wednesday, July 8 - Kearney
    • Thursday, July 9 - Lincoln
  • NASB Board Candidate Workshops
    • Tuesday, August 4 - Alliance and Beatrice
    • Wednesday, August 5 - McCook and Omaha
  • Area Membership Meetings
    • Tuesday, August 18 - Cody-Kilgore
    • Wednesday, August 19 - Gering
    • Thursday, August 20 - Kearney
    • Tuesday, August 25 - Nebraska City
    • Wednesday, August 26 - South Sioux City
    • Tuesday, September 1 - Omaha
    • Wednesday, September 2 - North Platte
    • Wednesday, September 9 - York
    • Wednesday, September 23 - Fremont
  • State Education Conference
    • November 18-20, 2026 - Omaha
  • 2026 AESA Annual Conference Information Request form will be emailed to all board members. 
    • Please indicate if you intend on attending and fill out the necessary information. Please submit the form to Secretary to the Board, Morgan Morsett by August 17, 2026 (August Board Meeting).