District 42R school board visited by FBLA members
OSMOND – The District 42R Board of Education was visited by a group of Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) members during the regular meeting on Monday, Jan. 10. The FBLA advisor, Kaylen Tunink, introduced herself and said the members would be explaining what the group has been doing so far this school year, and what they hope to do during the rest of the school year.
FBLA Secretary Kiera Moes spoke about the money the group had raised for the March of Dimes. Vice President Riley Wagner explained the group’s “Go Green” project, recycling, and a used toy drive. Reporter Bailey Schmit added that, related to the “Go Green” project, they held a coloring contest for younger students and hung posters. The parliamentarian, Cali Gutz, and historian, Erica Heiman, said the group had a bake sale and an ice cream social, a trunk-or-treat event and hay rack ride, as well as a Christmas party, and they have been choosing a Member of the Month each month of the school year.
Robert Aschoff, the group’s treasurer, said the FBLA has a project involving local businesses, and upcoming events include touring the bank and having a business owner speak to the group. FBLA President Kaden Polt concluded by explaining the Feed Nebraska project and a trip the group took to help out with Mercy Meals in Norfolk, and said they will have a food drive and FBLA Week in February and State Leadership Conference (SLC) in April.
In answer to questions by board members, the members said they have 40 members, including high school and junior high; the meetings are run similar to FFA meetings with roll call and discussion of what has been done and what they plan to do, and those chosen to go to SLC are decided by a points system.
Board President Mark Moes it is great to see students come to the board meeting, and said the school “must be doing something right.”
Officers Elected
Election of board officers was held, with all the current officers reelected as follows: president, Moes; vice president, Aaron von Rentzell; secretary-treasurer, Tyler Gansebom. In addition, Margaret Ryan was appointed as recording secretary.
Principal Gives Report
Principal Kurt Polt advised that report cards were sent and mailed home on Jan. 7, and that the honors breakfast for the second quarter and first semester is scheduled for Wednesday, Jan. 19, with ice cream and floats during eighth period and pictures to follow. There will be no school for students on Monday, Jan. 17, because of a winter workshop in Norfolk, Polt said.
Polt reported that the first speech contest is Jan. 29 in Hartington; there are 11 students participating this year. District will be held March 3 at High Plains School in Polk. Conference Honor Band will be conducted at Northeast Community College on Jan. 22. Osmond will be represented by nine students.
Conference wrestling invitational is scheduled for Jan. 20 at Winnebago, Polt advised, and district are Feb. 11-12 in Burwell. Conference basketball begins Jan. 29; girls’ subdistricts begin Feb. 14 and boys subdistricts on Feb. 21.
The principal advised that work on the 2022-23 school calendar is progressing slowly, and he hopes to have a copy for the board to review at the February meeting. He noted that the projector in the gymn has been used several times for a variety of events.
Polt reported that he checked on the bell system last week and found out that Electronic Systems is waiting for all the equipment to arrive. They will be in contact when it arrives and they still hope to set up dates in February to get it installed.
Mr. Polt reported that a representative from ALICAP was here and did a safety inspection for the district’s insurance rating. Osmond was rated 0.83, which is a good rating.
Discussion Held on Co-oping
Polt said he had received an email from the Randolph athletic director, who would like to add junior high girls’ basketball to the co-op conversation. In reply to Moes’ request for Polt and athletic director Brian Guenther, who was also in attendance, to elaborate on the co-op conversations, they said that the Randolph administrators said they haven’t heard any negative comments; also that they would like to add junior high girls’ basketball in addition to junior high football, and junior high boys’ basketball and high school basketball.
Asked if Randolph has asked for a vote, the two men said it will need to be discussed at the March meetings of both Randolph and Osmond school boards. Superintendent Dave Hamm stressed that they are not talking about all sports, just junior high football and basketball and high school basketball, because of the low numbers of students involved.
It was stated that the board is planning on having a retreat, and it will be discussed at that time.
Superintendent Reports
Hamm gave a report on superintendent happenings since the last board meeting, which included ESU 8 superintendent’s webinar on Dec. 13; SB webinar Dec. 14; meeting with Navitas representatives on HVAC and air filtration and exchange options on Dec. 15; MDT meeting in the morning and MTSS meeting after school on Dec. 16; joint meeting of SAT, CIP, MTSS and ILCD teams on Jan. 4.
When Supt. Hamm reported on the ESU meeting, he said that the group had talked about the lack of teachers, and he asked the FBLA members in attendance if any will be going into education fields; three of the six students said they are.
Superintendent Hamm reported on the joint meeting on Jan. 4. The focus of the meeting centered on beginning preparations for next year’s Continuous Improvement Plan (CIP) external visit which will occur next fall. The district is required to have an external team visit every five years.
Hamm advised that he has received word that the district’s application for the Seamless Summer Option (SSO) program, which allows students to receive free meals, has been approved for the rest of the school year.
The superintendent reported that Navitas will have some preliminary numbers put together for various proposals on HVAC, and he will meet with their representative sometime this week.
Hamm advised that the policies that were updated at last month’s meeting were in board members’ packets and could now replace existing pages in their policy manuals.
Board President’s Comments
Moes stated that other items to be discussed at the board retreat are enrollment numbers, the focus group report from last year, ways to use ESSER funds, sharing with other districts, and goal-setting in general. He also asked to have current enrollment numbers for Osmond Community School and St. Mary’s students available at the retreat. The retreat was set for Monday, Jan. 24, at 5 p.m.
Moes asked if students are still doing “Fridays at Northeast,” and said he would like to have something with them like the FBLA did, with the students coming in and telling what they learned.
In other business, the board: – approved designating The Osmond Republican as the official news agency; KSB Legal Firm as the school attorney; AMGL as the auditor; David Hamm as the state and federal programs director, and Security Bank as the school depositor.
– appointed board committees as follows: Negotiations – Moes (head), Michelle Reikofski, Larry Krohn; Americanism and Curriculum – von Rentzell, LaDonna Stanosheck, Gansebom; School Improvement – Stanosheck, Krohn; Technology – Reikofski, Krohn; Student and Professional Service – Gansebom, von Rentzell; Facility, Transportation and Grounds – von Rentzell, Moes, Krohn (if needed); Policy and Procedure – Gansebom, Krohn; Sharing – Reikofski (head), Gansebom, Moes.
– approved the negotiated agreement for 2022-23 and 2023-24 as proposed.
– approved the superintendent contract for 2022-23 as proposed.
reviewed the district’s “Return to Learn” plan and found the information contained within to be in accordance with CDC and local health agency guidelines.
received public input and developed an ESSER III Use of Funds Plan based on that input and district needs; the plan is current based on the information available at this time.
reviewed all 4000s policies and revised the 4040 policy.
agreed to review the 5000s policies at the next board meeting.
