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

Rationale: 

1.  Review monthly bills using the EMeetings Software.

2.  Review all credit card transactions for the month

3.  Finance Committee Members Sign-off on the review of monthly bills, credit card transactions, and district fund balances.

4.  Approve superintendent's expenses (mileage & reimbursement).

5.  Lunch Fund Review-Monthly Lunch Fund Balance Worksheet Attached

6.  General Fund Review-Monthly General Fund Balance Worksheet Attached

7.  Payroll Ledger Review

8.  Insurance Billing Review

9.  ACH Payroll Review

10.  Annual Audit -

• The auditors came out and did the field work.  They didn't encounter any problems or issues.
• We are waiting for the draft of the annual audit from the auditors.

11.  Value Engineering & Budget Review with BD

Rationale:  Mr. Christensen has been working on cleaning out the science department.  He has a number of items that he would like for the board to declare as surplus for immediate sale or disposal.  Those items are attached to this agenda item.

Rationale:  The school purchased a new power washer for the buses and the vans.  The current power washer still works, but not well (not a lot of power).  The little pull behind cart has been sitting in the weeds and not been used for years.  It's just taking up space and needs to find a new home.  There are several sets of tires and rims for John Deere mowers that are no longer in use.

Rationale:  MC Auto diagnosed the issue with Van #3 and found that it has "dropped a cylinder."  This could be the result of a variety of issues: fuel delivery, ignition system, compression (valve, rings, head gasket).  He doesn't recommend putting any money into it, given the condition and age (2008) of the van.

Rationale:  Mrs. Pritchard plans to resign effective at the end of the 2025-26 school year.

Rationale:  Ms. Nelson plans to resign effective at the end of the 2025-26 school year.

Rationale: 

Members of the Public, 

This is the portion of the board meeting when we invite anyone in attendance to address the board of education. If you would like to speak to the board regarding any of the items on tonight's agenda or a public concern, now is your opportunity to do so.  Please review the orange sheet (found on the visitors' chairs) of paper that contains the guidelines for public participation.  If you wish to speak to the board at this time, please let me know.  "Would anyone like to address the board at this time?"

 

AFTER THE PERSON(S) INDICATE(S) THEY WISH TO SPEAK

1.  Please stand and state your name?

2.  What topic will you be speaking on?

3.  Are there others in the room who wish to speak to the same topic? (If so, ask that they be recognized so that 30 minutes of time for public comment can be apportioned as per the policy-5 minutes per person).

4.  Optional-"Please understand that public comment is your opportunity to speak to the board and present your concerns, thoughts, feelings, ideas, and observations.  Members of the board are happy to hear from members of the public, but the board will not engage in conversation or dialogue with you during public comment."

4.  "You'll have approximately 5 minutes to address the board, as we allow 5 minutes per person and a total of 30 minutes for public comment.  You may begin when you are ready?"

 

 

 

Rationale:  There will be a brief 5-10 minute groundbreaking ceremony for the construction project at 6:05 PM on the east side of the high school.

Rationale:  The option enrollment laws changed back in 2023.  As a result, the board of education needs to annually adopt an option enrollment capacity resolution that specifies the maximum enrollment capacities for each class. 

This option enrollment resolution and the corresponding capacities have been reviewed by the administrative team and by the board and have been in effect since October of 2023.  Since that time, no board member, administrator, or member of the public has approached the superintendent about the class sizes specified.  In short, the specified class sizes that were adopted back in 2023 seem to be working well. 

The superintendent's recommendation would be to adopt the resolution as presented.
 

Rationale:  Periodically, the school needs to replace its fleet vehicles, due to exessive mileage or the physical condition of existing vans.  The superintendent would like to have a conversation with the board about whether to pursue the purchase of a new or used van during the 2025-26 budget cycle.

Attached is an example of a van.  The superintendent would like prior authorization to purchase a van with a specific price threshold of "no more than $50,000, no more than 50K miles, and no more than 5 years old."  An example of such a vehicle can be viewed at: https://www.holidayfordusa.com/used-Fond+du+Lac-2020-Ford-Transit+Passenger+Wagon-XLT-1FMZK1Y82LKA02127

A photo of this van is also attached.

Rationale:  Each year, the school district enters into an interlocal agreement with the Ravenna Economic Development Corporation (REDC) for the purpose of promoting economic development in Ravenna.  Several years ago, this agreement was reviewed by the school district's legal counsel and minor adjustments were suggested by the district's attorney, which the REDC made.  The superintendent has reviewed the agreement and recommends renewing the interlocal agreement with the REDC.

A copy of the agreement is attached to this agenda item for review and consideration by the Ravenna Board of Education.

Rationale:  Each year, the REA and the Ravenna School Board of Education negotiate for the terms and conditions of the contract with certified staff (teachers and guidance counselor) for the upcoming school year.  As per statute, the board and the REA must meet at least 4 times prior to February or settle by February.

Attached are the proposed ground rules for this year's negotiations process and a copy of the current "Negotiated Agreement" between the REA and the Ravenna Public Schools Board of Education.

The superintendent would also like to discuss "Article IV, Section 8" of the current negotiated agreement with you.  Please see the screenshot entitled, "2022-23 Negotiated Agreement - Article IV, Section 8" attached to this agenda item as a reference.  This "Section 8" was added to the "2022-23 Negotiated Agreement" at the January 10, 2022, Board Meeting.

Also, attached is a copy of the negotiations notes from that timeframe.  There is no mention of this item being considered. 



 

Rationale:  Mr. Schirmer would like to share an idea about using part of the school property to create a better shot and discus throwing area for our students.  He will be at the meeting to go through a site walk through with the board members.

Rationale:  BD Construction will be in to review the value engineering items and the building project budget with the board of education at 7:15 PM.

Rationale:  The board needs to update the language of policies 3040 and 3041 to reflect the role and utilization of the Psychological First Aid (PFA) team.  Current policy does not reflect the correct language.  The proposed edits essentially rename the "Crisis Team" to the PFA Team.

Rationale:  The Gator is well past its prime.  If the board would like to consider replacing it with a more functional UTV, the superintendent has attached some examples of options we could pursue.

Rationale:  The Buffalo County Sheriff's Office is interested in creating a "County-Wide SRO" position, which would allow an SRO to serve all of the school's in Buffalo County.  The primary function of the program would be to have the SRO be a positive police presence at the school, do some teaching (perhaps DARE or another anti-drug program), and assist the school when local law enforcement is not available.

Attached is a copy of a policy that KSB would suggest using, if the school board decides to move forward with allowing the SRO to serve our school district.  Buffalo County Sheriff's Office is currently developing a Memo of Understanding (MOU) that could be reviewed by the board and the district's legal counsel, again, if the board decides to utilize this resource.

This is a good reminder for board members, that school officials generally involve law enforcement when they think a criminal act has occurred (property damage, substantial theft, assault, weapons possession, under-age alcohol possession, underage tobacco possession, illegal drug possession, etc).  Law enforcement does not interview students without the parent being present or without receiving parental consent to do so.  The administration encourages law enforcement to take care of legal matters with students off of school property as much as possible.

Rationale:  Parent/Teacher Conferences
We had a good turnout with an attendance rate of 88%.

Youth Leadership Conference
I will be accompanying 6 sixth-grade students to UNK on October 21 for the Region IV Youth Leadership Conference.

Fire Safety Presentation
A thank you to the members of the RFD who visited today to talk to our elementary students about fire safety. The students also had the exciting opportunity to see some fire trucks up close!

 

Rationale: 

Principal Report October Board Meeting

 

Academic

• Beginning in the 2nd quarter, junior high students will work on different IXL skills in their study halls to help improve their reading skills. 

  • They are expected to complete two skills per week and this will be tracked by their study hall teachers and Mrs. Maulsby.

• High school students will read the first 10 minutes of each study hall starting in the 2nd quarter. 

Student Behavior/Mental Health

•  Suicide Awareness Week - September 22nd - September 26th

  • Grade Level Change War

    • The seniors won in high school.

    • The money raised went to the mental health fund. 

Activities

• Girls Golf Team - Conference Champions 

  • Jordyn Larsen - 1st Place 

  • Makenna Treffer — 4th Place 

  • Emma Gentrup — 8th Place

  • Brooke Reagan — 9th Place

• Girls Golf State Qualifiers

  • MaKenna Treffer

  • Jordyn Larsen

• JH Cross Country

  • Remi Behrendt and Abigail Osten qualified for the state cross-country meet held in Papillion. 

  • Remi placed 24th and medaled.

  • Abigail placed 35th.

Rationale:  1.  Building Project Update

2.  Thank you sign for the construction site (See Attached Options or we can create any option you would like)

3.  High school hallways are not included in the current scope of work.  Budget pricing for painting these areas is attached.  $3758.  Would like board like for me to put this out for bid and get some numbers for ceiling replacement tiles in this area?  Or do we want to wait to see how much of the contingency budget for the building project is left over and then go from there?

4.  Annual Rule 10/ALICAP Safety Audit Report (Attached)

5.  Area Levy Rates for Buffalo County Schools (Attached) :

• Gibbon: $1.032
• Kearney: $1.073
• Elm Creek: $1.068
• Shleton: $1.007
• Ravenna: $0.688
• Pleasanton: $1.154
• Amherst: $0.796

6.  Audit — The fieldwork has been completed, and the school district is waiting on the draft of the annual audit from the auditor.  The superintendent will pass along the draft and add it to the following board meeting agenda for review and approval by the board of education.

 

Rationale: 

Upcoming Learning Events:

• State Education Conference 

Rationale:  A special thanks to our High Ability Learner Students and to Mrs. Maulsby for their continued work creating video updates on the Ravenna Public Schools Building Project.  We can't wait to see your next video update. — Misti Fiddelke, RPS Board President