The Broken Bow Board of Education met in Regular Session on Monday evening, June 15. Board Member JD White was the loan absence when Board President Tom Osmond called the meeting to order at 6:00 PM. The BBPS School Board meets in the District Conference Room at the BBPS Middle School – High School.
Financial Report Occupies School Board Members
With school out of session, the Monday meeting was taken up mostly with a discussion of the financial report. Board Treasurer Jennifer Jackson noted an income in the last month of $3.2 Million versus expenses of $1.1 Million. However, there were some charges that stood out to Jackson as higher than expected.
Asked about travel expenses, Superintendent Darren Tobey stated several groups of teachers were traveling for professional learning opportunities. Additionally, $27,000 had been spent on painting, roof work and similar facility expenses. Newly-installed windows completed a 10-year replacement cycle in the BBPS Middle School – High School building. Tobey indicated the original part of North Park Elementary building would be next up for window replacement.
Pam Holcomb noted the billed costs for new and replacement laptops were higher what was approved in the quotes from the April 20 School Board Meeting, with student Chromebooks coming in at $68,055, as opposed to the original $56,355. Staff computers were also purchased at a cost of $30,475. Tobey stated the prices were adjusted from the original quotes seen by the Board, which had an expiration date of March 27. A third charge of $15,240 from technology provider Bytespeed was for desktop computers used in the school’s drafting classes.
Holcomb also asked about an expense paid to the Nebraska State Treasurer labeled “unclaimed property”. Business Manager Kay Einspahr told the group that this was for un-cashed checks that are required to be turned over to the State, which would in turn hold the funds as unclaimed property.
Notes from the Superintendent
In District Accolades, Tobey noted that Business Instructor Angie Palmer had been recently recognized as the Nebraska Career and Technical Education (CTE) Teacher of the Year. Students Oliva Neely and Izabelle Tibs played in the All-Star Volleyball Classic tournament, while Dominic Nowak and Charlie Myers competed in an all-star basketball game.
Tobey also provide the board with brief comments regarding additional classes that would be on-tap in the coming school year, which will have a slightly earlier start and end time from last year (8:04 AM – 3:46 PM). Website updates and a new mobile application for accessing school-related information are also planned to launch soon.
Finally, the board approved the resignation Middle School – High School Language Arts Instructor Aurora Gonzales. Tobey noted a replacement for Gonzales had already been hired to be in place at the beginning of the school year.
The Broken Bow Board of Education adjourned at 6:35 PM. The next meetings of the School Board will be a busy Working Meeting on Monday, July 6 at noon. The board expects to begin review of new policies and fees for the upcoming school year at that meeting. The next Regular Session of the Broken Bow Board of Education is scheduled for July 20 at 6:00 PM.
