July 13, 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: 

1. Tim Kwapnioski- New School Improvement and Accreditation Process

 2. Courtney Dentlinger-Workforce Coordinator Position

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

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 July, 2015 by specific fund are as follows:
General Fund = $532,423.68

Cooperative Fund = $2,375.51

Student Fee Fund = $47,693.39

Special Building Fund = $61,500.04

QCPUF Fund = $127,230.21

Nutrition Services Fund = $2,737.43

Depreciation Fund = $78,610.73

Bond Fund = $577.67

The total amount of claims for the month of June, 2015 in the Activities fund are as follows:
Activity Fund = $94,734.70

The Facilities and Finance Committee reviewed all claims for the month of July, 2015 as well as all activity claims for the month of June, 2015.  We are staying as estimated with our budgeted expenditures and revenues for 2014-2015.  At next month's meeting I will be able to share initial estimates on cash balances in our funds, recommended transfers to depreciation, as well as recommendations in the general, QCPUF, and special building fund end-of-the-year additional claims to finish the fiscal year.

Rationale: 

CURRICULUM & ASSESSMENT:

Summer curriculum work had an attendance of 17 Math teachers and 11 Career and Technical Education teachers during the month of June. Two more days are reserved for senior high math teachers to work in July yet. There was significant progress made with the beginning steps of aligning to state standards; different yet similar process was completed by CTE teachers. Their focus includes alignment, but also development of career academy pathways. Continued work and progress will carry on throughout the school year.

At this time of the year, principals are reviewing embargoed state assessment data. They will be reviewing their scores and reporting any inaccuracies before the final release of data. Public release of state assessment data will be on August 28.  Paper reports for individual students to be sent home to parents will be delivered to buildings on September 3. More information will be shared with the board once there are final determinations of scores. 

TECHNOLOGY:

Summer time is a very busy season for the technology department. They are extremely busy updating, repairing, and replacing technology. Once summer school is out, an amazing amount of work must occur to be ready before the upcoming school year. The data manager, Sandy Rose, takes several measures to close out the old information and upload and populate the new information. It’s pretty amazing when you think about how many people are actually affected by the work completed by merely a few individuals during the summer.

The website has become operable, but there is still a lot of construction to do.

Rationale: 

1. As you know, we have received the Sixpence Grant. After reviewing the changes needed in the grant application we will be hiring two Family Facilitator positions. These facilitators, once hired, will begin to build a caseload of families with children birth to age three.  

2. I have had multiple conversations with the Nebraska Department of Education regarding our Migrant Grant funding.  Because the amount of money that we receive has been decreasing each year, and our Migrant Data worker has resigned, we have decided to return the money to the Region beginning with the 2015-2016 school year. According to NDE, this will actually provide an increase of direct services to our students.

3. Open Houses and schedule pick up dates can be found on each building website. Reminder:  when picking up schedules students will be taking their school photo. Please dress accordingly for school pictures. The first day of school begins for student grades 1st - 9th, Thursday, August 13th. The exceptions to the start date are as follows: Kindergarten; one half of the class will report on the 13th while the other half will start on Friday the 14th. All Kindergarten students report on the 17th.  At the high school  Thursday, August 13th only the 9th graders and new students attend classes,  then on Friday, August 14th all student grades 9-12 begin the new school year.

Rationale: 

 School Improvement/Professional Development

On August 4, 5, 6, and 7 all newly hired teachers will be reporting for new teacher training/orientation. 

 

August 4: CO Department Orientation and Technology Integration

August 5: Writing, ESU 8 Orientation, intro to RM, and NSEA “I Can Do It” Training

August 6: NPS Driving Class, Math, and DIBELS

August 7: Meet w/ Mentor Teacher and Building Principal

Safety

During our July 27 K-12 administrative meeting I will be reviewing the NPS Emergency Response protocol with our building administrators.  This will include procedures on: evacuation, reverse evacuation, internal lockdown, external lockdown, severe weather safe area, and shelter in place.  By having these plans and procedures identified we ensure all NPS schools not only take preventative measures, but also proactive measures to keep our students safe. 

Human Resources

Openings:

Reading @ Bel Air

Speech Language Pathologist

Career Academy Coordinator

Sixpence Family Coordinator (2)

 

On July 15 we will be hosting our first of two substitute teacher workshops.  Our second will be on August 3.

 

We have approved two local subs for Norfolk Public Schools.  Local sub requirements include having 60 college credits and meet all the Nebraska State Department of Education requirements.  These subs are Sara Armbruster and Lyle Swartz.

Public Relations

Teammates had an all-time high of 118 matches this past school year and awarded over $8,000 in scholarship money to former mentees.  Of the eleven 2015 graduated TeamMates, all will be attending college or have joined the military.  If you know of anyone who would be interested in mentoring, please encourage them to apply online at www.teammates.org.  They can contact Susie Buss with any questions they might have at (402) 841-0326, or susiebuss@npsne.org.

 

Aftershock

Norfolk Middle School – averaged 90 students/day during 2014/2015

Norfolk Jr. High School – averaged 45 students/day during 2014/2015

Summer of 2015 – averaged 80 students/day

 

Rationale: 

I have created a Board Calendar to help facilitate planning for the 2015-2016 school year. I will also add you to this document in Google Docs, so that you are able to check it periodically for updates.

 I have also created a Policy Revision Calendar, which outlines which policies we will be reviewing each month this school year.

Rationale:  The committee met today at 12:00 noon in the Central Office Board Room.  As stated earlier, all the claims for July and Activity claims for June were reviewed.  I updated the committee on some important dates coming up over the next several months concerning Budget, Tax Request, Audit, Insurance bids and Interlocal agreeements.  I also updated the committee on facility items, K-4 playgrounds, the Woodland Park bus stop, and new maintenance shirts (uniforms) for our maintenance and custodial staff.  Our next regular meeting will be August 10th at 4:30 p.m. here at the City offices.

Rationale: 

The Policy and Government Relations Committee is scheduled to meet Monday July 20th to begin our review of the Annual Update provided by Perry Law Firm.  This Annual Update contains changes to policies that are needed due to changes in state or federal law.  It also contains changes to policies that are recommended due to attorney's experiences with other districts, as well as some relative minor revisions that are needed for typographical and grammatical issues.

We should have a more detailed report next month, as this committee begins it's work for the year.

Rationale:  None at this time.

Rationale:  None at this time.

Rationale:  None at this time.

Rationale: 

We will have a Board Retreat/Workshop at the Chamber of Commerce building on Monday, July 27th from 8:00 AM to 12:30 PM. This meeting is not open to the public, as this is not required for Board Workshops. If it becomes necessary to hold a business meeting at the end of this workshop, that portion of the meeting will be open to the public and it will be advertised in advance via our local media.

At this point, our next Board meeting is scheduled for Monday, August 10th. We will have a Study Session at 5:30 followed by a Business Meeting at 6:30.  All portions of the meeting will be held at the City Administration Offices and will be open to the public.