March 18, 2026 at 8:30 AM - ESUCC Regular Board Meeting
| Regular Board | |
| Attendance Taken on 3/18/2026 at 8:31 AM | |
| Dr. Laura Barrett | Absent |
| Dr. Kanyon Chism | Present |
| Corey Dahl | Present |
| Geraldine Erickson | Present |
| Drew Harris | Present |
| Dr. Bill Heimann | Present |
| Mitch Hoffer | Present |
| Dr. Brian Maschmann | Present |
| James McGown | Present |
| Dr. Brenda McNiff | Present |
| Dr. Takako Olson | Present |
| Marci Ostmeyer | Present |
| Phillip Picquet | Present |
| John Poppert | Present |
| Gregg Robke | Present |
| Dr. Dan Schnoes (NE) | Absent |
| Dr. Melissa Wheelock | Present |
| Present: 15, Absent: 2 | |
| Minutes | |
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1. Call to Order
Speaker(s):
Board President
Agenda Item Type:
Procedural Item
Discussion:
The ESUCC Board Meeting was called to order at 8:31am.
Attachments:
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1.1. Roll Call
Speaker(s):
Board President
Agenda Item Type:
Procedural Item
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2. Welcome Visitors
Speaker(s):
Board President
Agenda Item Type:
Information Item
Discussion:
No additional visitors present.
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3. Public Comment
Speaker(s):
Board President
Agenda Item Type:
Information Item
Discussion:
No public comments provided.
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4. Consent Agenda Items
Speaker(s):
Board President
Agenda Item Type:
Action Item
Action(s):
No Action(s) have been added to this Agenda Item.
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4.1. Approval of Minutes
Speaker(s):
Board President
Agenda Item Type:
Consent Item
Attachments:
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4.2. Policy 3001. Master Services Agreement
Speaker(s):
Board President
Agenda Item Type:
Consent Item
Attachments:
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4.3. Policy 3026. Bulletin Boards and Web Page
Speaker(s):
Board President
Agenda Item Type:
Consent Item
Attachments:
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4.4. Policy 4007. Personnel Records
Speaker(s):
Board President
Agenda Item Type:
Consent Item
Attachments:
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4.5. Policy 4008. Separation of Employment
Speaker(s):
Board President
Agenda Item Type:
Consent Item
Attachments:
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4.6. Policy 4011. Reimbursements
Speaker(s):
Board President
Agenda Item Type:
Consent Item
Attachments:
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4.7. Travel Expenses Exceeding Per Diem
Speaker(s):
Board President
Agenda Item Type:
Consent Item
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4.8. Cooperative Contracts
Speaker(s):
Board President
Agenda Item Type:
Consent Item
Attachments:
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5. TeamMates READ Project Profile
Speaker(s):
Project Leaders
Agenda Item Type:
Information Item
Discussion:
ESUCC CEO Dr. Polk reviewed the attached ESUCC - TeamMates READ Project Profile document on behalf of Derek Gangwish from ESU 3.
Attachments:
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6. Petitions and Communications to the Board
Speaker(s):
Board President
Agenda Item Type:
Information Item
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6.1. Learning Community Update
Speaker(s):
Gerald Kuhn
Agenda Item Type:
Information Item
Discussion:
No one from the Learning Community was in attendance.
Goals:
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6.2. NCSA - Ambassador Program Updates
Speaker(s):
Kevin Wingard, NCSA
Agenda Item Type:
Information Item
Discussion:
No one from NCSA was in attendance.
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6.3. State Board of Education and Nebraska Department of Education Report
Speaker(s):
Shirley Vargas, NDE
Agenda Item Type:
Information Item
Discussion:
Dr. Shirley Vargas, Nebraska Department of Education (NDE) School Transformation Officer & Office Administrator, reviewed the linked NDE Updates 2025-26 document. There were questions regarding funding and the options for the decision to use DIBELS as the statewide screener.
Links:
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6.4. Association of Education Service Agency (AESA) Report
Speaker(s):
AESA Representative
Agenda Item Type:
Information Item
Discussion:
ESUCC CEO Dr. Polk will be the Lead Reviewer of an external team within the North Dakota Regional Education Associations (NDREA) Continuous Improvement Process.
ESU 3 Administrator, Dr. Dan Schnoes, is in China with AESA. |
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7. Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Report
Speaker(s):
CEO Polk
Agenda Item Type:
Information Item
Discussion:
ESUCC CEO Dr. Polk reviewed the linked CEO Report to the Board — March 2026 document.
Attachments:
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8. Bold Step Committee Reports
Speaker(s):
Committee Chair(s)
Agenda Item Type:
Information Item
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8.1. Lead
Speaker(s):
Committee Chair Dr. McNiff
Agenda Item Type:
Information Item
Discussion:
No report.
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8.2. Influence & Invest
Speaker(s):
Committee Chair Dr. Chism
Agenda Item Type:
Information Item
Discussion:
No report.
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8.3. Advocate
Speaker(s):
Committee Chair Harris
Agenda Item Type:
Information Item
Discussion:
No report.
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8.4. SMART
Speaker(s):
Committee Chair Picquet
Agenda Item Type:
Information Item
Discussion:
ESUCC CEO Dr. Polk provided an update on SMART. ESUCC CEO Dr. Polk, ESUCC CIO Scott Isaacson, and Nathan McClenahan, ESU 10 have been providing SMART presentations to different interested states.
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9. Committee Reports
Speaker(s):
Board President
Agenda Item Type:
Information Item
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9.1. Executive Committee Report
Speaker(s):
Board President
Agenda Item Type:
Information Item
Discussion:
ESUCC Board President, Dr. Heimann, reviewed the Mileage Reimbursement for ESUCC Board Meetings document. There was discussion around where in the ESUCC budget the money would come from and how the ESUs would be paid for the mileage expenses. There were mixed opinions on the matter. The mileage reimbursement discussion will continue to be discussed at the April Executive Committee Meeting.
Attachments:
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9.1.1. Claims, Financial Statements, and Assets for the Month of February
Speaker(s):
ESUCC Treasurer
Agenda Item Type:
Action Item
Action(s):
No Action(s) have been added to this Agenda Item.
Discussion:
ESUCC CEO Dr. Polk reviewed the attached Budget Summary Feb 2026 UPDATED document. Drew Harris, ESU 9 Administrator, suggested having the prior year's percentage spent noted on the Budget Summary document. CEO Polk will initiate this process in the 2026-2027 fiscal year.
Attachments:
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9.1.2. February expenses to be paid in March
Speaker(s):
ESUCC Treasurer
Agenda Item Type:
Action Item
Action(s):
No Action(s) have been added to this Agenda Item.
Discussion:
ESUCC CEO Dr. Polk reviewed the attached February Expenses Payable March 2026 document.
Attachments:
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9.1.3. Committee to Review Standards Update
Speaker(s):
Dr. Laura Barrett
Agenda Item Type:
Action Item
Action(s):
No Action(s) have been added to this Agenda Item.
Discussion:
ESUCC Board President, Dr. Bill Heimann, reviewed the attached Standards of Performance Practice. The Level III Program information will be created as a supplemental document.
Attachments:
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9.1.4. ESUCC Staff Compensation Proposal for 2026-2027
Speaker(s):
Board President
Agenda Item Type:
Action Item
Action(s):
No Action(s) have been added to this Agenda Item.
Discussion:
ESUCC Board President, Dr. Bill Heimann, reviewed the attached ESUCC Staff Compensation Proposal 2026-2027 document. The Executive Committee met to discuss negotiations prior to the Executive Committee meeting.
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9.1.5. ESUCC CEO Compensation Proposal for 2026-2027
Speaker(s):
Board President
Agenda Item Type:
Action Item
Action(s):
No Action(s) have been added to this Agenda Item.
Discussion:
ESUCC Board President, Dr. Bill Heimann, reviewed the attached ESUCC CEO Compensation Proposal 2026-2027 document.
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9.1.6. ESUCC Job Descriptions
Speaker(s):
ESUCC CEO
Agenda Item Type:
Action Item
Action(s):
No Action(s) have been added to this Agenda Item.
Discussion:
There were some positions which did not have a job description previously. All ESUCC staff now have job descriptions, and they will be reviewed annually when contracts are sent out.
Attachments:
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9.2. Education Resources
Speaker(s):
Committee Chair(s)
Agenda Item Type:
Information Item
Discussion:
Education Resources Co-Chair Dr. McNiff provided the update for the Education Committee Meeting. ESUCC CIO Scott Isaacson summarized the attached SRS Modernization and AI Roadmap document. ESUCC CLO Andrew Easton reviewed the attached Teaching & Learning ESUCC Ed Resources Committee Report-3.12.2026 document.
The subject of the DIBELS screener was brought up and discussed.
Attachments:
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9.3. Legal Committee
Speaker(s):
Committee Chair(s)
Agenda Item Type:
Information Item
Discussion:
Legal Committee Co-Chair Dr. Melissa Wheelock, provided the update for the Legal Committee Meeting. ESUCC Cooperative Director, Craig Peterson, reviewed the attached 2026-03 Coop Peterson Report document. ESUCC CEO Dr. Polk reviewed the attached CEO Report to the Board - March 2026 document.
Jason Bromm, Curt Bromm, and Payton Coulter from Bromm and Associates attended to provide a legislative update.
Attachments:
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9.3.1. ESUCC Legislative Priorities
Speaker(s):
Board President
Agenda Item Type:
Information Item
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9.3.2. Bromm & Associates Lobby Retainer Agreement
Speaker(s):
CEO Polk
Agenda Item Type:
Action Item
Action(s):
No Action(s) have been added to this Agenda Item.
Attachments:
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9.3.3. Master Service Agreement with ESUCC
Speaker(s):
CEO Polk
Agenda Item Type:
Action Item
Action(s):
No Action(s) have been added to this Agenda Item.
Discussion:
ESUCC CEO Dr. Larianne Polk reviewed the attached 2026-2027 ESUCC Master Service Agreement document.
Attachments:
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9.4. Information Services Committee
Speaker(s):
Committee Chair(s)
Agenda Item Type:
Information Item
Discussion:
Information Services Committee Co-Chair Gregg Robke, provided the update for the Information Services Committee Meeting. ESUCC CEO Dr. Polk reviewed the attached Cybersecurity LB599 flyer.
Attachments:
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10. ESU Share Out and New Chief Administrator Topics
Speaker(s):
Board President
Agenda Item Type:
Information Item
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11. Adjournment
Speaker(s):
Board President
Agenda Item Type:
Procedural Item
Discussion:
The ESUCC Board Meeting adjourned at 12:38pm.
Minutes respectfully submitted by Executive Secretary to the CEO, Mindy Reed. |
