September 10, 2018 at 6:00 PM - Board of Education Regular Meeting

Rationale: 

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: 

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:  After review of the newest policies from KSB, I have four policies that need to be added. 3017, Press Releases; 3039 Threat Assessment and 5067 Student Assistance Team.

Rationale:  Another part of the policy updates is to rename and amend policy 4036 Crisis Team Duties to policy 3041

Rationale:  The other outcome of the policy review is the deletion of policies which are redundant, unnecessary or have been integrated elsewhere. The attached documents are the indexes for each policy series, indicating which policies are to be deleted and where they can be found. 

Rationale:  We have been at these for almost a month now and after some early changes I think they are working well. Transportation committee will meet to review them prior to the meeting Monday. 

Rationale:  Annual item of business to approve the list of substitute teachers. Occaisionally new teachers will be added to the list. 

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:  This budget reflects no growth in tax request dollars for the General Fund. We did increase the overall tax request by $100,000 with all of that revenue going into the Special Building and QCPUF Funds. That amounts to 1.8%. The budget contains some padding on the spending side in case of unforeseen needs. Our revenue is good and our cash balances are solid.  

Rationale:  The total tax request is up $100,000 (1.8%). All in QCPUF and Special Building. The resolution you are approving is attached. It is lengthy. 

Rationale:  We have requested bids from the following for propane at Stratton:
Southwest Fertilizer (Bosselman)
Frenchman Valley
Farmers Coop

We bid for 12,000 gallons of propane for that facility.

Rationale:  This January when working on the calendar, I scheduled too many teacher contract days. I thought I could count better than that.

My recommendation is to remove the half day of parent teacher conferences on October 19 and change the conferences that were scheduled from 5-8 on that Thursday (October 18) to conferences from 2-8 with an early out. Removing that half work day on the 19th reduces the contract days from 187 to 186. 

Rationale:  The monthly update from NRCSA is attached.

Rationale:  This agenda item is to allow for discussion and action regarding negotiations for 2019-2020 contract year. 

The board should choose its negotiating team and discuss any items they would like to negotiate when the proceedings begin. You may also want to discuss a timeline for when to begin the process.

Rationale:  The changes we made to the structure of our meetings has certainly improved the flow of the meeting and made our meetings more productive. As we start a new year I would like to see if there are any additional alterations we should consider. 

Rationale:  We have been approached by a precision ag company wanting to put a transmitter on the high school building for their guidance systems. They would use a small amount of power and bandwidth from our system and in return would be giving us free equipment and/or subscriptions. We could sell or use the stuff they give us. 

Rationale:  This agenda item is to allow for the review of the district's enrollment numbers for the current year.