January 9, 2023 at 7:00 PM - Board of Education Regular Meeting

Rationale: 

As per board policy, the Ravenna School Board reorganizes itself annually at the regular January Board Meeting.

Rationale: 

The Nebraska State Laws regarding conflict of interest and the corresponding forms are available to all board members at: <http://www.nadc.nebraska.gov/e/>.  Any board member with a potential conflict should fill out a conflict of interest form and file it with the superintendent.

A copy of the Conflict of Interest Policy and a copy of the Board Code of Ethics is also attached to this agenda item for review by each board member.

Rationale: 

The school district's attorney recommends that the board review its policy on complaints annually.  Policy 2006 "Complaint Procedure" is attached for review by the Ravenna Board of Education.

Rationale: 

The board needs to appoint an official representative for all of its state and federal programs.  The superintendent requests that he or she be named as the representative for these programs.

Rationale: 

The board is required to appoint the bus mechanic(s) that do the regular inspections of the fleet vehicles.  The mechanics currently working on the buses and completing the inspections are: Ravenna Coop, Complete Auto, Holiday Express Bus/Nebraska Bus & Coach, MC Auto, & Todd VanWinkle.

Rationale: 

The Ravenna Board of Education needs to decide how they will publicize their meetings and record that method in their minutes.  It is the recommendation of the administration to publicize the meetings in the manner described in Board Policy 2008, which reads, "Notice of regular and special meetings shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation with the district including, but not limited to The Ravenna News or The Omaha World Herald. Such notice shall contain a statement that the agenda shall be readily available for public inspection at the administration office of the school during the normal business hours. In addition, the superintendent is authorized, but not required, to publish the notice of any meeting on the school district’s website, posting in three prominent places within the school district, or by any other appropriate method designated by the board. "

A copy of Board Policy 2008, which was revised in October 2020, is attached to this agenda item.

Rationale: 

The board needs to appoint standing committee members for the upcoming school year.  The suggested appointments are attached to this agenda item for the board's review and approval.  They may adjust these committee assignments in any manner they see fit.

Rationale: 

1.  Review monthly bills using the EMeetings Software.

2.  Review all credit card transactions for the month.

3.  Finance Committee Members Sign-off on review of monthly bills, credit card transactions, and district fund balances.

4.  Approve the superintendent's expenses (mileage). 

5.  Lunch Fund Review-Monthly Lunch Fund Balance Worksheet Attached

6.  Payroll Ledger Review

7.  Insurance Billing Review

8.  ACH Payroll Review  

9.  Fund Balance Report

January Fund Balance Comparison
	2021	2022/2023
General Fund Checking	$848,756.65	$187,039.78
General Fund CD	$2,161,818.44	$2,175,183.88
General Fund Total	$3,010,575.09	$2,362,223.66
Building Fund	$702,859.16	$811,364.87
Depreciation Fund	$131,195.85	$399,287.65
Employee Benefit Fund	$115,426.43	$115,799.82
Total Fund Balance	$3,960,056.53	$3,688,676.00	$271,380.53

 

Rationale: 

Members of the Public, 

This is the portion of the board meeting when we invite anyone in attendance to address the board of education. If you would like to speak to the board regarding any of the items on tonight's agenda or a public concern, now is your opportunity to do so.  Please review the orange sheet (found on the visitors' chairs) of paper that contains the guidelines for public participation.  If you wish to speak to the board at this time, please let me know.  "Would anyone like to address the board at this time?"

 

AFTER THE PERSON(S) INDICATE(S) THEY WISH TO SPEAK

1.  Please stand and state your name?

2.  What topic will you be speaking on?

3.  Are there others in the room who wish to speak to the same topic? (If so, ask that they be recognized so that 30 minutes of time for public comment can be apportioned as per the policy-5 minutes per person).

4.  Optional-"Please understand that public comment is your opportunity to speak to the board and present your concerns, thoughts, feelings, ideas, and observations.  Members of the board are happy to hear from members of the public, but the board will not engage in conversation or dialogue with you during public comment."

4.  "You'll have approximately 5 minutes to address the board, as we allow 5 minutes per person and a total of 30 minutes for public comment.  You may begin when you are ready?"

 

 

 

Rationale:  As part of our on-going policy review, board members should please review our 1000 & 2000 Series Board Policies in advance of the February Board Meeting.  The superintendent will do the same and provide any suggested revisions to the Board Policy Committee & to the whole board at the February Board Meeting.  It's simply best practice to continually engage in a review of board policies.

Rationale: 

The Ravenna Board of Education is suppose to appoint members to the Board of Directors for the Ravenna Public School's Foundation at its February Board Meeting.  Each year, we review this information together, so that the board is in a good position in February to make any needed appointments.

The superintendent would like to review the information with the Board of Education to ensure its accuracy and to plan for any new appointments that need to be made at the February 7th, 2022 Board Meeting

Current Members of the Ravenna School Board Foundation Include:

Misti Fiddelke-Board Member (2011/2013/2015/2017/2019)-The bylaws state that no more than 4 consecutive terms can be served by a director.  She is currently in her 4th consecutive term.  So, she'll need to be replaced by a Ravenna School Board Member in February of 2021.  Misti will continue to be a member, as she is the president of the board of education.

Tara Schirmer-Board Member (2009/2015/2017/2019)-The bylaws state that no more than 4 consecutive terms can be served by a director.  Tara is currently in her 3rd consecutive term. Tara is eligible to serve on the board through 2023.  So, she'll need to be replaced by a Ravenna School Board Member in February of 2023 or in February of 2021, if she chooses not to continue to volunteer to be on the Foundation Board after her completion of her current term in February of 2021.  Marilyn Bohn will replace Tara Schirmer.  Ryan Osten is serving in this position until February of 2023.

Marc Vacek-Board Member (2018/2020)-Needs to be either reappointed or replaced in February of 2022.  Mike Voelker is serving in this position until February of 2024.

Jill Hurt-Community Member (2019)-Jill is working through her first three-year term.  Jill would either need to be reappointed or replaced in February of 2024.

Nikki Bock-Community Member (2018)-Nikki would either need to be reappointed or replaced in February of 2021.  Nikki graciously declined the opportunity to renew her term, so we will need another community member to replace her.  Cindi Coulter is serving in this position until February of 2024.

Dan Schmidt-Community Member (2018)-Dan would either need to be reappointed or replaced in February of 2021.  Dan agreed to serve another term on the board.  Dan is serving through February of 2024. 

Heidi Kjar-Teacher (2018)-Heidi would either need to be reappointed or replaced in February of 2021.  Heidi said she would step down, if another teacher was interested.  Kinsley Musil and Tanner Ellis both volunteered to be considered for appointment to the board.  Tanner Ellis is serving in this position until February of 2024.

Sonya Rasmussen-Teacher (2018)-Sonya would either need to be reappointed or replaced in February of 2021.  Sonya said she would step down, if another teacher was interested.  Kinsley Musil and Tanner Ellis both volunteered to be considered for appointment to the board.  Kinsley Musil is serving in this position until February of 2024. 

Tiffany Drabek-Teacher (2019)-Tiffany would either need to be reappointed or replaced in February of 2022.  Caley Mingus is serving in this position until February of 2024.

Superintendent  (Lifetime Ex-Officio Non-Voting Member)

The"By-Laws of Ravenna Public School Foundation" (see attached) call for the Ravenna Board of Education to appoint the board members.  The purpose of this agenda item is to review the current board appointments, to track the length of the board members' appointments on an annual basis, and to establish a plan to revisit these appointments for review by the board on an annual basis. 

Board Members may serve no more than four consecutive terms:

Board members=2 year term x 4 terms max=8 years

Other appointed members=3 year term x 4 terms max=12 years

 

 

 

 

Rationale: 

• CDC changed the recommended quarantine/isolation period to 5 calendar days on Monday, December 27th, 2021
• It is the superintendent's recommendation that we modify our plan to reflect the change(attached)
• 5 calendar days of isolation from the onset of symptoms and then may return to school/work provided the individual has been asymptomatic for 24 hours
• Individuals will be required to mask and monitor for 5 days upon returning to school/work after testing positive
• Reviewing the plan every 6 months is required in order to receive ESSERs funding

https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2021/s1227-isolation-quarantine-guidance.html
 

Rationale:  We are beginning our Winter Assessments this week and will continue through the month of January.

The FastBridge screening will be January 9-13.

 MAP Assessments (Kindergarten-2nd Grade)
January 19  MAP Reading
January 24  MAP Language Usage (2nd grade only)
January 26  MAP Math

NSCAS Assessments (3rd Grade-6th Grade )
January 17 - 5th and 6th Grade NSCAS ELA
January 18 - 3rd and 4th Grade NSCAS ELA
January 24 - 5th and 6th Grade NSCAS Math
January 25 - 3rd and 4th Grade NSCAS Math

I want to thank the Chamber of Commerce and Director Cassandra Duncan for adding children to the Giving Tree during Christmas this year.  Also a huge "Thank You" to Mrs. Drahota for working with Cassandra and helping to make sure the children had a present to unwrap.


 

Rationale: 

Secondary Staff vs. Elementary Staff Floor Hockey

• Thank you everyone who participated in the game! Bringing everyone together was really neat and seeing all the students getting excited for their teachers/team was great. Just a cool way to end 1st semester and send everyone off to break.

Holiday Basketball Tournament

• Mr. Schirmer did a great job of organizing the event. Thank you to him and everyone who helped to make it a successful tournament. 

Secondary Winter MAP/NSCAS testing 

• Jan. 18th and 24th

• The testing window closes Jan. 30th