May 12, 2025 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: 

At this time I would like to open the hearing to discuss, consider, and receive input on the student fee policy.  Attached for your review are the following:

1. Student fee receipts and expenditures in 2024-2025 through April (Attachment A)

2. Current fees for 2024-2025 (Attachment B)

3. Proposed fees for 2025-2026 with changes struck through to remove or in red to add. (Attachment C)

4. Student Fee Policy #5416 (Attachment D)

At this time if any member of the public wishes to comment or give opinions on the student fee policy and proposed fees for 2025-2026, we ask that you come to the microphone and state your name. This is only for the student fee hearing topic. There will be time later in the agenda for open public comment.

The district collected $61,593.70 through April, in board approved student fees in the areas of instruction and activities during the 2024-2025 school year. These fee dollars can only be expended for the items for which they are collected.  The district had $50,870.81 in board approved disbursements for 2024-2025 which left the fund with a cash balance of $530,497.72 as of April 31, 2024.  The cash balance is primarily composed of those fees which are not necessarily expended on an annual basis such as the technology and summer school fees. The district reviews all items on the proposed fee list annually and only lists those fees which we believe are necessary to help offset the total cost to the district.

Rationale:  Elementary Leadership Team Presentation - "Lead the Way Day 2025"

Rationale:  Recipient of the Award for Excellence:
Xochitl Naranjo - Title Teacher at Jefferson Elementary and Woodland Park Elementary

Rationale:  Donation & check presentation from Allo

Rationale:  Strategic Action Planning Presentation - Communication Goal

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:  We are currently working on the 2025/26 budget that will be submitted on Sept 30th 2025. A key update to note at this point, that we are working through, is a decrease in TEEOSA funding for next year. Due to the larger increase in valuations last year, the state views our local property tax resources as underutilized. That means for next year, our state aid will decrease by approximately $3 to $3.5 million. We are only working with estimates right now as we wait for final budget changes that may come from the legislature by the end of the session which is June 2nd. We also will not know county valuations until August 20th.  I will continue to monitor budgetary impacts over the summer, keeping the Board and community informed as new information is released.  

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

General Fund = $338,589.45

Nutrition Fund = $315,108.46

Cooperative Fund = $146,787.67

Subsidiary Fund = $11,945.52

Special Building Fund = $177,713.10

QCPUF = $80,521.00

Senior High Activity Fund = $28,923.25

Junior High Activity Fund = $4,807.16

Student Fee Fund = $1,070.68

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

Rationale: 

CURRICULUM, INSTRUCTION, AND ASSESSMENT

As the 2024-2025 academic year wraps up, we have completed the end-of-year assessments.  We will be working to analyze that data with our leadership team and teachers.  State reports are ongoing and on track to meet deadlines.  

On Wednesday, April 30th the 2nd Grade team met to review the data from the work they did on literacy in their teams this semester.  This was the group of teachers that worked with the District Management Group until the funding was stopped as I reported last month.  The teams set a very aggressive goal in the number of words students could read per minute.  The average student increased from 67 words per minute to 84 words per minute.   That’s an average growth of 25% over the ten week cycle.  We also learned some really good strategies for our teams to use in the future.  I want to thank the teachers and principals who participated for their hard work and flexibility during this process.       

Rationale: 

The 2025 English Language Proficiency Assessment (ELPA) summative results indicate that 69% of our students are progressing or have reached proficiency. Of the 341 students who completed the ELPA summative, 234 showed growth. 

The Adult Transition House and Operation "N’ Ployability Completion Ceremony will be held this Wednesday, May 14 at 3:00 PM in the Johnny Carson Theater.  

Rationale: 

• I am in the process of updating all of our handbooks (Little Panthers, Elementary, Middle School, Junior High, and High School).  We are still waiting for any legislative changes that will need to be added.  Drafts will be shared with all of you as soon as I am able.  

• Some upcoming dates to remember:

  • May 18: Graduation Ceremony in the Norfolk High School Main Gym at 2:00 pm

  • May 21: Last day of school for students with an 11:30 am dismissal

  • May 22: Last day for all staff

  • May 28: Norfolk High School summer school begins

  • June 2: Elementary, Middle School, and Junior High summer school begins

Rationale:  All Summer School contracts have been signed and teachers are preparing for the start of the summer session.  The Intent to Return forms have been signed by our classified staff, so principals are aware of any open positions they will have for the 2025-2026 school year.  NPS will be hosting a job fair for our classified openings on June 19.  More details will be shared in the near future about this job fair.  As the school year wraps up, I will begin communicating with our new hires and student teachers to prepare for the start of the school year.

Rationale: 

• Monthly Enrollment
• Superintendent Advisory Committees
• Strategic Action Planning Steering Committee
• President Trump’s Budget Proposal
• Special Events in May

Rationale:  The Facilities & Finance Committee met earlier today. Board members in attendance included:

The committee reviewed claims and financial reports and reviewed ongoing projects, including the construction of the Middle School and the Senior High chiller. The committee also addressed items on the evening’s agenda, such as student fees, the technology and maintenance sale, substitute pay, the Arrow Stage Lines contract, and the LSI contract. Additional topics of discussion included district accounts, TEEOSA funding, the NRD grant, Booster Clubs, and Classified staff.

Rationale: 

The Government Relations Committee met on Monday, April 14, 2025 at 3 PM. Board Members Brenda Carhart, Tom Stanton, and Dr. Patti Gubbels were present, along with NPS Staff members Dr. Jami Jo Thompson and Tiffany Settles.

The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the Education Committee package bill LB 653, which now includes several other bills within it, including the following:

1.  AM-932- which includes new definitions or "levels" of special education and requires schools to accept all option students with an IEP (regardless of their capacity to serve those students) until their percentage of option sped students matches that of the average percentage for the state for the previous year.  

There are numerous issues with this bill, including cost, lack of staff, transportation, potential legal conflicts with Rule 51, etc. 

2. LB 303- makes slight adjustments to TEEOSA  to keep the special education reimbursement at or below 80%. 

3. LB 430- Allows for students in PK-2nd grade to be suspended for violent behavior capable of causing physical harm to another student or employee. 

4. LB 497- Allows homeschool and private school students to enroll in the nearest public school for extracurricular activities if they take at least 5 credit hours.

5. LB 507- Changes provisions relating to school transportation expenses for foster students and children with disabilities. This could be very expensive.

6. LB 625- Provides for establishment of a database of financial information from all school districts.

• It was determined that Dr. Thompson would reach out to Senator Dover to see if he would meet the Committee for lunch to discuss pros and cons of this package bill. 

2. The Committee also discussed Federal issues regarding compliance with Title IV of the Civil Rights Act and How to interpret the new reference regarding DEI.

3. Dr. Gubbels, Brenda Carhart and Dr. Thompson met Senator Dover for lunch to discuss the pros and cons of LB 653, the Education Committee package bill.

4. Dr. Gubbels, Dr. Thompson, and Mr. Wilson attended the GNSA meeting in Lincoln - Tom and Brenda attended via zoom. 

Future Meetings: TBD- dependent on hearing calendar and bills on the floor.

Rationale:  The Norfolk Public Schools Foundation meeting on April 21st was called to order by Board President, Jason Busch. The Board reviewed and approved the financial reports for February, and Tyler Hefner from Insight Financial presented an update on the investment portfolio. Other reports highlighted important upcoming events, including scholarship selection deadlines and Honors Night on May 15th at 7:00 PM at the Johnny Carson Theater, where scholarships will be awarded to students. This year saw a significant increase in student scholarship applications, with 150 more submissions compared to the previous year. The Classroom Grants and Continuing Education Scholarships application period will close on April 28th, with grant selections to follow after the May meeting.

Rationale:  Minutes from the meeting on April 28th, 2025 are attached for review. 

Rationale:  Allison, Rick

• 2025-2026 4th Grade Classroom Teacher, Bel Air Elementary School
• Master of Education, Curriculum and Instruction, Doane University, Crete, NE
• 08/1993-05/2024, 6th Grade Science & Math Teacher, Norfolk Public Schools, Norfolk, NE

Kozak, Joshua

• 2025-2026 Social Studies Teacher, Norfolk Senior High School
• Master of Education, Learning, Teaching & Curriculum, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO
• 7/2019-present, High School History Teacher. American School of Recife, Recife, Brazil

Pollari, Brent

• 2025-2026 Alternatives for Success Teacher and Head Girls Basketball Coach, Norfolk Senior High School
• Master of Science, Physical Education, Teaching and Coaching; Northern State University, Aberdeen, SD
• 6/2019-Present, Head Women’s Basketball Coach, Wayne State College, Wayne, NE

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

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

Rationale: 

It is my recommended to the Board of Education to reaffirm Board Policy 5416 (Student Fees, attachment A) and approve the appendix (attachment B), setting student fees for 2025-2026

Rationale:  No changes have been made to these policies since their first reading.

• 3230 - Security 

• 3231 - Video Surveillance 

• 3240 - Business Operations 

• 3241 - Emergency Response Mapping

• 3250 - Trespassers 

• 3410 - Safe Driving Record Standard for Drivers

• 3520 - Transportation

• 3540 - Procedures - Bidding Construction Projects 

• 3550 - Rebates to School Personnel 

• 3560 - Records Management and Disposition

• 3570 - ESSA

• 3571 - Meal Charge Policy

• 3580 - Insufficient Funds

Rationale:  Request for permission to sell old and outdated technology and maintenance/building supplies.  These are items that have reached end of life for our district.  We will sell them for what we can get out of them.  Some items will have little to no value.  Things that don’t sell will be recycled or disposed of.

Rationale:  The Board has already approved all other position raises for the 25/26 school year. Substitutes is the last group that we need to have in place. This proposal adds $5 to the daily rates for substitutes and then $2 to the daily rate for long term subs. The long term sub rates are tied to and match the base teacher salary schedule daily rate. I recommend approval of these rates for the 25/26 school year. 

Rationale:  This is the renewal of our contract with LSI for the 25/26 school year. The renewal has been reviewed and approved by the Nebraska Department of Education Nutrition Services. This is the last renewal of our 5 year contract with LSI and will be put out for bid this coming winter. It does include a 1% increase for cost of materials which I feel is a fair increase. I recommend approving this contract for next year. 

Rationale:  Attached is a copy of the 25/26 school year contract for transportation services with Arrow Stage Lines. This contract includes a 4% increase in transportation costs which equates to an approximately $70 increase in trips to Omaha and Lincoln. With the changes we made to the contract last year, we did use Arrow for a few trips less 1st semester this year over last year. Feedback from coaches and transportation managers has been positive regarding Arrows service, reliability, and response to needs. This information has been reviewed by the Finance and Facilities Committee. With our continued shortage of bus drivers and without purchasing some new activity buses, I recommend moving forward with this contract for next school year.

Rationale:  Confidential Personnel Issue

Rationale: 

The 2nd monthly meeting of the Board of Education is scheduled for Thursday, May 22nd, 2025 at Noon. Please note, this is not the normal meeting date and has been rescheduled due to Memorial Day. 

The following regular meeting of the Board of Education will be held on Monday, June 9th, 2025 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.