June 12, 2023 at 5:30 PM - Board of Education Regular Meeting

Rationale:  The Norfolk Public School District's board of education meeting is called to order.  

Rationale:  If any board member is absent, there will need to be a  motion to excuse the absence.

Rationale:  This is a legal meeting of the board of education, as advertised by the means specified in board policy. A complete copy of the Open Meetings Act is posted in the board room for your review. A copy of the agenda is available at the desk of the recording secretary.
 

Rationale:  Please stand and join us in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.

Rationale: 

This is the time during the meeting when the public may request to address the Board. According to state law, if you wish to comment you must identify yourself, including your address, the name of the organization you represent and the topic that you wish to address. "Public Comment" cards are located at the Media table, in the back of the room.  Please pick up a card and provide the required information, if you plan to speak.  Each individual’s comments will be limited to five minutes.

Please note that the Board cannot discuss or act upon matters that are not listed on the agenda. Therefore, Board members will not respond to your comments or questions. If you wish to request that an item be placed on a future Board agenda, you may contact the Superintendent or her assistant during normal business hours.

Also note that concerns related to school personnel need to be addressed to the Superintendent using the approved district protocol. Individuals who make false, defamatory, or slanderous statements during public comments may be held legally liable. Slanderous comments are not protected just because they are made at Board meetings.

Rationale: 

The total amount of claims to be approved on the consent agenda for the month of June, 2023 by specific fund are listed below:

General Fund =$835,408.13

Nutrition Services Fund =$255,312.88

Cooperative Fund =$7,358.49

Depreciation Fund =$200,637

Special Building Fund =$294,514

Student Fee Fund = $81,562.74

The total amount of claims for the month of May, 2023 in the Activities Fund is listed below:
Activity Fund =$124,586.12

All of these claims were reviewed earlier today by the Finance and Facility Committee. 

Rationale:  Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment
• We had a successful ending to the school year and summer school is on its way. Summer school serves multiple purposes for our students. Some students are invited to summer school to maintain good learning habits and minimize summer learning loss. We also have students that need summer school to catch them up to where they need to be before the fall and yet, we have some students that choose summer school to advance studies as to allow extra time in their senior high course schedule for specialty classes.
• Spring statewide testing scores are under review and validation, which means there are phases of cross referencing for accuracy that occur before final and official scores and classifications are determined for AQUESTT.
• Last week we hosted a board retreat. Our goal was to update and/or inform board members on details related to teaching and learning. Particularly in targeted instruction and grading. You will notice we still have some posters hanging, as well as information and articles available for people to look at. If there is anything folks would like a copy of, I ask them to place their name and address on a sticky note and place it on the item they would like a copy of. We will do our best to get it mailed to them as soon as possible. I have also left some of my business cards if anyone would like to contact me to have deeper discussions on the curriculum or anything else related to our targeted instruction and grading. It’s very easy to get in touch with me and I can be flexible about a meeting time.
• In our time together last week, I felt it was important to bring some clarity and explanation surrounding target-based teaching and grading. During the board forum for school board candidacy, target-based grading was communicated as something negative and connected to controversial instructional topics. This is simply not true. Target-based grading is a simple reorganization of the grade book to be more focused and categorized to monitor student strengths and weaknesses. This allows both students and teachers to target learning to best help the individual student. Target-based grading has nothing to do with the materials purchased or topics taught in class. Furthermore, the books or materials used in the classroom are not the curriculum, they are used to teach the curriculum. The curriculum is written to meet state standards and involves several steps. Like I said, if anyone would like some clarity about the separation and/or the connection of any of these topics, please contact me.

Rationale: 

In compliance with Nebraska State School Law LB 399, the American Civics Bill, all building Americanism Compliance Reports have been submitted to the Director of Teaching and Learning Office.Teacher reports have been submitted to building administrators on American Civics and are filed within the building for review as needed.

Compliance reports confirm that the building’s social studies curriculum stresses the required patriotic themes. Above curriculum requirements, buildings have conducted appropriate patriotic exercises for the following observations as well as the senior high required American Civics Assignment: George Washington’s birthday, Abraham Lincoln’s birthday, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday, Native American Heritage Day, Constitution Day, Memorial Day, Veterans Day, and Thanksgiving Day.

Rationale: 

In compliance with the State Board of Education Rule 10 and LB 79-719 Norfolk Public Schools has completed multicultural education requirements for the school year 2022-23. 

The philosophy of the multicultural education program is that students will have improved ability to function as productive members of society when provided with: (a) an understanding of diverse cultures and races, the manner in which the existence of diverse cultures and races have affected the history of our nation and the world, and of the contributions made by diverse cultures and races and (b) the ability and skills to be sensitive toward and to study, work and live successively with persons of diverse cultures and races. The mission of the multicultural education program is to prepare students to: (a) value and respect their own culture and race and cultures and races other than their own and (b) eliminate stereotypes and different treatment of others based on culture and race. The mission shall also include preparing students to eliminate stereotypes and discrimination or harassment of others based on ethnicity, religion, gender, socioeconomic status, age, or disability.

Total lessons in required reporting categories are as follows. 

African Americans-1321
Hispanic Americans-1157
Native Americans-880
Asian Americans-871
European Americans- 2005

Rationale:  Summer school is being held from June 5 through June 23, 2023. The following schools host the special education classes: Westside and Jefferson elementary for K-4 students, Middle School for 5-8 students and Senior High for 9-12 students.

Rationale:  Summer school has been up and running for about a week now and will officially end on June 23rd. Our summer AFS graduation ceremony will be held at 6pm on June 22nd at the Senior High Main Gym.

Summer is typically a time when we try to get a lot of technology projects completed. Our team has been busy working in the buildings and scheduling new installations for Smartboards, Wireless Access Points, security cameras and updates to switches. Projects are moving along nicely and should be completed by the end of July so we are ready for the start of the new school year. You will continue to see handbooks on the agenda tonight and next month as we finalize those for the start of the next school year as well.

Rationale:  On Monday, June 19th, Norfolk Public Schools will host a job fair for classified staff here at Central Office from 4:00 - 6:00 pm. Building principals will be available to talk with job seekers about available positions. Currently, we are looking to hire a variety of paraprofessionals, including classroom, special education, ELL, Achievement Center, AFS, and media. In addition, we are seeking applications for custodians and substitute paraprofessionals. There are positions available at all levels, PK-12. Candidates can learn more about our available positions and complete applications on site. I encourage you to spread the word about the NPS Job Fair!

Rationale:  Various Topics of Interest or Concern, including but not limited to:
  *  Board Retreats
  *  Administrator Retreats
  *  Policy Updates Based Upon Legislative Session
  *  Clarification Regarding Senior High Facilities

Rationale:  The committee met at 12:00 today.  The claims for the month of June and activity claims for May were reviewed. Other items reviewed and discussed:

• Recommendation for motor coach bus services for 23-24
• Review of items the district wishes to sell at our maintenance and technology garage sale
• Athletic Training Services for 23-24
• Project Update
  • BA
  • JH
• Update on Budget timeline and process for 23-24

The next meeting will be Monday, July 10th, at 12:00 noon.

Rationale:  The Policy Committee reviewed the feedback provided during the Parental Involvement Hearing and noted the following:

1. The administration is responding to parents who spoke at the parental involvement hearing regarding concerns specific to their own children. Those concerns did not necessarily relate to the parental involvement policy per se, but they did warrant administrative follow-through.

2.  We do allow parents to visit their child’s school with advance notice...unless it will cause an interference or disrupt the learning environment.  (See Board Policy 1010)

3. When many people refer to curriculum, they are actually referencing our program materials, textbooks and assignments.  It is not possible for us to provide on-line access to these materials due to copyright laws, but parents can get access to those materials via their building principal or Beth Nelson. 

We are investigating ways that we could provide greater access to our curriculum (the standards/content that we teach) but this is difficult due to website and staffing limitations.  In the meantime, parents can contact Beth Nelson for access to our curriculum.

Parents can request that their child be excluded from a specific unit, book, or assignment if they find it objectionable.  In that case, the student will be provided with an alternative assignment. (See Board Policy 6320)

4. We updated our Library Materials Selection Process in March 2022. It is very robust.   However, if a parent objects to a specific book, he/she may contact the building principal. If the building principal is unable to resolve the matter, a formal written complaint may be filed, which will trigger a formal review process. (See Board Policy 6300).

5. We do allow parents to review their children’s records. (See Board Policy 5202).

Rationale:  The Norfolk Public Schools Foundation Board of Directors met on May 15, 2023 at 4:30 p.m. Fourteen board members were present.

Austin Truex, new Executive Director, shared with the board that he and President, Metka Kolm will be presenting at Honors Night on May 18th to award 64 NPSF scholarships worth over $77,000 to the NHS graduating class.

NPSF received 43 Classroom Grant applications from NPS staff that have been evaluated. The NPSF selection committee will meet immediately following the board meeting for final selections. The committee will award over $20,000 in grants for the 2023-2024 school year. NPS recipients will be notified in June if they have been selected.

Rationale:  The minutes of the May 8, 2023 & May 25, 2023 School Board meetings are attached. 

Rationale:  Ashley Meuret

• 5th Grade Math and ELA Teacher, Norfolk Middle School
• Bachelor of Science, Elementary Education (K-6), University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE
• 2020-2023 Full-Time Substitute Teacher, Norfolk Public Schools

Tiffini Palm

• Special Education Teacher, Norfolk Senior High School
• Bachelor of Science, Human Services and Counseling, Wayne State College, Wayne, NE
• 10/2020-Present, Special Education Paraprofessional; Norfolk Public Schools, Norfolk, NE

Alanna Binder

• 2023-2024 Business/Computer Science Teacher, Norfolk Senior High School
• Bachelor of Arts, History, Mount Marty College, Yankton, SD
• 11/2022-Present, Behavior Special Education Teacher, Yankton School District, Yankton, SD

Rationale:  None at this time.

Rationale:  Attached are the claims for the month of June, 2023.  These claims were reviewed earlier today by our Finance and Facility Committee.  Claim numbers 1077 and 1078 which are highlighted, are not to be included with the other claims for approval on the consent agenda.  This claim number is specific to a later action item and if that action item is approved, then claim numbers 1077 and 1078 will be approved as part of that action.

Rationale:  See attached handbook.

Rationale:  See attached handbook.

Rationale:  See attached handbook.

Rationale:  See attached handbook.

Rationale:  See attached handbook.

Rationale:  I recommend approving a one year agreement with Arrow for Activity transportation that is 70 miles or more in distance for all activities PK-12.  Three RFP's were requested and Arrow provided the best qualifying proposal for upcoming activity transportation needs.  The district will evaluate next spring if we want to continue with a contracted service beyond 23-24.  

Rationale:  According to Board Policy 3090 and Nebraska Revised Statute 79-10,114, "any sale of school property is contingent on approval by the vote of at least two-thirds of the members of the Board of Education at a regular meeting."

We have a mixture of  items stored at the maintenance building that we no longer use, as well as some out-dated technology items that we would like to sell via a garage sale this summer.  An official date has not been set but once one is this will be communicated to the community. 

Any items that do not sell will be discarded or recycled.

Rationale:  The Policy Committee reviewed the feedback provided by parents and community members during the Parental Involvement Hearing, but did not see a need for any changes to that policy--or any of the other policies contained within this section. These policies will be reviewed again next year, as required via state statutes.

Rationale:  If this purchase is approved, the 405 and 407 Walnut Avenue properties will be used for additional parking at the Senior High School. We currently have 473 parking spots at the senior high and approximately 1350 students. Not all of our students drive, but that is a significant discrepancy...and an issue that we hear about frequently.

Approval of this agenda item, will also approve claim numbers 1077 and 1078. These claims were held out of the consent agenda, as Board approval is required before we can purchase property.
 

Rationale:  The 2nd monthly meeting of the Board of Education has been tentatively scheduled for noon on Thursday, June 22, 2023.

The next regular meeting of the Board of Education will be held on Monday, July 10, 2023. There will be no study session. The regular business meeting will start at 5:30 PM.  All components of these meetings will be held at the NPS Central Administration Offices and will be open to the public unless an Executive Session is needed in order to protect the interest of the district or the reputation of an individual.