March 12, 2018 at 6:00 PM - Board of Education Regular Meeting

Rationale: 

Rationale:  This meeting of the Board of Education of Dundy County Stratton is intended for the board to conduct the business of the district in public.

Rationale: 

1. The Board of Education reserves the right to enter into Closed/Executive Session for 1) the protection of public interest or 2) the prevention of needless injury to the reputation of an individual, and the individual has not requested a public meeting. When making a motion to enter into Closed/Executive Session, the member making such a request should be as specific as possible keeping the previously listed stipulation in consideration. 
2. If the Board is in agreement, a motion maybe to enter into Closed/Executive Session to 1) discuss a personnel matter, or 2) for the prevention of needless injury to the reputation of the individual, or 3) to discuss litigation and for the protection of the public interest.
3. Action concerning matters discussed in Closed/Executive Session will be acted upon in open session

Rationale:  Representatives from McCook Community College are attending local school board meetings around the area to present information to boards and seek input. Tonight they are visiting us. 

Rationale:  Representatives will be here to discuss a program to teach CPR to our students. 

Rationale: 

Welcome to the Dundy County Stratton Public Schools Board of Education Meeting.  The Board welcomes citizens to attend board meetings to become acquainted with the programs and operations of the district.  Members of the public are also encouraged to share their ideas and opinions with the Board during the agenda item labeled “Public Items”.  Comments or questions from the audience at any other time during the meeting except for the agenda item “Public Items” will out of necessity be declared out of order.

The Nebraska Open Meetings Act prevents the board from speaking to a matter that is not on the agenda.  Please understand that the board may be unable to address your issue during the meeting.  It is not permissible for the board to comment on items not listed for the protection of the public’s right to know and participate in the discussion of items that do come before the board and stated appropriately in the meeting agenda.  

During this agenda item “Public Items” we ask that you abide by the following rules:

Public Comment Protocol and Procedures

1. Anyone wishing to speak to the board on specific agenda items or on other topics relevant to board business must complete a Public Comment Request Card and submit it to the Board President prior to the opening of the meeting.   The public will only be recognized and their comments heard at Item “Public Items” on the board agenda.  The total time allotted for the public comment will not exceed thirty minutes and each member of the public will be allotted not more than five minutes to address the Board.  If a group wishes to speak, please designate one spokesperson for the group.
   
   
2. Please state your name and the topic you are addressing before you begin.  
   
   
3. Speakers are asked to direct their questions and comments to the chair.  A member of the Board of Education or the Superintendent may direct clarifying questions to the chair, but the board will not under any circumstance enter into a debate with any the member of the public.
   
   
4. Speakers may offer objective criticism of district operations and programs, but the Board would encourage members of the public to address complaints concerning individual district personnel through the proper chain of command.  The chair may direct the member of the public to the appropriate means to address concerns brought before the Board; however, the board will not respond with action but will take comments under advisement and direct the comments to the appropriate staff member to address outside of the board meeting.
   
   
5. Please remember that is a public meeting for the conduct of business of the Dundy County Stratton Public School District. Offensive language, personal attacks and hostile conduct will not be tolerated. You should further be advised that there is no legal protection for any comments that are made. 
   
   
6. As stated in NEB. REV. STAT. § 79-570 Class I, II, III, IV, or VI school district; president; meetings; maintenance of order.  

   If any district meeting of a Class I, II, III, IV, or VI school district any person conducts himself or herself in a disorderly manner and persists in such conduct after notice by the president or person presiding, the president or person presiding may order such person to withdraw from the meeting and, if the person refuses, may order any person or persons to take such person into custody until the meeting is adjourned.

7. As stated in NEB. REV. STAT. § 79-571 Class I, II, III, IV, or VI school district; meetings; disorderly conduct; penalty. 

Any person who refuses to withdraw from such meeting on being so ordered as provided in section 79-570 or who willfully disturbs such meeting shall be guilty of a Class V misdemeanor. 

Rationale:  To verify that notice of the meeting was given by publication in the Benkelman Post, a legal newspaper for Dundy County Stratton and by written notice to each member of the board, the designated method of giving notice

Rationale:  To adopt the agenda of this meeting. The board reserves the right to change the order of items within the agenda.

Rationale:  Nathan Behlke has announced his intention to resign from his teaching and coaching positions. 

Rationale:  We have teacher contracts for you to approve. 

This week we interviewed for lower elementary and agriculture. The quality of the candidates was good. We are very pleased with the quality of the people we are recommending for your approval

 

Rationale:  We have interviewed for the vacant first grade position and have extended a contract offer to Jessie Woodmancy. 

Ms. Woodmancy is originally from Grant and graduated from UNL. Her references and credentials are very good and we hare happy to welcome her to the staff. 

Rationale:  Courtney Gritzuk has completed her certification. I recommend that the board offer her a teaching contract. She will work with our behavior and special education students. 

Last year when we talked about adding a behavior position we started to use Courtney in tha role part time. Even though she wasn't able to be certificated she has a great deal of training and background in that area. She has done a nice job but should be treated as a teacher. 

Rationale:  Presentation of the financial status of the district, balances in various funds, recent/impending activity therein, anticipated expenses and planning for future considerations.

Rationale:  I would recommend that the board approve offering pre-school and and transitional kindergarten programs. 

Rationale:  I talked at each fireside chat in January that we were discussing placing limits on this program from the board level. This is a policy change and will require two readings. This meeting's discussion will not count as one of those readings. My recommendation will be that we either cap the number of agreements per year at two or cap the dollar amount for any given budget year at $80,000. I would also recommend that we insert a clause into the policy which allows the board and any teacher to, upon mutual agreement, extend the five year window. 

Rationale:  This agenda item is to allow for the presentation of information regarding the NRCSA recognition our school will receive at the Spring Convention for closing the achievement gap in math. 

Rationale:  We would like to consider putting our school through this process. Mr. Fette will present some information on the program during agenda item. 

Rationale:  The legislature passed a bill last year requiring us to have a policy for dealing with pregnant and parenting students in place by May 1, 2018. I believe the policy sent out by KSB as part of our annual update from them meets the legislative requirements. 

Rationale:  We would like to discuss two items with the board. 

The first is the institution of a set teacher workday. Several years ago we began to allow that to flex with the idea that flexibility was good. Teachers workday is generally from 7:30 or so to 3:45 or so. If they come in later they are expected to stay later. We would like to set the workday firmly at 7:30 til 4:00. That's an 8 hour day if you take out the half hour lunch. 

The second thing we would like to explore is to re-adjust the Friday early dismissal. Friday's for in-service are not the best, we can do that on other days. We also have more contract days than we used to and therefore more opportunity for in-service and training.  

Rationale:  The RPAC Executive committee will not meet until March 21. This agenda item is intended to allow for any additional thoughts or discussion prior to that meeting. 

Just a reminder, I think there is a strong chance that several schools in RPAC will raise their admission prices to $5 for adults and $4 for students.

There will also be discussion on limiting the number or RPAC passes granted to each school. For us that would not change who pays locally as we would likely grant faculty passes to our staff but it would affect road games.

Other items to consider changing locally are season pass prices, senior passes and family passes.

Rationale:  Agenda item intended to allow for discussion of any issues before the legislature which the board feels should be addressed.