November 11, 2024 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:  Mrs. Kylee Malcom will give a presenation on our STARS Program.

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

 

Rationale: 

• Mrs. Richeson - Effective at the end of the 2024-2025 school year.

Rationale:  The Facilities and Transportation Committee has reviewed several options for replacing our 2013 activity vans and 2000 Yellow Activity Bus.  Both vans currently have approximately 130,000 miles and the Yellow Activitiy Bus has 145,000.

Recent legislative changes have emphasized the need to phase out 12 passenger vans in schools, favoring minivans or SUVs instead. As part of a two-phase plan recommended by the transportation committee, and planned for by the finance committee, we propose replacing the current activity vans with Suburbans. Suburbans were selected for their higher ground clearance, four-wheel-drive capability, increased cargo capacity, and greater legroom for passengers. Each vehicle will be equipped with two bench seats, allowing for a total of seven passengers plus a driver.

Per Unit Price: $61,928 

The Yellow Activities bus has been in our district for 24 years and has increased maintenance costs and challenges over the past two years.  We have been discussing the replacement of this vehicle for nearly two years and one has finally become available.  These buses are in high demand by schools as a cost-effective alternative to the luxury liners and are difficult to get.  As part of a two-phase plan recommended by the transportation committee, and planned for by the finance committee, we propose replacing the current yellow bus with a similar bus in white since that is what is available. This school bus design was selected primarily because of it's cost-effectiveness, passenger capacity, and underbody storage. 

Bus Cost: $248,350

Rationale:  Hosting the district speech event is a significant endeavor, requiring the use of our entire 7-12 building to accommodate all participating student competitors. Our elementary students will continue with their regular schedule, as their building is not required for this event.

Rationale:  If the purchase of a bus replacement is approved this evening, the transportation committee is recommending the yellow bus become surplus. We would like to reach out to companies in the area that may have an interest in purchasing the bus from us.

Rationale:  An electronic copy of the district audit and findings are available.

Rationale:  Mrs. Josie Floyd is serving on the board of the Impact Center and will provide an update.

November marks our second of five capital contributions to the Impact Center in the amount of $300,000 which comes from the Special Building Fund and was budgeted in the 2023-2024 budget.

November also marks our first operations contribution to the Impact Center in the amount of $175,000 which has been planned for in the Cooperative Fund and was budgeted in the 2023-2024 budget.  The receipt/reimbursement in the amount of $75,000 from The Impact Center will be paid to the facilities agency and deposited into the cooperative fund once received.

Informational item only.  No action required.

Rationale:  We are deeply grateful to this group of exceptionally generous donors for coming together to contribute a new trailer to the Gothenburg Activities Department. This invaluable addition has already become an essential resource, benefiting our programs and enhancing our ability to support student activities. We extend our heartfelt appreciation to these community partners for their generosity and commitment to enriching the experiences of our students and staff. Thank you for your continued support!

Rationale:  We are incredibly grateful to the city for including us in their previous grant writing activity.  We were the lucky recipient of 10 new trees on campus.  We are excited to watch them grow and provide shade in the thoughtful areas we included them around campus!  A special thanks to Jeff Kennedy, Noah Dea, and Rick Frickenstein!

Rationale:  We are thrilled to announce that our district has received official affirmation of our Rule 10 approval status from the Nebraska Department of Education! This recognition reflects our unwavering commitment to maintaining the highest standards in education, ensuring that our programs, staff, and facilities align with state guidelines to provide a safe, supportive, and enriching environment for every student. Achieving this milestone is a testament to the hard work of our entire school community—from dedicated teachers and staff to supportive families and engaged students—who contribute daily to making our district a model of excellence. With Rule 10 status affirmed, we look forward to continuing our mission to be the cornerstone of a proud, passionate, and progressive community where students and staff thrive in a positive and innovative environment.  

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)

 

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Rationale:  REMINDER: December board meeting will be held on the THIRD Monday - December 16th.

Swede Activities:
7/8 Wrestling @ Broken Bow
7/8 Basketball @ Broken Bow
Reserve Basketball @ 5 & 6:30 HOME