January 9, 2025 at 5:30 PM - GIPS BOE Regular Meeting

Rationale: 

It is 5:____p.m. and I now call to order the Grand Island Public Schools Board of Education Meeting.  This is the January 9, 2025 meeting.  Notice of this meeting has been advertised in the Grand Island Independent, which is the District's designated method of giving notice of these meetings.

We want those in attendance to know that copies of the Open Meetings Act are available at the entrance to the Board Room.  If anyone in attendance is interested in addressing our Board, you are welcome to do so.  We simply request that you complete the appropriate form and turn it in to us so that you may be recognized during the Requests to Address the Board part of our meeting.  If you have not already completed the form, please see the staff person outside the entrance to this room.  Public comment is welcome. We do ask that no signs be brought into the boardroom.

Mrs. Dibbert, will you please call the roll?

Rationale:  When board members are elected they are required to take an oath of office prior to assuming their official duties.  (Dr. Stephens will read the oath of office and newly elected board members will acknowledge the oath by signing a copy of the oath to be placed in the board book.)

Rationale:  Roll Call.

Rationale:  Elections:
a.   The Board will elect from its members a President and Vice President.
b.   The Secretary of the Board of Education will preside as Chair during the election of a new Board President.
c.   Upon call for nominations for each office by the Chair, nominations shall be made by oral ballot.
d.   Voting will be by written ballot on all members nominated and repeated until a majority is achieved for a nominee.
e.   The President shall assume the chair immediately upon the President's election and preside over the election for Vice President.

Rationale:  The Board Operating Principles, Policy 2111, give guidance as to how the board functions and how board members interact with each other and the public. Each board member, at the time the new board is convened, will sign the acknowledgment of the Board Operating Principles to indicate he/she understands and agrees to function under these guidelines. The signed documents will be placed on file with the minutes from the January 2025 Board Meeting.

Rationale:  Dr. Stephens will lead board members in reading the Board Member Code of Ethics.

Rationale:  The first item on the agenda tonight is the Consent Agenda.  The Consent Agenda to be approved is as follows:

(items read.)

This is the Consent Agenda as published.  Would anyone like to remove any items or add any items to the Consent Agenda? (pause)

Does anyone have a potential conflict of interest on agenda item 3.3? If so, please state the check number that you will be abstaining from voting on.

Rationale:  Standing Committees
 A monthly agenda presented to the board and community on the major items discussed and under consideration in the standing committees.  
 

• Finance and Facilities Committee
• Leading for Learning Committee - None.
• Personnel Committee - None.
• Policy Committee
• Public Relations and Partnership Development Committee - None.
• Governance Committee - None.
• GNSA/Legislative Committee - None.

Rationale:  Approval of the YMCA Facilities Usage Agreement - Pool.

Rationale:  Board of Education Designees for 2025

Rationale:  For nine years GIPS has hosted an annual Holiday Card Contest.  The friendly competition provides students from all grades (Preschool - High School) to create and submit original holiday themed artwork.  Each year submissions are gathered, and the district office selects (by vote) three finalists (one Elementary, one Middle School, one High School) to be recognized with one overall winner selected by the Superintendent.  The overall winning artwork is printed on the cover of the annual GIPS Holiday Card.  This holiday season, the district office received over 1,300 submissions from students!  Today, GIPS recognizes the three finalists and overall winner for the 2024-25 Superintendent Holiday Card Contest:

• Lennon Tjaden, 4th Grade - Newell Elementary (Overall Winner)
• Cintia Bettancourt Perez, 8th Grade - Barr Middle School (Middle School Finalist)
• Hendry Morales Gonzalez, 10th Grade - GISH (High School Finalist) 

Rationale: 

• Each person addressing the board will be allowed 5 minutes. The Board of Education has the prerogative to limit speaking to 3 minutes when there are three or more patrons to allow speakers an opportunity to address the Board in a timely manner.
• We allocate up to 30 minutes for addressing the board at each regular board meeting.
• Please face the Board,  not the audience when you speak
• We want to hear what is being said so we ask the audience to refrain from making comments or sounds that make it hard to hear the speaker. 
• No signs are allowed in the boardroom.
• We will not engage in dialogue with patrons presenting to the Board, the purpose of the requests to address the board is to listen to patrons.
• The Board president and superintendent will identify staff to follow-up on information requested from patrons when necessary.
• At regular business meetings any school district-related matter can be presented to the Board, but only agenda items can be acted upon during a given meeting. At special meetings, comments will be limited to the subject of action items of the meeting's agenda. 
• Speakers will not be permitted to make defamatory comments, or use abusive or vulgar language. 
• Expressions of personal complaints about staff or students are discouraged at public meetings. Concerns about individuals should be brought to the attention of the appropriate administrative authority. Specific building or program concerns should be brought to the attention of the building principal or program supervisor.

Rationale:  Mr. Grieger with D.A. Davidson will review with the Board the final results from the Bond Fund Tender Offer General Obligation Refunding Bonds, Series 2024 $12.97M highlighting several key dates, factors, and tax savings to the patrons of GIPS.

Rationale:  Mr. Petsch will present and review the list of projects selected for completion during the fiscal year 2024-2025, including funding sources.  This is an annual summary review to update the Board on the projects.  Each project will be approved via normal business processes and procedures.

Rationale:  4350 CORPORATE CREDIT CARDS

Rationale:  4410 AUDITS

Rationale:  4420 FINANCIAL REPORTS AND STATEMENTS

Rationale:  4443 VENDOR RELATIONS

Rationale:  4451 AUTHORIZED SIGNATURES

Rationale:  4570 COMMERCIAL ADVERTISING IN SCHOOLS

Rationale:  In compliance with Nebraska PL 79-724 and GIPS Board Policy 2230.

Rationale:  GIEA Request for Recognition for 2026-2027

Rationale:  Presenting the proposed academic calendar for 2025-26 from the Calendar Committee.

Rationale:  4211 BUDGET ADOPTION PROCEDURES

Rationale:  4212 BUDGET HEARINGS AND REVIEWS

Rationale:  4310 LOCAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL FUNDING

Rationale:  4312 INTERNAL CONTROLS FOR FEDERAL AND STATE AWARDS

Rationale:  A monthly report to the Board and community on the major items discussed and under consideration by the Grand Island Public Schools Foundation.

Rationale: 

Mr. Williams will present the student representative's report to the board. 

Rationale: 

Mr. Fisher will present the superintendent report. 

Rationale:  Regular Board of Education Meeting - Thursday, February 13, 2025 at 5:30 p.m.