February 9, 2026 at 5:30 PM - Board of Education Regular Meeting

Rationale:  The Norfolk Public School District's Board of Education meeting is called to order.  

Rationale:  If any board member is absent, there will need to be a  motion to excuse the absence.

Rationale:  This is a legal meeting of the board of education, as advertised by the means specified in board policy. A complete copy of the Open Meetings Act is posted in the board room for your review. A copy of the agenda is available at the desk of the recording secretary.

Rationale:  Please stand and join us in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.

Rationale:  Video from Woodland Park students

Rationale:  Colleen Petty - School Secretary, Lincoln Montessori Elementary

Rationale: 

This is the time during the meeting when the public may request to address the Board. According to state law, if you wish to comment you must identify yourself, including your address, the name of the organization you represent and the topic that you wish to address. "Public Comment" cards are located at the Media table, in the back of the room.  Please pick up a card and provide the required information, if you plan to speak.  Each individual’s comments will be limited to five minutes.

Please note that the Board cannot discuss or act upon matters that are not listed on the agenda. Therefore, Board members will not respond to your comments or questions. If you wish to request that an item be placed on a future Board agenda, you may contact the Superintendent or his assistant during normal business hours.

Also note that concerns related to school personnel need to be addressed to the Superintendent using the approved district protocol. Individuals who make false, defamatory,  or slanderous statements during public comments may be held legally liable. Slanderous comments are not protected just because they are made at Board meetings.

Additional procedural guidelines are available at the media table.

Rationale: 

The total amount of claims to be approved on the consent agenda by specific fund are listed below:

General Fund = $710,269.14

Nutrition Fund = $275,370.36

Subsidiary Fund = $9,650.85

Employee Benefit Fund = $8,080.00

Senior High Activity Fund = $52,441.50

           January 2026 Senior High Activity Fund Checks: $32,980.00

Junior High Activity Fund = $4,952.89

           January 2026 Junior High Activity Fund Checks: $780.00

Student Fee Fund = $1,279.12

All of these claims were reviewed earlier today by the Finance and Facilities Committee.

Rationale: 

• Spring Assessment Preparation

• Materials Orders

• Continued PLC Work

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• Special Education update

• Nurses Update

• ELPA-21 assessment update

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• Crisis Response Team Training

• Parent/Teacher Conferences

• Safety Team

• ESU Winter Workshop Presentation

• Junior High Cell Phone Report

Rationale: 

• Interviews for 2026-2027

• Binding Agreements - March 15

• Upcoming Job Fairs

Rationale: 

• It is truly an honor for me to work with the District leaders.
• Principal Evaluations are completed and are currently being reviewed with the principals.
• Policy Committee meeting on February 17th.
• Gov. Relations Committee meeting weekly, thank you to Tiffany Settles for her work.

Rationale:  The Finance and Facilities Committee met on February 9th. The committee discussed and reviewed:

• Claims/Board Bills
• Negotiations
• Buses
• Facilities update

Rationale:  The Government Relations Committee met on 1/16, 1/22, 1/30, and 2/5. Minutes attached. 

Rationale:  The Activities Committee met on January 14th. Minutes attached. 

Rationale: 

The Norfolk Public Schools Foundation Board met on January 19th for their annual meeting. During the meeting, the board approved the slate of officers including Lindsay Schellpeper Simpson as President, Tracey Buettner as Vice President, April Pearson as Secretary, and Brenda Carhart as Treasurer. The 2026 budget was reviewed and approved. The scholarship award amounts and endowment disbursements were reviewed and approved.  Updates were provided by the Executive Director and Superintendent highlighting Foundation activities, recent donations, and ongoing district initiatives.

Rationale:  Minutes from the meetings held on January 12th, January 20th, and January 21st are attached for review. 

Rationale:  Sigel, Scott

• 2026 - 2027 Senior High Spanish Teacher (9 - 12)
• Harvard University, Bachelors of Arts - Spanish and French languages
• Stanford University, Master of Arts - Spanish Language
• 8/2020 - present: Spanish Teacher, North Platte Public Schools (Senior High)

Rationale:  Melissa Jantz - Principal, Little Panthers Preschool - resigning at the end of the 2025-2026 contract year

Katie Wright-Oswald - 5th Grade Teacher, Middle School - resigning at the end of the 2025-2026 school year

Patti Hagedorn - Science Teacher, Junior High - retiring at the end of the 2025-2026 school year

Christina Morrow - Science Teacher, Senior High - retiring at the end of the 2025-2026 school year

Robyn Pospisil - Special Education Teacher, Senior High - retiring at the end of the 2025-2026 school year

Rationale:  Attached are the claims. These claims were reviewed earlier by our Finance and Facilities Committee. There are 2 conflict statements that will need to be read prior to voting. 

Rationale:  There have been no additional changes to these policies since the first reading on January 12th. 

Rationale:  2026-2027 Little Panthers Preschool Calendar attached.

Rationale: 

• Barksdale School Portraits
• Lifetouch
• Midwest School Services
• Strawbridge Studios

 I am recommending the Board of Education approves Lifetouch as the provider of the District School Pictures and ID Services.  This 5-year agreement is strictly a service agreement with no cost to the District.

Rationale:  As presented in the facilities and transportation plan, we are working to update our transportation vehicles. With this purchase, we will rotate an older route bus to backup status and sell an even older backup bus. As part of the transportation plan, funds have been saved in the depreciation account in anticipation of this expense. We requested bids from vendors and received 3 responses. All were very similar in price and met our needs. The bus from Nebraska Central Equipment did come in at the lowest price and is available yet this spring for delivery.

Rationale:  We are also in need of a new Minibus to replace a 2007 Minibus. This will be used for transportation of Special Education students and comes with a wheelchair lift. We received bids from 3 vendors for this purchase. All 3 met our needs, but Truck Center Companies presented the lowest bid of $106,115. This is a new bus, it just has a new 2025 Chevy chassis that the bus is built on.  As with the previous agenda item, this is a planned purchase that we have been budgeting for and is in alignment with our transportation plan.

Rationale:  These Advocacy Belief Statements are the recommendation of the Government Relations Committee. This would give the Government Relations Committee the right to advocate via written correspondence or face-to-face testimony to indicate whether we support, oppose, or remain neutral on specific legislation proposed in the Nebraska Unicameral.

Rationale:  The Board Negotiations subcommittee and the Teachers Union have been in discussions since the end of Oct. There were many things discussed and minor changes to the language for the 2026/2027 school year. Those changes are shown in the attached document with strikethroughs and red lettering. One of the more substantial changes this year is that we have agreed to adjust the salary schedule from a 4.5% by 4.5% scale to a 4% by 4% scale. This is a positive change for all parties as it allows the District to increase our base salary from $39,848.50 to $44,045 for next year. By providing a more competitive starting salary we hope to attract more teachers to NPS and be able to fill open staffing positions. That increase in starting wage also translates to increases in coaching salaries to help the District fill open positions there as well. The Teachers Union has presented these changes to their members and the agreement was approved. The next step in the process is approval from the Board of Education. If approved this evening, I will begin working on all other classes, so those can be presented to the Board and information shared with all staff prior to contract deadlines. 

Rationale:  To approve the two-year contract for Erik Wilson as the Superintendent of Norfolk Public Schools 

Rationale:  Resignation — Amber Kittle, ELL Teacher, Norfolk Junior High

Rationale: 

The 2nd regular monthly meeting of the Board of Education is scheduled for Monday, February 23rd, 2026 at Noon. 

The following regular meeting of the Board of Education will be held on Monday, March 9th, 2026 at 5:30 PM. 

All components of these meetings will be held at the NPS Central Administration Offices and will be open to the public unless a Closed Session is needed in order to protect the interest of the district or the reputation of an individual.