February 9, 2026 at 5:30 PM - Regular Monthly Meeting of the Kearney Public Schools Board of Education

Rationale:  This is an open, public meeting of the Kearney Public Schools Board of Education, and a copy of the Open Meetings Act is posted in this room. 

Rationale:  Kearney Public Schools welcomes all guests to our public meetings. It is the intention of the Kearney Public Schools Board of Education that all those present at the Board of Education meetings, whether Board members, KPS staff, or members of the public, act and treat each other with honor and respect. Guests are expected to refrain from speaking during the meeting unless asked to address the Board of Education by the Board President or during their allotted time in public participation. If anyone attending the meeting is determined by the President to be disruptive or a detriment to the procession of the meeting by their words or actions, that person or persons, may be asked by the President to leave the meeting at any time. Anyone who refuses to leave will be escorted from the meeting by either school personnel or a police officer and could be legally barred from attending future meetings. Thank you for helping us to have a respectful meeting forum for everyone to enjoy.

Rationale:  Board meetings must have on the agenda, a specific time entitled Public Participation/Comment, during which patrons may address the Board on matters of general concern.  No public body shall require members of the public to identify themselves as a condition for admission to the meeting, nor shall such body require that the name of any members of the public be placed on the agenda prior to such meeting in order to speak about items on the agenda.  Patrons wishing to address the Board during the Public Participation/Comment will be allowed up to five (5) minutes per speaker to express their view.  Public Participation/Comment may not exceed sixty (60) total minutes.  The Board-imposed time limits may be extended by a majority vote of the Board, following a motion to do so.  Board action may not be taken on matters discussed during the Public Participation/Comment, unless the matter specifically appears on the prepared agenda.  Board of Education members will refrain from expressing personal opinions during Public Participation/Comment.

Any members of the public desiring to address the body shall be required to sign in with the recording secretary prior to the start of the meeting and identify himself or herself, including an address, phone number, and name of any organization represented by such person, unless the address and phone number requirement is waived to protect the security of the individual.

Rationale:  Note: Items on the consent agenda are considered routine and will be enacted under one motion. There will be no separate discussion of these items at the meeting unless a Board Member requests an item removed from the agenda for a separate action.

Rationale:  The resignations of Andrew Chadek, English teacher at Kearney High School; John Wegner, 5th grade teacher at Buffalo Hills Elementary; Audra Haas, 5th grade teacher at Bryant Elementary; Kati Burns, special education teacher at Horizon Middle School; Chelsey Jacobitz, special education supervisor with Kearney Public Schools; Julian Beltran Dorado, art teacher at Kenwood and Cottonwood Elementary Schools, and Lydia Goracke, computer teacher at Horizon Middle School, effective the end of the 2025-2026 school year; and the retirement resignations of Kellee Vornhagen, family and consumer sciences teacher at Kearney High School; Ranee Borowski, kindergarten teacher at Windy Hills Elementary School, and Darren VanWinkle, English teacher at Kearney High School, effective the end of the 2025-2026 school year.

Rationale:  Matthew Dahlke, BA, Step 3, 1.0 FTE, orchestra teacher at Kearney High School; Tatum Smith, BA, Step 3, 1.0 FTE, 2nd grade teacher at Bryant Elementary School; Kinley Johnson, MA, Step 4, 1.0 FTE, 5th grade teacher at Bryant Elementary School; Morgan Semerad, MA, Step 10, 1.0 FTE, orchestra teacher at Horizon Middle School; Josue Gomez Gutierrez, BA, Step 3, 1.0 FTE, 7th grade math teacher at Sunrise Middle School; Ayden Brophy, BA, Step 3, 1.0 FTE, 7th grade science teacher at Horizon Middle School; Anna Howard, BA, Step 3, 1.0 FTE, 5th grade teacher at Emerson Elementary School, and Sarah Snyder Essay, MA+45, Step 15, 1.0 FTE, English teacher at Kearney High School, for the 2026-2027 school year. 

Rationale:  Approval of Trent Steele as assistant principal at Kearney High School, starting the 2026-2027 school year.

Rationale:  The Kearney Public Schools Board of Education has completed negotiations with the Kearney Education Association for contract terms for the 2026-2027 school year. The two sides have agreed to a 3.53% total compensation increase, agreed upon changes to the negotiated agreement, as well as identified extracurricular positions for the 2026-2027 school year. The KEA membership ratified the proposed Negotiated Agreement, so we will ask the Board of Education to ratify the agreement as well.

Rationale:  Requests for quotes were sent out to multiple vendors on December 12, 2025, for Chromebooks for 5th and 9th grades and the Windy Hills upgrades. We received multiple quotes from 5 vendors prior to the deadline of January 26th, 2026. These quotes were reviewed based on the district’s requirements, delivery dates, auto update policy and the evaluation rubric.

Based on these quotes and requirements of KPS, it is the recommendation that the bid for 1,190 Chromebooks this year be awarded to RTI in the amount of $292,049.80.

Vendor	Model	Base Warranty	Policy Expiration	Rubric Score	Total Cost
RTI	Lenovo 100E G4	1	6/1/2033	98	$ 292,049.80
Connection	HP Fortis G1M	2	6/1/2033	96	$ 295,607.90
RTI	HP Fortis G10	1	6/1/2033	90	$ 303,949.80
CDW	Acer Spin 311 R724T	2	6/1/2033	94	$ 304,532.90
Computer Hardware	Lenovo 100E G4	1	6/1/2033	91	$ 309,566.60
Connection	Acer 311 C725	2	6/1/2036	95	$ 329,392.00
CDW	Lenovo 100e Gen 4	1	6/1/2033	90	$ 334,985.00
Sterling	Dell 3120	1	6/1/2033	91	$ 338,340.80
CDW	HP Fortis G1M	1	6/1/2033	88	$ 341,934.60
Computer Hardware	Lenovo 100E G5	1	6/1/2033	87	$ 365,496.60

Rationale:  The next regular meeting of the Kearney Public Schools Board of Education will be held on March 9, 2026 at 5:30 P.M. in the Staff Development Room in the Administration Building at 320 West 24th St, Kearney, NE 68845.