April 1, 2024 at 6:30 PM - Board of Education Meeting Agenda

April is Month of the Military Child - Bellevue Public Schools is fortunate to be at the heart of serving the Bellevue/Offutt Community. Military children play such an important role in the armed forces community. Regardless of military status or position, every child of a military personnel deserves the love and support of their community.

As part of this month-long celebration, local communities are invited to take part in PurpleUp Day, which for Nebraska is Monday, April 15th. PurpleUp Day is a day to show your support for the military youth's strength and sacrifices by donning the color purple. BPS will celebrate PurpleUp Day with Offutt Air Force Base on Monday, April 15, 2024.

As a proud neighbor to Offutt Air Force Base and DoDEA supporter, Bellevue Public Schools understands the importance of recognizing our communities' military children. Thank you for your service and sacrifice.
 

The Bellevue West basketball team will be recognized for being the 2024 Girls Class A State Basketball Runner-Up.
 

The Bellevue West basketball team will be recognized for being the 2024 Boys Class A State Basketball Champions.
 

Bellevue East students Dominique (Dom) Curry and Taylana Tolbert who placed 2nd at State DECA will be recognized.
 

Administrative Recommendation:(1) Kimberly Quinn be released from her contract effective March 8, 2024 and that (2) Merri Breitkreutz, (3) Maribeth Burrows, (4) Kristen Buza, (5) Audra Chronister, (6) Sarah Griess, (7) Wendy Harris, (8) Danielle Havekost, (9) Janae Henderson, (10) Corbin Henk, (11) Brenda Jensen, (12) Sara Kneifl, (13) Jadenlynn Logan, (14) Matthew Malcom, (15) Kelly Mandelko, (16) Molly McNamara, (17) Kelly Mendez, (18) Sarah Mlnarik, (19) Lacey Nickerson, (20) Mikayla Niemoth, (21) Felicia Nofuente, (22) Whitney Roeder, (23) Angela Simoneschi, (24) Taylor Smurr, (25) Victoria Suto and (26) Amy Welte be released from their contracts effective May 23, 2024 and that (27) Amber Dembowski be released from her contract effective June 30, 2024.
 

Administrative Recommendation:(1) Rebekah Bennett, (2) Faith Boyd, (3) Lauren Garcia, (4) Natalie Gertsch, (5) Kinley Hamilton, (6) Paige Holbrook, (7) Karson Jeffrey, (8) Angela Leach, (9) Robert List, (10) Logan Patras, (11) Allison Pekrins, (12) Alaina Pihlgren, (13) Hannah Potts, (14) Jordyn Rippe, (15) Heather Svehla and (16) Catherine Tangeman be elected to the certified staff for the 2024-25 school year effective August 2, 2024 subject to their release from any contractual agreements with other school districts.
 

Administrative Recommendation: Suzanne Nolte was released from her contract for the 2023-24 school year effective May 23, 2024 and subsequently the administration offered employment to her for the upcoming contract year while she was still in service. The employee agreed to rescind her resignation in exchange for reinstatement and continuity of tenure status.
 

Nebraska law allows public school employees to organize and bargain collectively with school boards on the issue of salaries. An agreement has been reached and ratified by the Bellevue Education Association, the employee organization representing teachers, nurses, school psychologists, and therapists.

The negotiated agreement with teachers represents an agreement with a proposed total package increase of 4.117% for the 2024/2025 school year. 2024/2025

The current and proposed salary programs are attached. Also attached is the ratification notice from the Bellevue Education Association.

Administrative Recommendation: The administration recommends the Board approve the Teacher Negotiated Agreement as presented.
 

Each year the Board of Education considers the compensation package for non-union employee groups. For the 2024/2025 school year, a total package increase is proposed for the Administrators (B), Secretaries (E), Sign Language Interpreters (I), Supervisor/Specialists (K), Custodial and Maintenance (C), Full-time Transportation (G) and the Part Time & Temporary Staff (T) schedules. Substitute Teachers (Sub), Summer School Teacher, and Curriculum/Instruction Pay continue to be competitive within the metro area.

Administrative Recommendation: Approve the compensation package for non-union employee groups as presented.
 

Tonight, the board will consider the renewal of the Superintendent's contract until June 30, 2027 and approve the Superintendent Pay Transparency Notice. The current and proposed contracts are attached, along with the Nebraska Department of Education Schedule D.
 

Each year the Board is asked to approve the school calendar two years in advance, tonight the 2025-26 calendar is being presented. After receiving feedback the proposed calendar was finalized.

Attached is the 2025-26 proposed school calendar.

Administrative Recommendation: The administration recommends to approve the proposed 2025-26 school calendar as presented.
 

Tonight, the administration will ask the Board to approve the bid from Prime Communications in the amount of $107,952 for additional networking and safety/security at the Frank Kumor Career Center.
 

Tonight, the administration will ask the Board to accept the alternate bid from Scheele-Kayton in the amount of $261,519 for the sound shell for the Bellevue West auditorium.
 

Congratulations to West Connection Show Choir for their awards at the Westwood Jubilation show choir competition in March. They won 2nd runner up overall, 2nd place in class AA, and the Sportsmanship Award for the 3rd consecutive year. Zander Van Aalst won outstanding male soloist and Katie Crick best female performer for the entire competition. In a separate solo competition, freshman Frankie Miller won 1st runner up. It was a great wrap up to end the competition season.
 

Congratulations to the Bellevue West Robotics team for competing for the first time ever at the US Open Robotics tournament in March. They competed with other teams from around the world, and had a great showing. Members of the team: Nguyen (Wing) Phan, Khang (Kong) Phan, Landas Gaines, and Kevin Gramman.
 

Congratulations to Bellevue East and Bellevue West DECA. They competed at the 2024 State Career Development Conference in Lincoln in March.

Bellevue East competed and had the following state winners and international qualifiers:

Dominique (Dom) Curry - 2nd place in Accounting Applications

Taylana Tolbert - 2nd place in Principles of Marketing

Jaidyn Gaddis - 5th place in Principles of Hospitality and Tourism

Mackenzie Smock - 6th place in Quick Serve Restaurant Management

Bellevue West had 8 DECA students compete. Special congratulations to Jackson Andersen for placing 5th in Personal Financial Literacy and Carsen Schultz for placing 6th in Accounting Applications.
 

Congratulations Bellevue West Forensics students on a great showing at the NSAA District tournament. They placed 2nd overall and had 10 students/13 events qualify for the State Competition March 19-20 in Kearney. The following are State Qualifiers:

Shaylee Hobbs (11) and Tristan Tyson (12) - 4th place DUO

Kilee Wilkinson (12) - 3rd place Entertainment, 1st place POI

Elizabeth Stratton (11) - 4th place Entertainment

Aarj Patel (11) - 2nd place Extemporaneous

Andrew Hedin (12), Kilee Wilkinson (12) and Shaylee Hobbs (11) - 2nd place OID

Andrew Hedin (12) - 3rd place HI

Carter Hamblin (12) - 2nd place Oratory, 2nd place Poetry

Catherine Augustyn (9) - 3rd place DI

Kalyssa Williams (10) - 4th place DI

Mason Bird (9) - 4th place Oratory

Shaylee Hobbs (11) - 4th place POI

Non-advancing finalists:

Aarj Patel (11) - 6th place Informative

Addison Allen (11) - 5th place Informative

Tristan Tyson (12) - 5th place HI

Kalyssa Williams (10), Olivia Stone (10), Rory Vargas (12), Elizabeth Stratton (11), Chauncey Smith (10) - 6th place OID

Rory Vargas (12) - 6th place Poetry

Congratulations to Bellevue West Forensics for their 4th place finish at State in Kearney in March. The team placed 4th.

Individual Finalists were:
Kilee Wilkinson (12) - 2nd in Entertainment and Program Oral Interpretation

Andrew Hedin (12) - 4th in Humorous Prose

Shaylee Hobbs (11) - 5th in Program Oral Interpretation

Carter Hamblin (12) - 4th in Persuasive Speaking

Aarj Patel (11) - 6th in Extemporaneous

Kilee Wilkinson (12), Andrew Hedin (12), and Shaylee Hobbs (11) - Oral Interpretation of Drama Champions

 

Congratulations to Bellevue West student artists and teachers, Paula Yoachim and Trevor Brockhaus. The student artists competed in the Nebraska Federation of Women Art Show in March.
 

Walt Radcliffe from Radcliffe and Associates will report on the 2024 Legislative session.
 

Tonight, the administration will present a draft of the new Strategic Plan to the Board for review with approval to take place at the May board meeting.
 

The Kindergarten registration process for the 2024-2025 school year kicked off February 26th and is available online through the BPS District website for parents/guardians to enroll their child(ren). Kindergarten Orientation/Roundup events will take place in April at each elementary school. To date, 322 students have registered for kindergarten. By state law, a child must be five years of age on or before July 31 in order to enter kindergarten. The law also includes a provision for early entrance assessment. Eight children are scheduled for early entrance assessment.
 

Public Comment pertaining to items not otherwise on the Agenda must be submitted to the Secretary of the Board five days prior to the Board meeting.  

Edward T. Ventura, Jr. - Racist Mascots
 

April 26, BPS Foundation Scholarship Breakfast, BPS Lied Activity Center

May 6, Board of Education Meeting, Welcome Center, 6:30 p.m.

May 7, District Retirement Reception, BPS Lied Activity Center
 

Adjourn the April 1, 2024, meeting of the Board of Education.