January 9, 2023 at 6:30 PM - Board of Education Regular Meeting

1. Call to Order

1.1. Roll Call

1.2. Recognition of Open Meeting Law

1.3. Pledge of Allegiance

1.4. Oath of Office for New and Re-elected Board Members - Scott Barger, Mike Langan and Charlie McPherson

2. Organization of Board of Education

2.1. Election of Officers

2.2. By Board policy the Superintendent will chair the election of the President and then the newly elected President will preside over the other elections

2.3. Nominations for Office of President - Vote

2.4. Newly elected President chairs meeting

2.5. Nominations for Office of Vice President - Vote

2.6. Nominations for Office of Secretary - Vote

2.7. Reappointment of Treasurer

2.8. By job description, the Business Manager is the Treasurer and recording secretary of the minutes of all meetings for the Board of Education. We recommend that the Treasurer should be reappointed each year when the board recognizes and elects officers. The Board would move to appoint the Business Manager as the treasurer and recording secretary for the Board of Education

2.9. Committee appointments

3. Reports, Communications & Public Participation

3.1. Board accepts public comments

3.2. Student board member report

4. Approve the consent agenda which includes the minutes and financials

4.1. Approval of Expenditures/Payroll for December

5. Reports from Staff Members and Committees

6. Administrator's written reports: Please review prior to the board meeting

7. Superintendent's Comments:

Teacher In-service Day
January 16 is our District's in-service day. Our professional development focus will be on teacher clarity. Teaching with clarity involves the presentation of crystal clear learning objectives, student understanding of success criteria, explanations of relevance, student involved feedback and valid and reliable assessment. The teachers will also spend their time on that day working with data that has been collected both locally from our criterion referenced tests (CRTs) and from state assessments. And, if time permits, teachers and building leaders will be discussing how teachers in their buildings have implemented the jigsaw method of instruction in their classroom. The jigsaw method is a highly impactful instructional model that we want to start to measure usage of across the District. 

Staffing and Recruitment Fairs
We are entering that time of the school year when we need to spend time actively pursuing teachers for teaching positions as they open up. We have been signed up to attend several teacher recruitment fairs in the next month. 

Legislative Update
There is not much to report at this time due to the fact that the legislative session has just begun, but things will start rolling quickly in the next couple of weeks. The governor has already held meetings to discuss the state aid formula, and from the discussions held at those meetings he will be putting together a plan to address state aid and some form of foundation aid. Of course, we are at a very early stage here, and his plan will have to be promoted by a state senator and go through the normal review and approval process, which takes months. 

The Legislature's Education Committee members (upon majority vote approval):
Murman, Dave (Chair) - dmurman@leg.ne.gov
Albrecht, Briese - jalbrecht@leg.ne.gov, Conrad
Linehan, Lou Ann - llinehan@leg.ne.gov 
Sanders, Rita - rsanders@leg.ne.gov
Walz, Lynne - lwalz@leg.ne.gov
Wayne, Justin - jwayne@leg.ne.gov
Four of the members above are also on the Revenue Committee. 

Teacher Evaluation Tool
The building principals are discussing making a small change or two to the teacher evaluation tool. Once the principals have had a chance to make the final revisions, it will go to the board for approval and then to the state for final approval. The changes should be in place prior to the start of the 2023-2024 school year. 

Board Retreat 
I would like to set a date and time for later in the Spring to hold a board member retreat. 

8. Business Manager comments

9. Board member comments

10. New Business

10.1. Accept resignation from Kay Meysenburg, High School Chemistry

10.2. With gratitude, accept a donation from Albert Cuellar's estate given to the Jr. High to be used for academic purposes.

10.3. With gratitude, accept a check from the McCook Community Foundation for Bison Days, Bison Kids Club Program, and CNC Router

10.4. With gratitude, accept a check from the Graff Charitable Foundation for the Boys/Girls Tennis program.

11. Positive Comments

12. Executive session for the purpose of discussing the Superintendent's evaluation

NE State Statute: 84-1410
Any public body may hold a closed session by the affirmative vote of a majority of its voting members if a closed session is clearly necessary for the protection of the public interest or for the prevention of needless injury to the reputation of an individual and if such individual has not requested a public meeting. 

13. Adjournment

14. Items for Review