The Broken Bow Public Schools Board of Education met in regular session on Monday, February 16. The meeting was held at noon in the BBPS District Conference Room due to sports schedules potentially affecting several of the Board members. Board Member Colby Fisher was the lone absence from Monday’s School Board meeting.
Few Question on Financial Report, Nebraska Legislative Session Ongoing
Newly installed Board Treasurer Jennifer Jackson provided an update on BBPS finances. Among the items that were discussed was a charge from Solution Tree for $6,152 and from Prime Plumbing for $21,305.
BBPS Superintendent Darren Tobey told the Board that Solution Tree is a provider of Professional Learning Community (PLC) training. This week, BBPS will be sending a group of teachers to Phoenix, AZ to attend training provided by Solution Tree, followed by another training session in Nashville, TN in about a month and a half to learn about more standards-based grading practices.
Prime Plumbing was called on to replace a failed water heater in the Activities Building, as well as to carry out work updating restroom facilities elsewhere in the building. Tobey noted that the restrooms had not been updated since 1968, and that the new facilities should result in significant savings on the school’s water bill.
Board Member Pam Holcomb sits on the Nebraska Association of School Boards (NASB) Legislative Committee, and provided an overview of bills that the committee is watching in the current Unicameral session. Of the 591 bills submitted this year, the NASB is following 72 with implications for education.
Home-District 43 Legislator Tanya Storer has introduced a bill (LB384) which would amend the requirements for board attendance at the “Pink Postcard Meetings” mandated when a body exceeds limits in tax levy increases. Previously, the majority of elected members of a governing board were required to attend the meeting. Storer’s change means that only a single member of the board must now attend. Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen approved this bill February 10. Holcomb noted a separate bill to eliminate these meetings altogether is still in committee.
LB765, a measure that would require 50% turnout in a district to approve a bond measure appears unlikely to make it to the Unicameral floor for a full vote. Likewise, LB960 which requires a non-voting student member on school boards seems unlikely to move forward this year.
Holcomb also noted that Governor Pillen has moved $7 million into the Nebraska Department of Labor budget for use to provide scholarships for youth attending private schools. Holcomb stated though that the NASB does not expect this proposal, which has been opposed by Nebraskans in two separate elections, will be passed out of the appropriations committee.
The NASB provides a listing of legislative bills, and their position on them, on their website, at nasb.enviseams.com/legislative-bills.
Tobey Considering Means to Grow Leaders in the District, Gives Shout Out to Wrestlers
The District conducted interviews for the position of High School Principal recently, but received few applications that fully met the requirements of the job. Many of the applicants were classroom teachers, lacking experience in the administrative details that take up the majority of a principal’s time.
Looking to take this as an opportunity shape experience within the district, Tobey discussed with the board a plan to develop roles to groom individuals into leaders that might be able to take up the administrative position in the future.
Board President Tom Osmond viewed this plan favorably, noting that as college programs specifically designed to train administrative school staff are being eliminated, it is going to be important for schools to be “dynamic” in how they address the issue moving forward.
In District Accolades, Tobey thanked the Board members and school staff who assisted in making the recent District Wrestling meet a success. Tobey noted that the meet represented the largest number of people to gather at the school since the completion of building renovation. The updated space was credited for allowing the participants to spread out and not feel overly crowded during the long day of competition.
Looking ahead, Tobey indicated 4 girls and 4 boys from Broken Bow had advanced to the State Wrestling meets, which will take place Tuesday through Saturday in Lincoln.
Board Approves Resignations, New Hires
The School Board accepted the resignations of Band Director Nestor Paleo and Kindergarten Teacher Mallory Sekutera. Paleo is leaving to attend graduate school. A potential replacement for Paleo has already been identified, and the school is in the process of hiring. Sekutera is taking a new position in her hometown of Ravenna. Both resignations will take affect at the end of the school year.
The board approved the contract hiring Darla Steinbrink to teach high school science at the beginning of the school year next year. Steinbrink will take over full-time for Joey Hajda when he retires in January 2027.
The Board adjourned at 1:00 PM. The next regular session of the BBPS Board of Education will be March 16 at 6:00 PM in the BPPS District Conference Room.
Coming up next on the Schedule for the BBPS School Board is a Work Session on March 2. That meeting will work around an open house and ribbon cutting celebrating the completion of construction on the BBPS Middle School/High School Building.
The public is invited to tour the school building starting at 9:30 AM, with the ribbon cutting ceremony to take place in front of the new entrance on the south side of the building at 11:00.
