August 11, 2025 at 7:00 PM - Board of Education Regular Meeting

Rationale: 

1.  Review monthly bills using the EMeetings Software.

2.  Review all credit card transactions for the month

3.  Finance Committee Members Sign-off on review of monthly bills, credit card transactions, and district fund balances.

4.  Approve superintendent's expenses 

5.  Lunch Fund Review-Monthly Lunch Fund Balance Worksheet Attached

6.  General Fund & Other Fund Reviews

7.  Payroll Ledger Review

8.  Insurance Billing Review

9.  ACH Payroll Review

10. Bond Fund Revenues - Current investment status with Town & Country State Bank & NLAF

11. 2025-26 Budget Draft - (Attached)

12.  End of Year Transfers - Lunch Fund this month and next month.

• Lunch Fund - $45,000 (est.)
• Activity Fund - $45,000 (est.)
• Depreciation Fund - $100,000 (est.) - If budget authority and General Fund cash balance allow for this.  We may also increase this transfer amount, if the General Fund cash balance allows for it.
• Employee Benefit Fund - $150,000 (est.) - If budget authority and General Fund cash balance allow for this.  We may also increase this transfer amount, if the General Fund cash balance allows for it.

 

Rationale:  The old stadium lights, poles, electrical equipment, and speakers from the football field and track need to be discarded.  There are also 27- 3/4" sheets of CDX plywood and 6-10' x 2" x 6" that were used to facilitate the heavy equipment crossing the track that need to be declared as surplus, as they have no reusable value for the school.  A public notice was in the August 6th edition of the Ravenna News and a message was sent out to all adults in Infinite Campus.  Bids are due on Wednesday, August 13th at 12:00 (noon).
 

Rationale: 

Members of the Public, 

This is the portion of the board meeting when we invite anyone in attendance to address the board of education. If you would like to speak to the board regarding any of the items on tonight's agenda or a public concern, now is your opportunity to do so.  Please review the orange sheet (found on the visitors' chairs) of paper that contains the guidelines for public participation.  If you wish to speak to the board at this time, please let me know.  "Would anyone like to address the board at this time?"

 

AFTER THE PERSON(S) INDICATE(S) THEY WISH TO SPEAK

1.  Please stand and state your name?

2.  What topic will you be speaking on?

3.  Are there others in the room who wish to speak to the same topic? (If so, ask that they be recognized so that 30 minutes of time for public comment can be apportioned as per the policy-5 minutes per person).

4.  Optional-"Please understand that public comment is your opportunity to speak to the board and present your concerns, thoughts, feelings, ideas, and observations.  Members of the board are happy to hear from members of the public, but the board will not engage in conversation or dialogue with you during public comment."

4.  "You'll have approximately 5 minutes to address the board, as we allow 5 minutes per person and a total of 30 minutes for public comment.  You may begin when you are ready?"

 

 

 

Rationale:  No transfers from the General Fund are needed at this time.  No action needs to be taken on this item during this board meeting.  During the "second August board meeting," there will need to be at least one transfer from the General Fund to the Activity Fund and the board will have to decide the amount they want to transfer to the Lunch Fund, Depreciation Fund, & Employee Benefit Fund.

This was just a place holder in case we needed to transfer funds from the General Fund to the Lunch Fund, and to make the new board members aware of the fact that we will make our annual EOY (End of Year) transfers this month.

Rationale:  The Finance Committee has recommended investing a portion of the school district's funds into the Nebraska Liquid Asset Fund (NLAF).  In order to do this, the attached resolution must be made and those authorized to transact with NLAF on the school district's behalf need to be designated.

Rationale:  Each school district is certified an allowable base property tax request.  With 70% board approval, the board can increase the allowable base property tax request by up to 7%.  Although the school district does not need all the additional property tax authority for the 2025-26 budget cycle, the board is encouraged to vote to approve the allowable property tax request to be set up to 7% higher than the "base property tax authority" amount by the superintendent in order to help protect future property tax authority for future budget cycles.

This resolution will increase the amount of property tax authority of the school district by $546,416.  However, it is important to keep in mind that the board is only passing this resolution for future property tax authority and does NOT intend to increase the tax request by this amount for the 2025-26 budget cycle.

If this resolution is passed.  The total tax request authority for the school district could be $7,187,098.

Rationale:  The architects would like to review the singage for the dedication plaque for the building project with the board.  They will join the board meeting to do so at 7:20 PM via Zoom.

Rationale:  Generally, this has been a "lunch meeting" that takes about an hour.  The superintendent will buy you lunch and try to get you in and out in an hour.  We can meet in the high school library, or I could see if we could meet at the public library downtown, if you want to do that.

Possible dates include August 26, 27, or 28 at 12:00 (noon).

Rationale:  This budget work session generally coincides with the "Second August Board Meeting Date."  We usually do our final bills and our final transfers, then I present the final draft of the budget document for review by the board members.

I can do this budget workshop at another time (an evening meeting) if that's what the board wants.  Otherwise, we would have it on the same day as the "Second August Board Meeting Date."

Rationale:  Each year, the board must have a budget hearing so that members of the public can offer their input on the budget, prior to the budget being adopted by the board of education.

Generally, the board has chosen to have the budget hearing and the property tax hearing on the same night as the September Board Meeting.  

The budget hearing is held first, followed by the property tax request hearing.  Then, the regular September Board meeting is held.  During the regular September board meeting, the budget is adopted.

The current date for the September Board Meeting is September 8th.  Does the board want to have all three meetings (budget hearing, property tax request hearing, & Regular September Board Meeting) all on the same night?
 

Rationale:  Each year, the board must have a budget hearing so that members of the public can offer their input on the budget, prior to the budget being adopted by the board of education.

Generally, the board has chosen to have the budget hearing and the property tax hearing on the same night as the September Board Meeting.  

The budget hearing is held first, followed by the property tax request hearing.  Then, the regular September Board meeting is held.  During the regular September board meeting, the budget is adopted.

The current date for the September Board Meeting is September 8th.  Does the board want to have all three meetings (budget hearing, property tax request hearing, & Regular September Board Meeting) all on the same night?

Rationale:  Buffalo County has set the date for the "Joint Public Hearing" for Monday September 22, 2025 at 6:30 P.M.   The Hearing will be held at the Buffalo County Extension Office located at 1400 E 34^th ST., Kearney.  

If the Ravenna Public Schools 2025-26 Budget requires the school district to participate in the Joint Public Hearing, one board member will need to attend with the superintendent.  The board should designate who that board member will be.

At this point, the superintendent does NOT believe that the school district will need to participate in the meeting.  At this point, the superintendent believes that next year, for the 2026-27 budget cycle, we will need to participate in the meeting.

Rationale:  Attached is the CURRENT DRAFT of the 2025-26 Budget document.  Taxable valuations are not due from the county assessors until August 20th.  So, this is a DRAFT document.  Another draft of the budget document will be shared at the final board meeting for the 2024-25 budget cycle in late August.

Rationale:  Elementary Open House - Parent Meeting
Tomorrow (Aug 12) the elementary is hosting a back to school open house from 5:45-7:00 pm.  Parent meeting at 6:15 pm in the elementary gym.

In Schools Savings Program
I wanted to share some data from our first year of the program.

• Total Number Of Deposits - 1112
• Average Deposits Per Week - 46
• Number Of Students With Accounts - 83
• Average Account Balance - $82.33
• Total Weeks Open - 24
• Total Bluejay Branch Balance - $6,833.47

 AI Presentation - Andrew Easton (ESU Coordinating Council)
Teachers learned about different AI sites and explored ways to use them to enhance their instruction.

Data Retreat
The staff will be taking a look at literacy data tomorrow.  A major focus of the work will be to identify growth areas.  In addition, we will use this information to help craft a literacy goal for CIP.

Rationale: 

Principal Report August Board Meeting

 

Academic

• Almost all students have gone through 7-12 orientation. 

• The staff had Andrew Easton from ESU present on AI during pre-service today.

  • Learned how to use AI as a resource and tool for educators.

  • What does AI look like for schools in the future?

• Cell phones and how they will be allowed in classrooms was addressed with phone pouches that each classroom will have.

Activities

• Today was the first day of practice for fall sports. 

Rationale:  1.  Summer Projects Updates:

• Air Conditioning in the Concession Stand-$8,000 (Budget Price) -DONE
• 7 Countertops/Sink bases in the Elementary: $6,000 - DONE
• 4 Classrooms of LED Lighting in Elementary: $6,000 - DONE
• Tree Removal & Replanting: $10,000 (Grant Funded) - DONE - Until replanting in fall.
• Drywall Cracks in Elementary Walls & Removing Sliding Glass Door and closing up the Wall Between Mr. Ellis & Mrs. Zinnel's Room -  $2,816 - DONE
• Sound System Bid for Football Field (Attached) - $13,847- DONE
• Playground Fence - Schumacher Fencing LLC: $20,351 - Worked with local company to get the price down.  The fence is coming from exactly the same supplier.  It's the same fence for $9,000 cheaper than the original budget pricing.  3 bids were solicited for this project.  This project is still in progress. - DONE-Note they have some repairs (replace gates by north handicap entrance, fix storm damage on northeast end, replace bent post on west end, and replace bent top rail on north side) to do on the football and track stadium fence as well, which will cost approximately $2,542.
• Football Field Lighting: This project should be completed by Thursday, August 14th.
•  Electrical Receptacles - This project should be completed by August 22nd.  The receptacles are installed, but they have to drag the wires and then energize the circuit.
• Veteran's Memorial - Painting is completed.  $400 of the $450 painting cost was paid for by a donation, which was ran through the school's "Administrative Activities" account in the school's Activity Fund.  This fund will be used to receive and track donations in conjunction with the restoration project, so we can determine how much district money is spent and how much is paid for through donations.  Electricity can be provided by installing a "pseudo meter" at a rate of $40 a month.  The total cost of installing the electrical service and lighting will be $2,803.43.  Does the board want me to move forward with the electrical work at this point?  Masonry work is estimated to be $1500, but we are still waiting for a final estimate.

2.  Surplus lumber that was used for the track crossing, as per the track installer's guidance, was declared as surplus earlier in the meeting.  A sheet of this also poked two pretty large holes in the track during a windstorm this summer.  Fisher Tracks has been contacted to repair the punctures caused by the flying plywood.

3.  Advertising ON the football field with a robotic sprayer?

4.  Adjusting the 2025-26 School Calendar for the end of the school year in April?

5.  Weight Room Equipment - Refresh (Quote Attached) - We discussed slowly adding and replacing equipment to the new learning spaces added through the bond in advance of the construction being completed (welding lab, wood shop, weight room, art room, robotics, etc.).  I've had a request for some weight room equipment.  Some (the bars) are replacement items, so Depreciation Funds can be used.  Other equipment (the dumbbells) is new equipment, so that will have to be purchased from the General Fund.  How aggressive do you want me to be working with these teachers to replace the equipment this year, as I build the budget and as I end this year's budget cycle?  I'm using our CTE money for the CNC lathe in the metals and wood shop and for welders and welding carts in the welding lab.  This CTE money, about $7500 a year, will continue to flow from NDE each year.  So, there is a consistent funding stream for nice improvements in equipment each year.  I should note that in the past, we have been aggressive in working with the music department to update their instrumentation and generally rotate through the content areas for curriculum and for equipment.  While I was gone, Brad updated the library furniture.  The board should be assured that during each requisition process in the spring, teachers can ask for any necessary equipment and supplies, and they are given consideration by the administration.  Coach Bolling would like to immediately have $3,139 worth of dumbbells ($1,750 - which would come from the General Fund, as these would be new purchases) and bars ($1,389 - which would come from the Deprecation Fund, as we are replacing worn-out bars).  

6.  Local Food for School Grant - $2,129.53 - (Grant Award Notice Attached) - We received this grant last year.  We used it to buy local beef and will likely do the same this year. 

Rationale:  NASB AWARD RECIPIENTS
The NASB Area Membership Meetings are coming up soon. At the meetings, we will recognize board members who have moved up a level in our Awards of Achievement program, as well as collective boards earning a board award. Below is a list of the awards and recipients for your district. Please consider registering the board members for an Area Membership Meeting so we can recognize and celebrate them.
 
Additional information on the meetings can be found on our website Area Membership Meetings (nasbonline.org). Thank you.
 

Micah Miigerl	Point Award - Level I
Misti Fiddelke	Point Award - Level VI

 



NASB Area Membership Meetings Reminder - See Attached
 
We’re excited to invite you to the annual NASB Area Membership Meetings—a valuable opportunity to connect, collaborate, and grow alongside board leaders and education professionals across Nebraska.
 
This year’s program includes presentations by NASB staff on timely and relevant topics:

• Brain Science in Education
• Sparq Data Tools
• Board & Superintendent Evaluations
• ALICAP Pooling
• Legislative Policy Updates
• Strategic Alignment & Community Engagement

Don’t miss this chance to gain insight, strengthen your leadership team, and enjoy the Awards Program recognizing outstanding service.
 
 
Meeting Dates & Locations:
August 19 | Valentine (Valentine High Schools & Mi Toro)  Register by August 13
August 20  | Gering (Gering Civic Center)  Register by August 13
August 21 | Kearney (Younes South Conference Center)  Register by August 13
August 26 | York (Holthus Convention Center)  Register by August 21
August 27 | Norfolk (Lifelong Learning Center)  Register by August 21
September 3  | North Platte (North Platte High School)  Register by August 28
September 9 | Omaha (Scott Conference Center)  Register by September 4
September 10 | Nebraska City (Nebraska City High School & Pin High)  Register by September 4
September 24 | Fremont (Fremont High School & Fremont Golf Club)  Register by September 18