East Butler "Board Brief"

March 2023 School Board Meeting

East Butler "Board Brief"

The East Butler "Board Brief" is a monthly online publication that focuses on sharing the important highlights of the East Butler Public School's Board of Education meeting.
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Board of Education Meeting (3-8-2023)

Public Meeting Agenda

INFORMATIONAL ITEMS

Cognia Accreditation Visit

East Butler Public Schools, every five years, goes through an accreditation process, where outside educators, come into the school and observe the school in a variety of areas. Areas that they focus on are:

  • Culture of Learning
  • Leadership of Learning
  • Engagement of Learning
  • Growth in Learning


Throughout the review process, the external review team interviews a variety of stakeholders - parents, staff, students, school board, and administration. The team will then make recommendations based on that feedback.


The school administration shared the schedule for the school's site visit, which is scheduled for March 27-28, 2023.

Legislative Information

Superintendent Eldridge shared updates to current pending legislation. There are still many bills being debated in the legislature, some of which have not been advanced out of committee. The latest legislative update can be accessed via the link below.


LEGISLATIVE INFORMATION

Summer Projects

Superintendent Eldridge shared with the board summer projects that will be going on during the 2023 summer break. Many of which are part of the district's five-year facility plan. You can reference that plan in the link below


FIVE-YEAR FACILITY PLAN


SUMMER PROJECTS 2023


Phase III of our restroom renovations includes converting the two restrooms, in the Ag/Music Hallway, into a male and female coach's office. These spaces will also be able to be utilized by game officials/referees for changing purposes. (Currently, we do not have any designated space for this.)

East Butler Grading Scale

The East Butler administrative team shared information with the school board regarding the current grading scale for the district. It has been expressed by parents that the school's grade span for an "A" is more restrictive than many other schools and that this can have a detrimental impact on scholarship opportunities.


The Current East Butler grading scale is as follows:

94-100 (A)

86-93 (B)

78-85 (C)

70-77 (D)

Below 70 (F)


The proposed scale for discussion purposes would be:

93-100 (A)

85-92 (B)

77-84 (C)

70-76 (D)

Below 70 (F)


The board discussed the pros and cons of moving to this scale. If the board were to decide to move forward with the new scale, this would impact the graduating class of 2028 (next year's eighth)

ACTION ITEMS

Hires & Resignations

New Hire

Macy Due - K-6 Special Education Teacher - Brainard


Resignation

Molly Nelson - PreSchool Teacher Brainard.


MOTION PASSED: 6-0

Senior Class Trip

Representatives from the class of 2023, were present at the board meeting to request permission to have a senior class trip. The school board considered the 2023 senior class trip proposal to the Amazing Pizza Machine in Omaha to take place at the end of April.


Approved the 2023 senior class trip to the Amazing Pizza Machine in Omaha.


MOTION PASSED: 6-0

Property/Liability Insurance

The East Butler Public School board considered the proposal of property/liability insurance from ALICAP and First Nebraska Bank. The school's property/liability insurance covers everything within the school and the associated campus'.


ALICAP - $96,493.00


First Nebraska Bank Insurance (EMC Insurance & First Dakota Indemnity) - $126,059.00


Selected ALICAP as the property/liability insurance provider.


MOTION PASSED: 5-1

Mowing Bids

At the March board meeting each year, the East Butler school board reviews bids for mowing the district's grounds. In order to bid work, there are certain expectations that must be followed and included in the bid. The board received one bid for mowing:


Buresh Lawn Care Service - $475/mowing


Accepted the bid from Buresh Lawn Care Service


MOTION PASSED: 6-0

LANMAN Partnership Agreement

The East Butler School District contracts with ESU7 out of Columbus for a LANMAN (Technology Director). This is would be the fifth year that East Butler would be entering into this partnership.


The Annual Cost for four days of service - $99,450


Approved the LANMAN Partnership agreement for four days of service.


MOTION PASSED: 6-0

Elementary Math Curriculum

Mr. Biltoft shared with the school board the work that the elementary curriculum team had done to prepare for this curriculum recommendation. The team looked at multiple sets of curricula and visited multiple schools regarding these curriculum pieces. Based on that work the team recommended that the school adopt Math Expressions 2018.


Cost - $47,069.12


Superintendent Eldridge shared with the board that ESSER III funds will be used for this purchase.


Approved the purchase of the Math Expressions 2018 curriculum.


MOTION PASSED: 6-0

Apptegy

Apptegy is a company that provides marketing products for school districts in the form of websites, mass notifications, phone app creation, and social media posting. The school's current website is hosted through the company SOCS. Superintendent Eldridge shared with the board the options presented in the proposal


Total Cost - $13,816.50 (1st year costs)

Annual Cost - $7,316.50


Tabled this agenda item until next month, so as to collect more information.


MOTION TO TABLE TILL NEXT MONTH - PASSED: 4-2

PowerSchool

Superintendent Eldridge shared with the board that he has been researching ways to allow our district to become more efficient with their time as well as resources. Currently, the district uses multiple platforms that require the staff to have several different logins. Moving forward with this plan will allow our staff to have one single login for absent requests, clocking in, as well as their evaluations.


Unified Talent Smart Find Express (Substitute Teacher Finder) - $2,500.00

Unified Talent Perform District Danielson - $7,303.00

TimeClock Plus for Smart Find Express - $2,080.00


Annual Cost - $11,883.00


TOTAL COST (1st Year) - $25,860.55 (This includes the onboarding and training costs)


Approved the purchase of the above-mentioned items.


MOTION PASSED: 6-0

Upcoming Agenda Items

  • Grading Scale Discussion
  • NRCSA Conference Share-Out
  • Strategic Plan Summary Analysis
  • 9th Grade Laptop Purchase
  • Nebraska History Textbooks
  • Website Quote (Apptegy and others)

School Board Meeting

Wednesday, April 12th, 6:30pm

East Butler Public Schools, NE, USA

NE

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EAST BUTLER PUBLIC SCHOOLS

EAST BUTLER PUBLIC SCHOOLS

EAST BUTLER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
The East Butler Public School's Board of Education meets on the second Wednesday of every month in room 158 at the Brainard school building. Each meeting starts at 6:30 pm.
212 South Madison Street, Brainard, NE, USA meldridge@ebutler.esu7.org 402-545-2081 ebutlertigers.org
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