May 11, 2015 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:  Curriculum Review/Update: Foreign Language & Music

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

Rationale: 

1. Review of student fee receipts in 2013-2014. 
2. Review of specific fees and waivers in policy. (Current Policy and fee structure is attached as well as proposed fee structure for 2015-2016)

This time during the meeting will be opened as a hearing to discuss, consider, and receive input on the student fee policy.  

At this time, if any member of the public wishes to comment or give opinions on the student fee policy, we ask that you come up to the microphone and state your name.

Comments

The district collected $199,134 in board approved student fees in the areas of instruction and activities during the 2013-2014 school year. These fee dollars can only be expended for the items for which they are collected.

Waiver Policy
The District’s policy is to provide fee waivers in accordance with the Public Elementary and Secondary Student Fee Authorization Act. Students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunches under United States Department of Agriculture child nutrition programs shall have available a fee waiver for and for use of all listed student fees (List of fees by grade configuration is attached) in both curricular and extracurricular programs. Participation in a free-lunch program or reduced-price lunch program is not required to qualify for fee waivers for purposes of this section, but qualification is required. Students or their parents must request a fee waiver prior to participating in or attending the activity, and prior to purchase of the materials. Failure to do so will result in a loss of the fee waiver rights from such activity or materials. Materials, equipment, or specific uniform items to be provided to free or reduced-price lunch eligible students shall be required to be approved by the administration, which shall apply a standard based on providing materials which are equitable to those purchased for comparable students.

 

Rationale: 

According to State Statute, schools must conduct an annual public hearing regarding their Parental Involvement Policy. Norfolk Public Schools has a district-wide Parental Involvement Policy (6400) and a Title I Parental Involvement Policy (6410).

The district-wide Parental Involvement Policy outlines several ways that parents can be involved in their child's education, such as reviewing their child's educational record, filing a complaint about instructional materials, and having advance notice of standardized testing and school sponsored surveys.

The Title I parental involvement takes this a step further.  Title I defines the term parental involvement as the participation of parents in regular, two-way, meaningful communication regarding students' academic learning and other school activities.  Some specific examples of this include, providing parents with regular opportunities to learn about their child's academic progress, providing them with the opportunity to review this policy, and eliciting their help in developing the district's Title I plan.  

At this time, we will open the meeting to the public in order to give them the opportunity to present information and opinions on these policies.

If there are no questions or concerns, we will reaffirm these policies later tonight.

Rationale:  Wendy Clayton: Middle School Physical Education Teacher

Rationale:  This is the time during the board meeting when the public may request to address the board regarding an agenda item. If you wish to comment, we ask that you identify yourself and indicate the agenda item to which you will be speaking.

Rationale: 

Total amount of claims approved in the consent agenda for the month of May, 2015 by specific fund are as follows:
General Fund = $463,064.92

Depreciation Fund = $127,555.80

Cooperative Fund = $42,567.16

Student Fee Fund = $2,467.63

Special Building Fund = $25,061.77

QCPUF Fund = $261,692.45

Nutrition Services Fund = $117,294.84

Employee Benefit Fund = $318.00

Bond Fund = $115,560

The total amount of claims for the month of April, 2015 in the Activities fund are as follows:
Activity Fund = $145,002.97

The Facilities and Finance Committee reviewed all claims for the month of May, 2015 as well as all activity claims for the month of April, 2015.  Currently we are within our budget and expect to remain that way for the remainder of this fiscal year; the next few months are big months for receiving revenues from grants, taxes, etc.

Rationale: 

CURRICULUM & ASSESSMENT:

During study session, you heard part two of curriculum reports from teachers on the work they have accomplished this year. The curriculum phases that are established in the Strategic Action Plan will continue to be followed as published. The only change I would like to mention is the end date for completion and board approval of curriculum. As the work becomes complete, we’ll be certain to review it with committee members and then bring it to the board for an approval. I think it is evident in the reports given by teachers that they take their curriculum work seriously. This curriculum process is new and different for the district. It has been a steep learning curve for all of us. This summer’s work will be continuing the English Language Arts curriculum, with the addition of Math and the Career and Technical Areas of Family, Consumer Science, Ag and Skilled and Technical Science. The Career and Technical departments will have a slightly different approach because of their focus on Career Academies.

ASSESSMENT: 

We have successfully managed the spring NeSA testing season. There is a lot of work that goes into just the administration of the state tests. We’ve been diligent about the trainings for test proctors, tracking the enrollment changes, organizing and tracking special considerations of paper/pencil and alternate assessments as well as connecting with other special facilities and institutions that are educating some of our students. Official results will not be released until July. There is a series of check points the Department of Education must go through to appropriately figure Adequate Yearly Progress. The results can be shared at our summer data retreat.  With that being said, Nebraska accountability is under reconstruction. A team of us attended a conference called AQuESTT that was put on by the Nebraska Department of Education. The primary focus was to inform school officials about the new accountability system that is being proposed to the State Board of Education and a waiver that is being submitted from the state to the Federal Board of Education. The waiver application is a large and comprehensive process for the state. If approved, Nebraska can implement a new accountability system. The proposed accountability system is called AQuESTT (Accountability for a Quality Education System, Today and Tomorrow) and is comprised of six tenets. For more in-depth information, you can view those tenets on the NDE website.  The summer retreat will be an opportunity for me to share more in-depth information on AQuESTT and how it could impact our district.

TECHNOLOGY:

Sometimes timing is everything. The timeline for the server movement is still on track. Friday, May 22nd the internet will be down. So far everything is progressing within our plans. All the different groups that are needed to make this happen –to this point- are working with the same goal and timeline in mind. We are moving a server that has been in one place for several years without having ever been shut down so our hope is the server will start up healthy and operate accordingly.   

Rationale: 

1. Our Johnson O’Malley (JOM) Native American Awards Banquet will be held on Wednesday, May 20th at Ponca Tribe of Nebraska beginning at 5:00 p.m.

2. We held a Public Meeting for our Title VII (Native Americans) Grant on May 5th as part of the guidelines of our Title VII Grant.  There was a small turnout but we are hoping for a greater turnout in the future since this is new.

3. Today, a team of Special Education teachers met to develop the Target Improvement Plan for our students as part of ILCD (Improving Learning for Children with Disabilities).

4. The Migrant Parent Advisory Committee meeting is scheduled for tomorrow, Tuesday, May 12 at 6:00 p.m. at Jefferson Elementary.

Some important dates to remember:
May 17th - Graduation
May 20th - Last day of school for students
May 21st- Teacher Work Day and staff check-out

 

 

 

Rationale: 

School Improvement/Professional Development
On June 9 and 10, Beth Nelson, Angie Hausmann, Jennifer Robinson, Bruce Strong, and I will be members of the Marzano Principal Trainer of Trainers workshop at ESU 1.  Day 1 will be devoted to Instructional Coaching and Instructional Rounds.  Day 2 will focus on “Cultivating Second-Order Change Effectively.”  This will include an examination of effective communication strategies.  Dr. Phil Warrick, Marzano Associate, will facilitate the training. 

Safety
As mentioned at a previous board meeting, on Wednesday, May 27, I will be attending training on surviving a school crisis.  Bill Mizner, Chief of Police, confirmed he will be attending as well.  This event includes a presentation by Rick Kaufman, an expert in district communications and community relations, and emergency management coordinator.  The afternoon hosts a panel of Nebraska Superintendents and a Communication Director discussing how they handled specific crisis situations.  

Human Resources
As of May 5, there have been 7 retirements, 11 resignations, and 6 transfers within the district.  Most of these positions have been filled.

Openings:
AFS
Vocal Music – Jr. High
Middle School Classroom
Middle Level Instrumental Music
Speech Therapist (2)
Middle School Assistant Principal 

Public Relations
Region III Outstanding New Elementary Principal:  Mrs. Angie Baumann
Region III High School Principal of the Year:  Mr. Jake Luhr
Region III Community Connect Award:  Mr. Michael Andreasen

Rationale:  I would like to visit with you about two grants that we have recently applied for. 

We have applied for a Revision Action Grant that would provide us with up to $50,000 a year for up to three  years. This funding would be utilized to pay the salary of a  Career Academy Coordinator, which would be extremely helpful as we begin planning and implementing our career academies.

We have also applied for a Sixpence Grant that would provide us with up to $150,000 per year for a part-time early childhood coordinator and a full-time early childhood facilitator to work with children ages birth to three who were born to parents under the age of 21.  Multiple community agencies have partnered together to apply for this grant, as this is seen as a community need.  

Rationale: 

Rationale:  At this point in time, it appears to be highly unlikely that we will see major changes to school finance or the TEEOSA formula this year.  However, the Greater Nebraska Schools Association is carefully monitoring LR 201, which would create a School Finance Modernization Committee to review K-12 school finance.
As currently written, this committee would include all members of the Legislature's Education Committee and Revenue Committee, as well as the Speaker, the Chair and Vice Chair of the Appropriations Committee, and the Chair of the Legislation Planning Committee. Unfortunately, it would not include representatives from the GNSA, school superintendents, or school board members.  Fortunately, Senator Scheer is a member of the Revenue Committee, so we should be able to provide some feedback through him.  I have had a recent conversation with Senator Scheer regarding TEEOSA and Foundation Aide and believe that he is advocating for a blended approach that would add funding for non-equalized school districts via Foundation Aide--above and beyond the funding provided to equalized districts via TEEOSA.  This is a compromise that I think we could support, depending on the final details.  If written as Senator Scheer is suggesting, the impact on Norfolk Public Schools could be minimal...but I do not know what the other committee members will advocate for (besides a reduction in reliance on property taxes).  We will just have to wait and see -- and stay in close contact with Senator Scheer.

LB 519, which allocates lottery funds to education, has been approved by the Legislature and is awaiting the Governor's signature. Senator Scheer was successful in negotiating an increase in the amount of this funding that goes to K-12 Innovation Grants from 10% to 20%. Then, Senator Baker and Senator Davis were successful in amending that amount from 20% to 17%, so that 3% could go to distance education funding. Assuming that this bill is signed by the Governor, we will anxiously await news from NDE regarding these Innovation Grant requirements, in hopes of securing additional funding for our district.

Although Senator Kolowski’s LB 343 was defeated, he was successful in amending those provisions onto LB 525.  If passed, this will provide $2 million dollars (outside of TEEOSA) to school districts for students who earn dual enrollment credits, pass AP tests, and/or complete career academy certification programs. This money would be distributed to schools based upon the percentage of students that completed these programs in their schools compared to all students in Nebraska who completed these programs.  This will likely not result in a large sum of money for us...but any additional funding is welcome.

I have visited with Senator Scheer multiple times throughout this session, via video conference calls, phone calls, emails, and personal visits, and I feel that he has been very attentive to our needs.  He was especially helpful in increasing the amount of lottery funding that goes to K-12 schools.  This was greatly appreciated.

 

 

 

Rationale:  We have not had an Activities Committee meeting since our last Board meeting.  Our next committee meeting is scheduled for noon on Monday, May 18th.

Rationale: 

Amanda Dahlkoetter  (pending contract release by Stanton Community Schools) 

Title I Reading/Math (.8 FTE) at Jefferson Elementary 

Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education from Wayne State College 

Master’s Degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Doane College 

Currently a first grade teacher at Stanton Community Schools
 

Taylynn Handy 

Title Reading/Math at Westside Elementary, Christ Lutheran, and Sacred Heart 

Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education from the University of Nebraska in Omaha

Currently a substitute teacher for Norfolk Public Schools

Hannah Reynoldson 

Grade 4 at Westside Elementary 

Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education from Wayne State College

Currently a substitute teacher for Norfolk Public Schools

 

Kelly Stieben 

Grade 3 at Jefferson Elementary 

Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education from Dakota State University in Madison, South Dakota 

Currently a resource paraprofessional for Norfolk Public Schools

 

 

 

Rationale:  Jennifer Lohrberg:  Middle School Assistant Principal

Rationale: 

Are there any questions or comments regarding the Student Fee Policy amendments and fees discussed earlier during the Public Hearing?

Rationale: 

A public hearing was held to discuss, consider, and receive input on the districts' Parental Involvement Policies.  The public was given the opportunity to present information and opinions on these policies (6400 and 6410) at that time.

These policies need to be reviewed and reaffirmed or revised annually.

Rationale: 

State law requires that we review our Anti-Bullying Policy (5415) annually.  This policy was revised and adopted last year to reflect current state statutes.  It indicates that we will implement practices that reinforce and encourage positive behaviors, as well as practices to identify and prevent inappropriate behaviors such as bullying.

No additional revisions are recommended at this time.

Rationale:  State law requires that we review our Attendance Policy 5008 annually.  This policy was revised and adopted last year to reflect current state statutes.  it outlines the types of absences that can be excused, the age for mandatory attendance (6-18), the procedures for early withdrawal, and our requirements for reporting excessive absenteeism to the county attorney.

No revisions are recommended at this time.

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Rationale:  The second meeting of the month is scheduled for Thursday, May 28th. It will be held at noon in the Board Room at the District's Central Administration Offices.