June 10, 2019 at 6:00 PM - Board of Education Regular Meeting

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 may be made 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:  We raised these last year and our recommendation is to leave them at their current levels for both single game and year long pass prices. 

The current levels are: 
Single game: Adults $5.00 and students $4.00.

Year long pass: Adults $60, students $30 and family $110.

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:  Agenda item to allow for discussion of the upcoming budget and process. There are some changes to the process and we can share some thoughts on the budget itself particularly in light of the path the state seems likely to take in the future. 

Rationale:  We will provide an update on this position. NDE and UNL have been very helpful in the process and are working through details with us. 

Rationale:  KSB has completed their annual policy revision process. They annually revise policy based on court decisions, case law and current or recent situations.  This will be a two reading process. The adoption of these policies affects some information in the handbooks. 

The first attachment should be the Cover Memo from KSB. That memo covers the rationale for most of the changes. There are a couple of  policies where we get to make a choice, we will select one of the options at the meeting. Those policies include 2017, 3028, 3039, 3046, 3051, 3052, 3054 and 5045.Those are the only ones I will present at the meeting unless you have questions.   

Rationale:  We talked this spring about the purchase of an activities van. We haven't done this for a while but in these situations in the past the board has authorized a dealer to purchase a vehicle, with a limit on the cost and specific years and mileage. 

Rationale:  Item to allow for votes on proposals to be forwarded to NASB for their consideration
 

Rationale:  Over the past few years we have more and more elementary age students who ride a bus to the high school at the end of the school day and walk home. That is not a bad thing. However, when they go west up the hill past the water tower, there is no sidewalk beyond the driveway into the football/track facility. Without a sidewalk they walk in the street. That part is bad. 

While we can't control all of it I am planning to approach the city council about getting a sidewalk up that hill. If we can at the minimum get them to the top of the hill it's a start. 

Rationale:  This  item is intended to allow you to discuss and make changes to the Drug and Alcohol Policy. All policy changes must be passed on two readings. 

Rationale:  The Collinsville Foundation (Randy Raile) has agreed to af 50/50 (up to $5000) match on the purchase of a lift. The School District #117 Foundation would be the vehicle for the purchase. Are you interested in moving forward and what parameters are you interested in working under?

Rationale:  I have attached the final report from Mike Dulaney at NCSA on the 2019 Legislative session for your reading enjoyment. 

Rationale:  We have not raised breakfast or lunch prices for three years. Our prices are now more in line with what they should be. It is our recommendation that all breakfast and lunch prices be raised $0.05. For a family with two children who eat every day of school that is an increase of $18.00, $36.00 if they eat breakfast and lunch. 

Current prices                             New prices
Breakfast:
Student: $2.50                            $2.55
Adult:     $3.00                            $3.05

Lunch:
K-6         $3.00                            $3.05
7-12       $3.20                            $3.25
Adult      $4.20                            $4.25

Rationale:  The contract is attached. It is a two year contract which annually adds a year on January 1 unless you take action otherwise. The purpose of this agenda item is to set the salary for the upcoming year and address any other issues within the contract. 

Shad will have comparability information.

Statement by President:

The board has adopted a motion to enter closed session to discuss the negotiations because it is in the school district’s best interest, to prevent needless injury to someone’s reputation and and the public’s best interest to discuss this in closed session The board will limit its discussion to this issue.

The board entered executive session at:____

When the negotiations discussion concludes the president declares the board out of executive session and states that the board limited it's discussion the negotiations of the superintendent contract. 

Motion, second, roll call vote. 

The board exited executive session at:_____

Rationale: 
Superintendent Report
June 10, 2019
 

1. Summer lunch: We are running the program again. Numbers are picking up. We are serving in both Stratton and Benkelman.

 

2. Staff: We plan to move Irene Gooder into the role of Head of Food Service. She has worked in the cafeteria for the past year. There is a significant amount of training the takes place to become the head of food service and Irene is working on all that.

 

3. Insurance: We plan to have insurance information from EMC and ALICAP at the July meeting to review and discuss.

 

4. Summer projects progress:

• The work around the long and triple jump runways is mostly completed.
• The high school kitchen project is in progress.
• The driveway west of the high school has been replaced and should significantly reduce the chances of another bus becoming stuck there.
• The approach to the bus lane in front of the school was replaced; it was very broken up and in danger of washing out underneath.
• The concrete portion of the track project should commence shortly, the surfacing people will be here 30 (or more) days after the concrete is completed. They want some curing time.
• One or two rooms at Benkelman Elementary will receive new carpet. We should have the carpet already.

Cleaning the shop and replacing the lights is on the list as we

Rationale: 
Board Items

1. Monday:

Foundation meeting at 5:45, regular board meeting starts at 6:00
 

2. Workshops:

June 14: School Law Update in Kearney  
 

3. Next board meeting:

Scheduled at the High School on July 9, 2018 at 6:00 MT.