April 9, 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:  Mrs. Gockley has submitted her resignation for the next school year. She has accepted a position in the Chase County school system.

Rationale:  Mrs. Gauthier has submitted her resignation effective at the end of the school  year. She and her husband have accepted positions closer to family. 

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:  Mr. Fette and Mr. Rotherham will present briefly on the NRCSA Closing the Gap Award the district received for changes in math scores.

Rationale:  The RPAC voted as a conference to change admission prices for their events to $5 for adults and $4 for students next year at conference events (Volleyball, Basketball and Track). Wrestling was set at $6 and $4 last year and will remain at that price. 

At the last executive committee meeting at least 5 schools indicated that they would be raising their local prices as well. The SPVA schools as well as Southern Valley have been at the higher rate for a couple of years. I would recommend that we follow suit. 

Typically we set prices for admission, season passes, meal per diem and other items during the summer months. When you choose to act and what you chose to do is up to you. 

Rationale:  During this agenda item we will discuss how our staffing for next year is evolving and look a little farther forward as well. 

Rationale:  We have offered contracts to replace some of the teachers who resigned. 

Rationale:  We have offered Christen Williamson a contract to teach VoAg next year. Christen is from Arapahoe and is a graduate of UNL. We are pleased to welcome her to the district. 

Rationale:  We interviewed several candidates and offered a contract to Tanisha Fahrenholtz. At this time Ms. Fahrenholtz will be teaching second grade at Benkelman Elementary. We welcome her to the district. 

Rationale:  The current plan is to use Lacy Caddick to fill the position left by the resignation of Brittney Gauthier from Stratton Elementary. This will also cause some shuffling of assignments over there. We would ask to change Mrs. Caddick's contract from .75 to 1.0 for next year. 

Rationale:  Last month we talked about the length of the teacher workday, the early friday dismissals and the leave situation around Fridays. I discussed each of these items at the fireside chats and from my perspective they went well. 

The official teacher workday will be 7:45 AM to 4:00 PM on regular days and until 2:00 PM on short days. Most of our teachers put in far more time than this but their presence in the buildings for work with students and for parent contact at set times of the day is very important. 

They had no real ideas for improving or changes to the Friday/early out/in-service schedule. There is some concern with the gap between school and sports practice for high school kids on in-service days and staff were on both sides of the aisle about keeping them. For now I would recommend that they stay as is.

We will change administratively the handling of leave docking for early dismissal days. From now on a day is a day and when you are gone you will be docked for that day, no matter the length. Substitute teachers will also be paid for a full day. 

Rationale:  There are various ways to work through planning and goal setting as a district. One of them is to look at hiring someone from outside to come in and facilitate the process. We can also continue on the road we are on. 

Rationale:  We can discuss the district goals we are working on during this agenda item. 

Goal areas include:
1. Extended learning opportunities in cooperation with area businesses, colleges and trade schools as well as with other area school districts;
2. paperless classrooms
3. improvements and expansion of existing facilities and grounds
4.  improvement of test scores
5. boardsmanship/board expectations. We will be bringing more information forward on these topics as we develop board and district goals.