April 10, 2023 at 7:00 PM - Board of Education Regular Meeting

Rationale: 

Mission Statement:

Gothenburg Public Schools is the cornerstone of a proud, passionate, and progressive community where students and staff thrive in a positive and innovative environment.  We ensure the growth of all individuals by inspiring them to own and maximize their potential.

A copy of the open meetings law is posted on the wall of the Board Room and is available to the public.

Rationale: 

The Board reserves the right to rearrange the order of items as needed.

Rationale:  Today we are joined by our three state champion speech-ers!

Kara Waskowiak:  Poetry
Parker Graves:  Humorous Prose
Jack Aden:  Entertainment

Rationale: 

Board Policy 2009 - Opportunity for Public Expression.  
(A copy of the policy is linked here.)

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

INSTRUCTIONS FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO WISH TO SPEAK: This is the portion of the meeting when members of the public may speak to the board about matters of public concern.  

• Getting Started:  When you have been recognized, please stand and state your name.   

• Time Limit:  The board will generally allow a total of 30 minutes for the presentation of all public comments.  Individuals may speak only one time, and must limit comments to around 5 minutes.  If there are more than 6 individuals who wish to address the board, the 30 minutes will be divided equally between the number of speakers.   These time limits may be changed by a majority vote of the board members in attendance to extend the time for a specific item or speaker. 

• Personnel or Student Topic:  If you are planning to speak about a personnel or a student matter involving an individual, please understand that the district has a complaint policy and/or procedures to resolve such complaints and concerns.  The Board requests that you follow the policy and procedures before addressing these matters with the Board.  Board members will generally not respond to any questions you ask or comments about individual staff members or students.  

• General Rules: This is a public meeting for the conduct of business.  Comments from the audience while others are speaking will not be tolerated.  Lewd, obscene, profane, slanderous, threatening and hostile conduct or statements and fighting words (words whose mere utterance entails a call to violence) will not be tolerated. 

• No Action by the Board:  The board will not act on any matter unless it is on the published agenda. 

Rationale: 

1. Approval of Previous Minutes

2. Approval of the Treasurer's Report

3. Approval of the Warrants / Bills

  a.  Petty Cash

  b.  Student Activity

  c.  Hot Lunch

  d.  Bank Statement

  e.  Summary of Accounts and Receipts

  f.  Monthly Expenditure Report

  g. Check Journal

4. Excuse Absent Board Members

5. Consider Option Enrollment Requests

2023-24 Option In:
Brentlee Coover - Kindergarten from Eustis-Farnam

2023-24 Option Out:
Mylo Jacobson - 4th Grade to Eustis-Farnam
Wyatt Jacobson - Kindergarten to Eustis-Farnam
Ellexia Johnson - Kindergarten to Lexington
Weston Foster - 2nd Grade to Brady
Ava Foster - 9th Grade to Brady

 

Rationale:  Miss Schuett has been offered a part-time special education director and part-time special education teacher position at Elwood Public Schools.  We thank her for her three years of service in the district and wish her well on her next chapter.

Rationale:  Mrs. Gibbens' resignation came in after our March 15th deadline and therefore we are not required to accept her resignation.  However, she has been offered a job as a school counselor at North Platte Public Schools.  We feel confident we can fill this position with a quality candidate and therefore, my recommendation would be that we accept Mrs. Gibbens' resignation effective at the end of her 2022-2023 contract.

Rationale:  With Mrs. Stienike moving into our elementary counselor position vacated by Mrs. Smith, we had an opening for a first grade teacher.  We were fortunate to have a deep pool of candidates and two incredibly talented teachers apply for this position.  We offered the position to Miss Kelsey Zach (pronounced Zock).  Miss Zack graduated in December with both Elementary and SPED endorsements.  She brings a lot of energy and passion to the position and will be a great fit for the first grade team.  

Rationale:  Mrs. Jaime Burkink served as a paraprofessional and completed her student teaching in this district up until 2020 when she was hired at Lexington Public Schools as a 5th grade teacher.  Our goal is always to put the best possible people in front of our students and Mrs. Burkink accomplishes this - she is absolutely someone we want on our team.  Mrs. Burkink is currently under contract in another district and they are working hard to fill her position.  My recommendation is that the board would consider this contract pending acceptance of her resignation in her current district.

Rationale:  The hosting of District Music is a two-year commitment and as such we will have the privilege of hosting again next year.  The dates we can pick from are April 15-20, 2024.  In referencing the school activities calendar, April 15th is the corresponding date and has no other scheduled activities.  Similar to this year, we would keep Pk-6 in session and have 7-12 staff assist with District Music.

Rationale:  Each year at the April board meeting, we establish what the last day of school will be.  Even with activities cancelations and a few weather closures, we will have still met our required hours by our scheduled last day of Friday, May 19th.  Our teachers have served several additional work days to ensure the terms of their contracts have been met.

Pk-6 Last Day: Friday, May 19th - Dismiss @ 12:30

JH/HS Last Day: Thursday, May 18th - Dismiss @ 3:30

Student Work Day for 7-12: Friday, May 19th 
(those students who are not yet passing all of their classes)

Last Staff Day will be Tuesday, May 23rd.

Rationale:  After being open for comment, we did not receive any feedback on HAL Policy 5013 and therefore have not made any adjustments from the first reading.  

Rationale: 

Committee Reports (Chair in bold)

1. Personnel Committee (Mr. Fornoff, Mrs. Terrell, Mrs. Jobman)
2. Transportation and Facilities (Mr. Wyatt, Mr. Dalrymple, Mrs. Brass)
3. Finance (Mrs. Jobman, Mr. Wyatt, Mrs. Brass)
4. Committee on American Civics (Mrs. Terrell, Mr. Fornoff, Mr. Dalrymple)
5. Policy Review (Mrs. Terrell, Mr. Fornoff, Mrs. Brass)

 

Rationale: 

Rationale: 

According to § 84-1410, the Board of Education may hold a closed session by the affirmative vote of a majority of its voting members if a closed session is clearly necessary for the protection of the public interest or for the prevention of needless injury to the reputation of an individual and if such individual has not requested a public meeting. 

Closed sessions may be held for, but shall not be limited to, such reasons as: 
(a) strategy sessions with respect to collective bargaining, real estate purchases, or litigation
(b) discussion regarding deployment of security personnel or devices
(c) investigative proceedings regarding allegations or misconduct
(d) evaluation of the job performance of a person when necessary to prevent needless injury to the reputation of a person.

The vote to hold a closed session shall be taken in open session. 

The subject matter and the reason necessitating the closed session shall be identified in the motion to close.  

If the motion to close passes, then the presiding officer immediately prior to the closed session shall restate on the record the limitation of the subject matter of the closed session.

The Board shall restrict its consideration of matters during the closed portions to only those purposes set forth in the motion to close as the reason for the closed session.

The meeting shall be reconvened in open session before any formal action may be taken.

Rationale:  May 8th @ 5PM following our work session scheduled for 1PM.

Swede Activities:
Spring Sports Program @ 6:30pm