September 9, 2024 at 6:00 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:  Recipient: Neta Lowe, Science Teacher, Norfolk Senior High

Rationale:  See attached presentation

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.

Additional procedural guidelines are available at the media table.

Rationale: 

The total amount of claims to be approved on the consent agenda by specific fund are listed below:

General Fund = $1,104,950.31

Nutrition Fund = $4,205.30

Cooperative Fund = $6,898.82

Subsidiary Fund = $8,573.57

Depreciation Fund = $34,000.00

Special Building Fund = $877,561.22

Employee Benefit Fund = $229,335.50

Senior High Activity Fund = $71,534.15

Junior High Activity Fund = $8,698.83

Student Fee Fund = $1,704.93

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

Rationale: 

CURRICULUM, INSTRUCTION AND ASSESSMENT

• The beginning of the year has been successful. In my visits to buildings and with teachers and principals, everyone has been very positive about how the year has started. 

• The Fall MAP Test window for K-8 is still open. However, most classrooms are finished. The SH Fall ACT and PreACT testing will occur on Sept. 25th.  The planning pieces are coming together smoothly for that as well. 

• My team has begun Instructional coaching cycles.  Their focus to start the year will be new teachers.  Our goal is to help teachers transition to our district and also feel like they are supported by our team.

Rationale: 

Our nurses will begin their annual health screenings this month.  Students in grades Pre-K-4, 7th, and 10th grade are screened annually. 

Our ELL teachers have screened over 100 new students based on their Home Language Survey to determine if they qualify for our ELL program. This is an increase of about 25 students from last year at this time.

I will attend the fall workshop for Nebraska Association Special Education Supervisors (NASES) Thursday and Friday this week. The focus of the conference is Roll with the Changes

Rationale: 

• The first month of school, our staff received suicide training via video through Vector Solutions.  Suicide training is required by law for all of our staff.  National Suicide Prevention month is September.  A reminder that if you or someone you know has suicidal thoughts to reach out to Safe2Help.  Safe2Help is an anonymous reporting site that is free to school districts.  Safe2Help information is on the back of all student and staff ID cards.  The state also has a suicide and crisis hotline for anyone, and all someone has to do is dial 988.  

• Our diamond badges showing that we meet the highest standards for safety and security from the Nebraska Department of Education came in, and I have delivered them to just about all of our schools and buildings.  I was able to visit with staff and students, while walking around the buildings doing exterior and interior door checks making sure our culture of safety is being met. 

Rationale: 

All of our new NPS teachers received training on the NPS Instructional Model on August 21 and 27. They are working hard to learn the essential concepts and strategies that will enhance learning and instruction in their classroom.

Job fairs are already beginning and Mary Luhr and I traveled to UNK on Thursday for the first job fair of the school year.  I am recruiting and networking for the 2025-2026 school year.

NPS currently has 5 student teachers in our district.  I have received positive feedback from our administrators about their start to the year. 

Rationale:  Monthly Enrollment Report
RSP Community Engagement Events
State Education Conference

Rationale:  The Finance and Facilities Committee met on 8-26-2024 to discuss which budget and tax proposal to publish in the Daily News for the Budget and Tax Hearings. The Committee asked Mr. Wilson and Dr. Thompson to produce a fourth budget and tax levy option that was midway between options two and three for this purpose.

Rationale:  Minutes from the meeting on August 26, 2024 are attached for review. 

Rationale:  Attached are the claims. These claims were reviewed earlier by our Finance and Facilities Committee. 

There are two conflict statements this month that will need to be read before voting.

Rationale: 

• Due to the frequent and sudden changes occurring with Title IX our attorney has recommended that we revise our Title IX policy to authorize the Superintendent to create Title IX sex discrimination procedures that are compliant with Title IX and update them as necessary.  This will expedite the process when changes become necessary due to legal updates.  

• No changes have been made to this policy since the approval of its first reading last month.

Rationale:  Every year we make sure that all of our confidential emergency contact information and building maps are updated for our building administrators. This information along with our emergency procedures is compiled in our Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) that was developed with the help of local law enforcement, emergency management, and NPS staff. I have shared the updated information with our Board Members. I am asking for approval of the 2024-2025 EOP.

Rationale: 

The 2nd monthly meeting of the Board of Education is scheduled for Monday, September 23rd, 2024 at Noon. 

The following meeting of the Board of Education will be held on Monday, October 14th, 2024 at 5:30 PM. 

All components of these regular 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.