School board discusses yellow building, co-oping
OSMOND — The Osmond District 42R Board of Education met on Monday, May 10, for a regular meeting. The meeting included discussion of work to be done on the yellow building and co-oping sports with Wausa.
Principal’s Year-end Report
Principal Kurt Polt gave his yearend report, which included the last day for students, which is Tuesday, May 18, and the last day for staff members, May 20. Grades are due May 19, with report cards being sent home by the end of the next week.
The K-6 elementary sprint concert was scheduled for Tuesday, May 11, and their field day will be Monday, May 17, from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.
District track is today, May 12, at Hartington, and Class D state track will be held May 19 and 20. District golf will be May 17 at Tatanka in Niobrara, and state golf is May 25 and 26 in North Platte.
Mr. Polt advised that Wyatt Schuettler has agreed to serve as head football coach next year. Because of his schedule, he won’t be here until a little later, but Rod Brummels has agreed to come back and help with practices.
Polt reported that the projector and screen were installed in time for graduation, but added that it hangs pretty low, so will need a cage around it to protect it.
Mr. Polt then discussed the frustration with the senior banners being so late getting put up in the gym. He advised that pictures of the juniors were done that day; if the students get their senior pictures taken by a certain date, they may use those for the banners, otherwise the ones taken Monday will be used so the banners can be made and hung up by the first fall activity.
Superintendent Report
Superintendent Dave Hamm advised that Jessica Johnson, who served as a para this school year, will replace Robin Wagner in the office next year. They will wait to advertise Jessica’s position until they see what they need for paras. He added that they are still looking for a kitchen assistant.
The community clean-up day is Thursday, May 13. Mr. Hamm distributed a list of tasks for the day, with the groups responsible for each and the resources needed.
Mr. Hamm shared with board members information about expenditures for the Class D school district in the Lewis and Clark Conference for the 2019-2020 school year, with Osmond being lower than the average for the conference.
Hamm also advised that he will present a diploma in an Early Learning Connection (ELC) graduation, and discussed the problems that local companies were having in getting materials for the bus barn addition.
Board Comments
Board Member Michelle Reikofski discussed the recent Nebraska Association of School Boards (NASB) meeting and said there is a lot to learn, but it is a good experience. When asked if she is involved in the new health standards that are being pushed, she said no, that is something the Education Committee is in charge of. She added that she thinks it will fail, but her concern is that it will keep getting brought up, and she encouraged everyone to keep voicing their concerns.
Board Member Aaron von Rentzell of the transportation committee said he met with transportation director Dwight Kahny about a new school vehicle, and found that there is no vehicle available right now that qualifies for a replacement SPED vehicle. Mark added that the district’s fleet is okay right now.
Board Member Tyler Gansebom said he, Moes and Larry Krohn attended the city council meeting that night and gave the council feedback on the recent focus group meetings and what has been discussed, and the difference between co-oping and consolidation, as well as several other issues.
Co-oping Discussion
Board President Mark Moes said he would like the board to be open when there are committee meetings, and if anyone has questions, they should ask, so that things can be resolved. Moes referred to an upcoming sharing meeting with Wausa and said he would like the full board to be there, and asked if there were any board members who had questions.
After a lengthy discussion on what is needed and making sure the community knows what is going on, it was agreed that an article will be written to inform the public about what has been discussed and what the board will be discussing with Wausa. That article will be published in an upcoming issue of the Republican.
Yellow Building
The board had a lengthy discussion on whether to move forward with the renovation of the yellow building. Board President Moes said he would like to move forward. Krohn said that he is against the renovation, he doesn’t see that it helps the district and opined that it is not used enough by the school kids. Board Member von Rentzell said
Board Member von Rentzell said the wrestlers need something better, and Reikofski added that, “We need to do this, even if it is for just two wrestlers this year. We need to get the building back to specs.”
Gansebom noted that if the payment for the renovation is taken from the depreciation fund, it is not taking anything from the taxpayers. Moes added that “something needs to be done,” and said that, if a certain amount is put into the building just to fix it, then “you’re halfway there.”
In a roll call vote on the motion to accept the bid from Aschoff Construction for $614,700 to renovate the yellow building, there were five votes to approve, with Krohn voting against.
In other business, the board:
— approved the purchase of a new math curriculum for grades K-6; Math Expressions will be purchased from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for $26,056.32.
—approved the purchase of a new English Language Arts curriculum for grades 7-12 from McGraw Hill for the total cost of $12,377.33.
— extended Diane Martin’s contract as well-being counselor from two days per week to three.
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