March 9, 2026 at 6:00 PM - Board of Education Regular Meeting

4.1. Triannual Wellness Meeting Recap

4.2. Recap of Food Service Advisory Committee Meeting – February 18, 2026

• McCook Public Schools is engaged in a focused, multi-year school improvement process designed to strengthen classroom instruction and improve student learning outcomes.
• The district’s first primary improvement goal is to increase the percentage of students meeting or exceeding grade-level reading proficiency.
  • This work emphasizes consistency and coherence in literacy instruction across all grade levels and is grounded in the Science of Reading, supported by ongoing professional development and literacy coaching.
• Our second improvement goal is to improve student achievement in mathematics, with particular attention to foundational skills, one-step problem solving, and early pre-algebraic reasoning.
• The district’s improvement process is guided by a Comprehensive Instructional Program framework that prioritizes strong Tier 1 instruction as the most effective way to improve outcomes for all students.
• Faculty, stakeholders, and administrators use multiple data sources to identify patterns and areas of need, focusing on instructional practices rather than isolated programs.
• Professional learning is job embedded and aligned to the instructional core, ensuring that improvements directly impact the interaction between students, teachers, and content.
• Progress is reviewed regularly, and adjustments are made based on evidence to maintain focus, coherence, and sustained improvement.

• Regular Data Cycles and Monitoring: PLC teams conduct a data and intervention planning cycle every 4–6 weeks to analyze common assessments, regroup students, and plan timely, directive, systematic, and mandatory interventions. A building SAT/PRTI leadership team meets monthly to monitor Tier 3 supports, overall system effectiveness, and schoolwide barriers such as attendance and behavior.
• Clear Intervention Documentation and Accountability: When Tier 2 or Tier 3 support is assigned, teams document the targeted essential learning objective, assigned students, intervention strategy, frequency and duration, and the level of impact on student growth. This ensures interventions are intentional, tracked, and evaluated for effectiveness.
• PLC Ownership of Essential Learning: PLC teams maintain clarity on which students have mastered essential standards, which require supplemental support, and which need intensive intervention. A core expectation is that no student exits a unit without documented, systematic attempts to provide additional time and support, reviewed regularly in team meetings.
• Escalation to SAT/PRTI for Intensive Problem Solving: After multiple documented cycles of core and supplemental intervention without adequate progress, the PLC brings the student to the SAT/PRTI team. The team reviews assessment, intervention, attendance, and behavior data to identify root causes and collaboratively designs an individualized Tier 3 plan with clear responsibilities and progress-monitoring checkpoints, ensuring coordinated building-level support.

• LB 1050: Subject: Amends the Nebraska Reading Improvement Act to require retention of students who demonstrate a persistent reading deficiency at the end of third grade (not advancing to fourth grade), with few exceptions.
• Status: Introduced in January 2026; has been heard in the Education Committee and remains under consideration with various motions, indicating ongoing committee activity.
• Increases programmatic and fiscal obligations for school districts. Mandatory retention triggers expanded literacy interventions, additional instructional time, staffing (interventionists, paraprofessionals), assessments, progress monitoring, summer programming, and administrative oversight.
  • The bill assumes districts can absorb or reallocate resources to meet these requirements.
• LB 1219: Subject: Proposes a property tax levy limit for political subdivisions, capping annual growth of total levied property taxes to a specified allowable growth percentage based on a 2% baseline plus real growth.
  • The bill constrains local fiscal flexibility by limiting property tax levy growth, which restricts their ability to raise new local revenue to respond to state mandates, like what is proposed in LB 1050.
• Status: Introduced in January 2026, referred to the Revenue Committee, and placed on the General File in the Legislature as of February 24, 2026.

5.3. Monthly Business Manager Board of Education Report

February 2026 for March 2026 Board Meeting

Monthly Lunch #’s = 14,005 meals served

Financial #’s = After 50% of the fiscal year, General Fund YTD Revenue is 55% YTD Expense is 51%

All Funds YTD Revenue is 54%, YTD Expenses is 52%

Facilities — Updates

The facility meeting was held with updates on agenda items.

Current Financial Projects

Approve an independent auditor contract during new business.

Federal/state Reports filed in February:  None

1. Reading: Over the next five years, the district will increase the percentage of students meeting or exceeding grade-level reading proficiency by strengthening literacy skill development and improving the quality and consistency of reading instruction across all grade levels.
2. Math: Over the next five years, the district will improve student mathematics achievement by strengthening pre-algebraic skills, with a specific emphasis on one-step problem solving across grade levels.