November 11, 2020 at 6:00 PM - Board of Education Regular Meeting
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1. Call to Order and Pledge of Allegiance
Discussion:
President Gould called the meeting to order at 6:00 PM and the Pledge of Allegiance was said.
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2. Motion to Excuse Board Member's Absence
Discussion:
All members were present.
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3. Open Meeting Law
Discussion:
The audience was reminded that the Open Meeting Laws would be followed.
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4. Consent Agenda
Discussion:
Motion by Black, second by Burklund to approve the consent agenda as presented including the regular meeting minutes of October 14, 2020, October Financial Statement and November monthly bills. RCV 6-0. Motion carried.
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4.1. Regular Minutes of October 14, 2020
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4.2. Financial Statement/Report
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4.3. Monthly Bills
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5. Correspondence/Recognition
Discussion:
Thank you to all veterans, past and present, for your service, protection, support and sacrifice! Mr. Luke created a Virtual Veteran’s Day Program that has been posted to our social media.
Congratulations to Bill Lange on winning Ward 3 on Election Day, November 3. Congratulations also to Mr. B for his reelection to Ward 1 and to Matt Blanchard for his reelection to Ward 5. Thank you to Ms. Brannagan for her work and participation at the Annual Turkey Trot. This year boasted fast times and nice weather! |
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6. Public Forum
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6.1. Civic Nebraska Extended Learning Opportunity Program (Before and After School) Update - Kara Nelson
Discussion:
Kara Nelson gave an update on the Raymond Central Before- and After-School Program. Although difficult to build a program during a pandemic, Raymond Central is excited to offer students and families a convenient, safe and fun environment to continue their learning opportunities. In an effort to make the program more affordable, they have changed the payment structure and also have scholarships available. Please contact Kara for additional information - kara.nelson@civicnebraska.org.
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7. Discussion Items
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7.1. Student Board Report - Sydnie Blanchard
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7.2. Administrative Reports
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Discussion:
Submitted by Allison Stansberry, Jr-Sr High School Principal
This time of the year, as we all know, is already hard for both our students and our staff with the holidays right around the corner. Adding Covid into the mix only makes it that much harder. Mental health suffers. It is important that we continue to find ways to take care of one another during this time but it is just as important that we continue to check in with ourselves. I always tell our staff that our students deserve the best of us, not what's left of us. This is also true for my staff and my family. They deserve the best of me, not what’s left of me. Our staff continue to do "Whatever It Takes" to keep our doors open, and our students and staff safe both physically and emotionally, but not without adding stress to their plate. As educators, it is in our nature to burden the weight of our students and colleagues because we want to fix and heal. I am so thankful for the staff at the Junior/Senior High for always doing "Whatever It Takes" to keep our doors open and our students/staff safe during a stressful time. There is no doubt that we will get through this together. I look forward to the days where I can actually see the smiles behind the masks, hear the laughter in the workroom, and be able to say "we got through a pandemic, we can get through anything." As of November 7, we received all ACT scores from our October testing date. I will have a data set prepared for the December Board Meeting. The ACT date for our juniors will be April 4, 2021. Year 1 of Discovery Ed is up and going. Our teachers have had two 30 minute coaching sessions with Mark from Discovery Ed. They have also gone through two 3 hour PD sessions. Below is the A/B schedule which was sent to the Jr-Sr High School staff for their review and to seek feedback on what they thought. They were receptive to the change and felt this would be better all around. We have heard from both students and parents through conversations that they like the block schedule. We are finding with our current 5 day rotation that the length of the homeroom is too much. Also, sometimes students may go 2-3 days before having a class again which is not a benefit to our students. We have to make some changes to the schedule and continue to work as an administrative team to make a decision for our district as a whole before we communicate out with families and students. A - Block 1: 8:10-9:40 (JH passing 9:40-9:42, HS passing 9:42-9:45) Block 2: 9:45-11:15 (JH passing 11:15-11:17, HS passing 11:17-11:20) Block 3/Lunch: 11:20-1:20 - Lunch 1: 11:15-11:45 Class 11:45-1:20 - Lunch 2: 11:20-11:50 Class: 11:50-1:20 - Lunch 3: 12:00-12:30 Class 11:20-12:00 & 12:30-1:20 - Lunch 4: 12:05 - 12:35 Class 11:20-12:05 & 12:35-1:20 - Lunch 5: 12:40-1:10 (Potentially 6th Grade) - Lunch 6: 12:50-1:20 Class 11:20-12:50 Block 4: 1:25-2:55 (JH passing 2:55-2:58. HS passing 2:58-3:00) Advisory: 3:00-3:30 B - Block 5: 8:10-9:40 (JH passing 9:40-9:42, HS passing 9:42-9:45) Block 7: 9:45-11:15 (JH passing 11:15-11:17, HS passing 11:17-11:20) Block 8/Lunch: 11:20-1:40 - Lunch 1: 11:15-11:45 Class 11:45-1:20 - Lunch 2: 11:20-11:50 Class: 11:50-1:20 - Lunch 3: 12:00-12:30 Class 11:20-12:00 & 12:30-1:20 - Lunch 4: 12:05 - 12:35 Class 11:20-12:05 & 12:35-1:20 - Lunch 5: 12:40-1:10 (Works best if this is 6th grade) - Lunch 6: 12:50-1:20 Class 11:20-12:50 Block 9: 1:25-2:55 (JH passing 2:55-2:58. HS passing 2:58-3:00) Advisory: 3:00-3:30 Due to the complexity of our schedule, we have not finalized the finals schedule yet but hope to do so in the next few weeks. I will put a copy of what that schedule will look like in the next board report. Submitted by Brian Gralheer, Assistant Jr-Sr High School Principal/Athletic Director Our remaining fall sports teams recently ended their seasons. Thank you to our parents, coaches, and athletes for helping us have a fall sports season. After enduring the spring of 2020, our student athletes should be proud of the efforts they put forth. Mustang Volleyball lost to Lincoln Lutheran in the sub district final. This came after a thrilling 5-set victory over Malcolm on the previous night. They ended the season with a 19-10 record and narrowly missed qualifying for a district final game. Mustang Football ended their season with a 5-3 record on the season after a COVID-related cancellation against Louisville. Much like the volleyball team, the football team narrowly missed qualifying for playoffs. Mustang Cross Country also ended their season at districts. Sophia Shultz was our lone state qualifier this year and placed 81st overall. Congratulations, Sophia! Our conference AD’s recently met at NSAA to discuss modifications that may need to be done with upcoming championship events. We also discussed bylaw changes, winter sports protocols, and heard from NSAA directors on pandemic guidance. I do feel comfortable about our protocols moving into winter. The Central Players Speech Team has been working hard the past few months in preparing for the upcoming season. Most of the Speech meets this year will be done virtually. Districts and State at this time are scheduled to be in-person. Good Luck! Raymond Central FFA recently competed in State Land Judging and performed well. The team placed 13th out of 37 and Braelynn Christensen placed 30th out of 171 individually. Thank you to Mr. Strouf, Mr. Luke, and Ms. Hauck for preparing our first ever Virtual Fall Concert. It was recorded to YouTube and shared with our communities. Also, congratulations to Mr. Luke and the marching band for a superior rating at the Ashland Marching Band Contest. Winter sports practices will begin on November 16. Our athletes have already been attending open gyms and open mats. Submitted by Shelly Dostal, Elementary Principal at Valparaiso/K-5 Curriculum Director Parent Teacher Conferences were held on October 13 and 15. Attendance data is listed below. We appreciate parents showing their support of their children’s education. The teleconference format and on-line sign up worked well for most families. Valparaiso had 89% overall conference turn-out while Ceresco had 95% turn-out. The School Improvement Committee continues their book study, A Repair Kit for Grading, with very interesting discussion. Our Discovery Ed Grant training is in full swing. Teacher leaders have attended virtual trainings and also participated in one on one coaching sessions. Administrators also attended training. Teachers have been doing a great job with remote learning, especially with the number of students who have had to quarantine recently. They are to be commended for their work. Professional Learning Communities have been working on their SMART goals and action plans. November 18 professional learning will focus on Trauma Informed Classroom Training. Many thanks to the PTO for the meals provided for staff during parent-teacher conference nights. A virtual BINGO Family Game Night was held on October 22 with Dr. Joel serving as the BINGO caller. PTO purchased a popcorn treat for each student to enjoy at Halloween class parties on October 30. The cookie dough sales have started with delivery scheduled for December 10. PTO has partnered with local businesses to earn a percentage of their sales for patronizing on a given day/night. A family day at Martin’s Apple Orchard was held on October 16, Runza night out on October 20, and Dairy Queen Grill and Chill night will be November 10. Thank you to all who participate and to the businesses for their donations. Red Ribbon Week was promoted during the last week of October. Each day students were encouraged to participate in a daily theme. For example, on Tuesday, students and staff were encouraged to wear PJs for the theme, "Aim for the stars!!" Many students and staff showed their commitment to being drug and bully free throughout the week. A poster contest was also held. Winners in Ceresco were Cainan Kenning and Wesley Bryan, and in Valparaiso they were Paisley Virgil and Aaliyah Harris. Thank you to Mrs. White and Mrs. Hummel for organizing. Nurse Amanda Ehlers conducted health screenings on October 20. Halloween Parties were held on October 30. We had a drive by parade at Valparaiso with all the students lined up around the school ground perimeter. It was great to see so many families and community members drive by, including the Valparaiso Rural Fire District vehicles! A Veteran’s Day observance will be held virtually this year. We honor all who have served or are currently serving our country. Thank you to Mr. Jordan Luke for leading the virtual presentation. Grandparents/Special Person Day is scheduled for November 13. Since visitors will not be able to come into the schools, we plan to send grandparents/special friends our well wishes. Thank you to teachers for leading special activities. Special thanks to Kalyn Brannagan for planning the Annual Turkey Trot. Students in grades 4 and 5 trotted around the perimeter of the school grounds on Friday, November 6. Plans are underway for a virtual K-2 Winter Concert. Thank you to the participants and sponsors of the 11th annual HUSTLE Walk/Run for the Raymond Central Food Bank BackPack Program. Although the walk/run was virtual this year, we hope to have the opportunity to host a live event next year. A big thank you to all our sponsors: Immanuel Lutheran Church in Ceresco, Ceresco Covenant Church, Grace Lutheran Church and Luther League in rural Wahoo, Ken and Laura Hill, the Varilek Family, Ohnoutka Farms Inc, Aqua Systems, Farmers Cooperative, Raymono’s Pizza Plus, Common Good Farm, and Raymond Central Education Association. Thank you to the many volunteers who pack the food bags each week. With the support of so many, Raymond Central Schools is able to help ensure no child goes hungry. Your continued generosity is appreciated! |
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7.3. Curriculum Report
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7.3.1. Remote Learning Update
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Discussion:
Remote learning can be a challenge for students as there are a lot more distractions at home. A breakdown of our 6-12 remote learners was shared with the Board. Our K-5 remote learners seem to have a better success rate.
The district is looking to revamp the remote learning option for students. A committee has been formed that will provide recommendations for 2nd semester. Our goal is to get more students back into the school sites and to only utilize remote learning for students and families with a health risk or who are out due to a positive case or high exposure. |
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7.4. Superintendent's Report
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Discussion:
In an attempt to become even more transparent, I will send out the minutes of our board meetings (once complete) via BrightArrow. This allows easy access for our stakeholders to review the minutes and conversations.
360 Evaluation Update - Surveys were sent to the following groups: Administration, Board Member, Certified Staff, Classified Staff, Community, Parents/Guardians, and Students. Response rates were good, however, not 100%. NASB is now in the process of analyzing the data and creating the report. Our goal is to review at the December Board Meeting. COVID-19 positive numbers at Raymond Central for students increased significantly last week. If we cannot contain the spread of COVID-19, we risk continuing our ability to attend school and participate in winter activities. We must become more socially responsible, wear masks at all times, and avoid the three C’s (close contact, crowded spaces, and confined spaces). The NASB Annual Conference scheduled to be held in Omaha next week is now 100% virtual. The Student Advisory Committee had a socially distanced leadership retreat on Tuesday. Part of the retreat was a Leadership Summit. The Committee also spent time furthering our conversation around equity and developing what the Board’s approved resolution looks like and sounds like at Raymond Central. Best Practices in Grading - The School Improvement Team met on Tuesday to continue their learning around the development of a district wide grading philosophy. The book, A Repair Kit for Grading: 15 fixes for Broken Grades by Ken O’Connor, will provide foundational knowledge for team members. Once complete with the book study, we will begin editing the draft document before seeking feedback from stakeholders. The Teacher Evaluation Committee met two weeks ago. We have taken a major step forward as we discuss the future of teacher evaluation at Raymond Central. Using the "new" teacher performance standards, the committee has paired down the indicators from NDE. The next step will be to wordsmith the indicators and develop what each looks like and sounds like for RC. Once this step is completed, the committee will develop the process and find an online software vendor so we can move to paperless. First National Capital Markets (Carl and Matt) continue to work on the Feasibility Study. Surveys have been sent out to families who option in and out of RC. It will be interesting to see the data collected. EIR Grant Training Update - The administrative team had their second DiscoveryEd training last week. Our focus was on the 4 C's of STEM: collaboration, critical thinking, creativity, and communication. We also discussed that innovation requires trust and vulnerability. It was exciting to learn more about the resources available to our teachers as they work to embed more STEM activities into daily instruction. We will need to find time to provide more training to all staff in regard to the digital resources we have access to and also to develop common language within our STEM framework. |
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7.4.1. Goal 1: Ensure continuing well being of staff and students by creating an equitable framework for responding to and recovering from a pandemic.
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7.4.2. Goal 2: Continue the creation of a 10-year facilities strategic plan for implementation that addresses maintenance and improvements for existing building assets.
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7.4.3. Goal 3: Develop progress monitoring tools to evaluate the effectiveness of district initiatives to ensure the sustainability over time.
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7.4.4. 2019-2020 Raymond Central Strategic Plan
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7.5. Facilities Report
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Discussion:
The construction of the addition to the bus barn is complete, thanks to the recent stretch of perfect weather. Next step is to run electricity to both sides for the garage doors.
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7.6. Review of Technology Plan
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Discussion:
We have a bid from Kidwell to transition our current cameras to a cloud based server. All cameras require an update in software (Avigilon). Cameras will now be able to be viewed from any device including a cell phone. The bid includes 13 new cameras at the Jr-Sr High School and 2 at Ceresco. Future cameras will cost between $850-$1500 depending on resolution. This is phase I of III to update all cameras at our school sites. Total for the project is $51,825 and will happen in spring 2021.
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7.7. Update of Raymond Central Crisis and Safety Protocol
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7.8. Committee on American Civics (Breitkreutz - chair, Springer, Burklund)
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7.9. Transportation Committee (Black- Chair, Breitkreutz, Springer)
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7.10. Finance Committee (Springer- chair, Blanchard, Breitkreutz)
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7.11. Facilities Committee (Blanchard- chair, Springer, Burklund)
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7.12. Negotiations Committee (Black- chair, Gould, Blanchard)
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7.13. Curriculum Committee (Gould - chair, Black, Burklund)
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7.14. Policy Committee (Springer- chair, Gould, Black)
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7.15. NASB Monthly Update
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7.16. Amended 2020-2021 School Calendar - Consider, discuss and take all necessary action
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Discussion:
Motion by Breitkreutz, second by Burklund to approve the amended 2020-2021 school calendar utilizing Monday, November 30 and Wednesday, January 6 as teacher/staff professional work time per the Rule 62 Declaratory Order. RCV 6-0. Motion carried.
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7.17. Review Raymond Central Public School's Annual Audit
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Discussion:
Board members received a copy of our audit for the year ending August 31, 2020. One deficiency noted which is reoccurring, is segregation of duties due to a limited number of personnel.
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7.18. Review Public Forum Presentation(s) - Consider, discuss, and take all necessary action
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8. Action Items
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8.1. Approval of Staff
Discussion:
Motion by Burklund, second by Black to approve Sharon Werner as part time Jr-Sr High School Cook, Step 1; and Ryan Mackling as our second Assistant Girls Basketball Coach, Step 1. RCV 6-0. Motion carried.
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8.2. Approval of Substitute(s)
Discussion:
Motion by Breitkreutz, second by Burklund to approve Miranda Hornung, Miranda Otte, Rebecca Monroe and Amber Schafer as local substitute teachers. RCV 6-0. Motion carried.
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8.3. Approval of Student Teacher
Discussion:
Motion by Burklund, second by Black to approve Riley Freeland, Jeremy Brey and Regan Hennings as student teachers. RCV 6-0. Motion carried.
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8.4. Approval of Surplus Item(s)
Discussion:
Motion by Black, second by Breitkreutz to approve a pull behind trailer valued at $700 as surplus. RCV 6-0. Motion carried.
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8.5. Second Reading of Policy 4031 - Injury Leave
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Discussion:
Motion by Breitkreutz, second by Burklund to approve the second reading of Policy 4031-Injury Leave. RCV 6-0. Motion carried.
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8.6. Second Reading of 4270 - Staff Payments During Closure
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Discussion:
Motion by Black, second by Burklund to approve the second reading of Policy 4270-Staff Payments During Closure. RCV 6-0. Motion carried.
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8.7. Approval of Next Regular Board Meeting - Wednesday, December 16, 2020
Discussion:
Motion by Black, second by Gould to approve the next regular Board Meeting for Wednesday, December 16, 2020 at 6:00 PM. RCV 6-0. Motion carried.
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9. Adjournment
Discussion:
Motion by Breitkreutz, second by Black to adjourn the meeting at 7:02 PM. RCV 6-0. Motion carried.
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10. Important Upcoming Dates:
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