School board selects architect for project; hires school nurse
OSMOND — The District 42R Board of Education met Monday, Nov. 11, for its regular meeting, preceded by a special meeting for the annual superintendent evaluation. Later in the regular meeting, the evaluation was discussed. Board President Michelle Reikofski said the evaluation went well overall. The board is satisfied with Superintendent Dave Hamm’s performance and recommend contract extension, she said.
Superintendent Hamm told board members, addressing the new members specifically, that if they have concerns, to bring them to him and he will address them right away. LaDonna Stanosheck, who, along with Tyler Gansebom, is a new member, said she and Tyler appreciate how Hamm stops (during board meetings) and makes sure they understand things.
Principal Gives Report
Principal Kurt Polt reported that the October honors breakfast was well attended and that the slide show of honorees and additional food choices, both new additions to the breakfast, seemed to be appreciated. There were a few glitches that could be improved on moving forward, he added.
At the parent-teacher conferences on Oct. 21, attendance at the high school conferences was low, however, Polt commented that parents and teachers communicate throughout the year.
Polt advised that science teachers have completed meetings regarding new science standards and will travel to ESU 8 on Jan. 22 to complete a science curriculum alignment.
Upcoming events include conference quiz bowl at Wayne State College on Nov. 13, with a ninth-10th grade team and an 11th-12th grade team; seventh-12 grade vocal concert Nov. 14; winter sports practice beginning Nov. 18, with jamboree basketball games Dec. 2 and the first regular games Dec. 6;Thanksgiving break beginning Nov. 27 with a 1 p.m. dismissal and school resuming Dec. 2; first wrestling meet on Dec. 7 at Creighton, with Osmond hosting the conference meet Jan. 23; Christmas concerts on Dec. 16, with K-6 at 6:30 p.m. and 7-12 at 8 p.m. and a short break in between.
Polt advised that District 42R will help Wausa Public Schools by allowing them to host their speech invite at Osmond Community School on Feb. 15 because of their building project. That is also the date of Osmond’s junior high basketball tournament, which will now be held in the Wausa gym.
Polt noted that there are three staff members going to crisis team training. He also mentioned that the Veterans Day program that morning (Monday) went well. He added that the PE class was displaced because the gym was set up for the program — a reminder of why there is a committee looking into building a new activity center.
Superintendent’s Report
Superintendent Hamm advised that members are all registered for the NASB state conference Nov. 20-22, and that rooms are reserved at a hotel. He will be heading down there on Wednesday and offered a ride to anyone who wanted one.
Hamm reported that there is just one Unified Bowling team this year, with four participants and one athlete. This will be the last year to have a team, at least for a couple of years, he added, because there has to be a student who qualifies in order to participate.
Hamm reported on this month’s in-service, which focused on mental health for the staff; Nebraska Beef to Schools, with a thank you to von Rentzell Farms for donating a beef and Manzer Equipment for donating processing charges; Blue Cross-Blue Shield insurance rates; banking and certificates of deposit rates; booster signs, senior banners and the 2018-19 boys’ basketball banner, all of which are hanging in the gym, with a thank you to Dwight Kahny for the work; purchase of an electric drain augur, which will save on rental cost as well as time and labor to go get it.
Hamm asked board members what they would like to do as far as the staff appreciation gesture for December; in previous years staff members received Osmond Dollars, however, last year they received shirts. Board members discussed options and asked Hamm to get the gifts agreed on.
Superintendent Hamm reported on a number of annual items he has been working on, including Every Student Succeeds Act application; Special Education School Age final financial; Annual Financial Report SCHOOL BOARD SELECTS ARCHITECT; NURSE
and Audit submission; Special Education Transportation and ECSE; SPED Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act Consolidated Application, and others. He thanked school secretary Margaret Ryan for her help throughout the year.
Hamm discussed a couple of articles from Mike Flood on the TRUE Nebraskans Petition and the measures that would be placed on the ballot if there are enough signatures on the petition.
The superintendent reported that three women who had been responsible for helping the district with its MTSS process had resigned their positions with the University of Nebraska at Lincoln and the Nebraska Department of Education, and formed an LLC. He has set up a meeting on Nov. 15 in Orchard with representatives from ESU 8 to discuss MTSS implementation.
Hamm reported that Black Hills Energy (BHE) has finally discovered the issue with the school district’s meter. For some time, the district’s energy bill was very low. It was discovered that BHE was dropping one digit off the district’s therm usage. Hamm has been working with them and agreed to pay for the “actual” last 12 months usage. The district will pay BHE $19,419 next month, plus whatever the actual bill is, but is saved from paying for approximately $16,000 to $18,000.
During the meeting, the board called Kyle Overturf of AMGL, the district’s auditor, and went over the audit report. Overturf explained the sections of his report and made suggestions for changing some things, most of which Superintendent Hamm said have already been handled.
Board Comments
President Reikofski discussed a list of school kitchen remodeling priorities. Several items — replacing current serving station, replacing flooring and updating current wash and prep area — were ones she thinks are “doable.” Superintendent Hamm said several others look like simple fixes. The next step will be to figure out costs and decide what the district can do. This will be a summer project.
In other business, the board:
— approved Clark Enerson as the architectural firm to represent Osmond Community School in the activity center project.
— approved the hiring of Tiffany Gansebom as school nurse, with board member Tyler Gansebom abstaining.
— heard a report on negotiations from board member Mark Moes.
— heard a request from Reikofski to put the district’s mission statement on the agenda each month.
— heard a request from Moes for the board to get an update on how the new whiteboard are working out.
