September 8, 2025 at 5:45 PM - Board of Education Regular Meeting

Rationale:  The Norfolk Public School District's Board of Education meeting is called to order.  

Rationale:  If any board member is absent, there will need to be a  motion to excuse the absence.

Rationale:  This is a legal meeting of the board of education, as advertised by the means specified in board policy. A complete copy of the Open Meetings Act is posted in the board room for your review. A copy of the agenda is available at the desk of the recording secretary.

Rationale:  Please stand and join us in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.

Rationale:  Award for Excellence awarded to Matthew Arens — Network Administrator

Rationale: 

This is the time during the meeting when the public may request to address the Board. According to state law, if you wish to comment you must identify yourself, including your address, the name of the organization you represent and the topic that you wish to address. "Public Comment" cards are located at the Media table, in the back of the room.  Please pick up a card and provide the required information, if you plan to speak.  Each individual’s comments will be limited to five minutes.

Please note that the Board cannot discuss or act upon matters that are not listed on the agenda. Therefore, Board members will not respond to your comments or questions. If you wish to request that an item be placed on a future Board agenda, you may contact the Superintendent or his assistant during normal business hours.

Also note that concerns related to school personnel need to be addressed to the Superintendent using the approved district protocol. Individuals who make false, defamatory,  or slanderous statements during public comments may be held legally liable. Slanderous comments are not protected just because they are made at Board meetings.

Additional procedural guidelines are available at the media table.

Rationale: 

• Superintendent Evaluation
  • Evaluation Instrument of Superintendent, attached
• Board of Education Self-Assessment 

Rationale: 

The total amount of claims to be approved on the consent agenda by specific fund are listed below:

General Fund = $1,249,797.49

Nutrition Fund = $2,212.86

Subsidiary Fund = $17,850.21

Depreciation Fund = $7,169.00

Employee Benefit Fund = $200,841.50

Senior High Activity Fund = $43,597.24

Senior High August Checks = $3,690.00

Junior High Activity Fund = $3,564.25

Student Fee Fund = $6,065.19

All of these claims were reviewed earlier today by the Finance and Facilities Committee.

Rationale: 

CURRICULUM, INSTRUCTION AND ASSESSMENT

• Goal Setting

  • 80% or more proficient on Priority Learning Targets

  • % Proficient NSCAS Reading, Math Science

  • Percent of Students Hitting RIT Expected Growth Goal (Fall-to-Spring)

  • % On Track on ACT ELA, Math Reading (Senior High)

• Instructional Playbook - meeting with each building

• Fall Testing

• Math Data 2024-25 vs. previous 2 years

  • K-4 NSCAS - 5% increase 

  • K-4 RIT Growth - 10.5% Increase 

  • 5-6 NSCAS - 6% increase

  • 5-6 RIT Growth - 11.5% Increase 

Rationale: 

• Student Health Screenings & Flu Shots
• Native American Liaison
• ELL Enrollment

Rationale: 

• Suicide Training
  • National Suicide Prevention Month is September. A reminder that if you or someone you know has suicidal thoughts, reach out to Safe2Help. Safe2Help is an anonymous reporting site that is free to school districts. Safe2Help information is on the back of all student ID cards. The state also has a suicide and crisis hotline for anyone—just dial 988.
• Salvation Army After School Program (GR/WA)
• Jr High Cell Phone Update

Rationale: 

• NPS Instructional Model training was held on August 21 and September 4. 

• Job fairs are already beginning and I have traveled to WSC and UNK for the first job fairs of the school year. 

• Student Teachers

Rationale: 

In-service Schedule:

Building Leadership Teams (BLT): These meetings are held twice a month. This suggests a focus on school-level leadership and decision-making.

Central Office Leadership Teams (COLT): These meetings are held weekly. This indicates a regular and frequent meeting of the district's central administration.

Report:

1. Visiting Schools: Visiting schools is going well. Seeing the established routines and welcoming environment in each school.

2. Committee Meetings: The schedule or information about this year's committee meetings has been sent out.

3. NASB Area Membership Meeting

4. Booster Club Steak Fry

5. Mr. Wilson and his staff have done a good job of preparing our budget.

6. Meeting with Mrs. Mitzel and Norfolk Catholic related to SPED services.

7. Continue to meet with Mr. Oswald as he works with each school to identify hard academic goals for the year.

8. Appreciate Mrs. Baumann's effort to attend job fairs to secure future teachers.

Rationale:  The Finance and Facilities Committee met on August 25th and September 8th. The committee discussed and reviewed: 

• Monthly board bills
• Budget & expenditures
• Board will vote on the budget on 9/22
• Facilities update
• Upcoming audit

Rationale:  Policies reviewed by the Committee with recommended revisions:

• Policy 3132 - Internal Controls: Small wording change to "Simplified acquisition threshold" per Perry Law Firm’s recommendation
• Policy 3550 - Rebates to School Personnel: Revised to add language to our current policy to clarify that any rebates from school purchases, such as those from Menards, must be used for school-related expenditures.
• Policy 9320 - Regular Meeting: Revised to add "Public Comment" to be included in the order of business for the 2nd regularly scheduled board meeting of the month. Also replaced "Executive Session" with "Closed Session" for consistency with policy.

Rationale:  Minutes from the meeting on August 25, 2025 are attached for review. 

Rationale:  Attached are the claims. These claims were reviewed earlier by our Finance and Facilities Committee. There is one conflict statement that will need to be read prior to voting. 

Rationale:  The Policy Committee reviewed the following policies and recommended revisions, which were previously discussed in the Committee’s report.

3132 - Internal Controls
3550 - Rebates to School Personnel
9320 - Order of Business
 

Rationale:  Attached for reference: 
Policy 5007 - Foreign Exchange Students
Policy 8320 - Adoption Amendment or Suspension of Policies

Rationale: 

Every year we make sure that all of our confidential emergency contact information and building maps are updated for our building administrators.  This information, along with our emergency procedures, is compiled in our Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) that was developed with the help of local law enforcement, emergency management, and NPS staff.  I have shared the updated information with our Board Members.  I am asking for approval of the 2025-2026 EOP.

Rationale: 

The Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District (LENRD) Hazard Mitigation Plan has been officially approved by FEMA.  The plan identifies hazards (flood, fire, severe weather, etc.) and is required to qualify for FEMA hazard mitigation grants should a need arise in the future.  This plan runs from August 12, 2025 through August 11, 2030.  As required by FEMA, each participating jurisdiction must formally adopt the plan.  I am asking for approval of the NPS Hazard Mitigation Plan for FEMA.

Rationale: 

The 2nd regular monthly meeting of the Board of Education is scheduled for Monday, September 22, 2025 at Noon. 

The following regular meeting of the Board of Education will be held on Monday, October 13, 2025 at 5:30 PM. 

All components of these meetings will be held at the NPS Central Administration Offices and will be open to the public unless a Closed Session is needed in order to protect the interest of the district or the reputation of an individual.

Rationale:  Resignation — Jillian Montoya, Special Education teacher, Westside Elementary School