Superior principal elects to take early retirement

 

February 16, 2023



Monday evening the Superior Board of Education accepted the resignation of three certified staff members who applied for the voluntary early retirement program: Melody Rempe, kindergarten through twelfth grade art instructor; Ron Hershberger, high school science teacher and Bob Cook, secondary principal and activities director.

Rempe has taught in the district 43 years. Hershberg 32 or 33 years and Cook has been an Superior Public School administrator for the past 20 years and been part of education for 30 years.

Two other certified resignations were also accepted. One from Audry Arsenian, guidance counselor and Bailey Ellwanger, family consumer science instructor.

All members of the Superior Board of Education were present for the meeting. Members include Matt Sullivan, Matt Bargen, Peggy Meyers, Luke Meyer, Brad Biltoft and Krista Tatro.

January claims from the general budget in the amount of $582,261 were approved.


A job description for an activity director was approved and Steph Corman was offered the position. The position is a year around position and will oversee all activities, both athletic and academic. Supt. Kobza expects a full inventory will be completed and all budgets will be reviewed this summer. She is scheduled to begin May 1.

The board also approved the negotiated agreement with certified staff. A summary of the contract changes with certified employees are as follows:

• The base salary was raised $750 to $38,000. When the base salary is raised, all salaries raise as they are based on a percent of the base salary.


• A year of experience was added to the salary scale. Prior to the change there were 15 vertical salary steps based on tenure, now there are 16 steps. Horizontal steps are based on more education. Both increase the percentage of the base salary that a certified employee is paid.

• The district may offer a contract signing bonus of up to $3,000 to secure qualified individual for any open teaching position when such individual is not employeed by the district as a certified staff member in the preceding year.

An elementary principal’s contract was extended to Jodi Fierstein.

A two percent wage increase was approved for non-certified staff and a new policy was approved which lets extra duty and extended contract staff choose to either receive their pay check over a 9 month period or a 12 month period.


The 2023-24 school calendar was also approved. It allows for 185 staff days and 176 student days. School will start early in August this coming summer (Aug. 10 for students.) The following year it will start a week later, nearer the middle of August. One change is students will attend school on Good Friday, but will not have school the Monday after Easter. Supt. Kobza said, “Staff had requested Monday off after Easter, to have more travel time to return home after the Easter celebration.”

Graduation is scheduled for Saturday, May 4, 2024.

Jodi Fierstein, elementary principal, reported students had participated in the “Valentines for Veterans” project. Mrs. Casper directed the project. Valentines made by the students went to the veterans homes in both Kearney and Omaha and to local assisted living centers.


The midyear MAP testing results indicate 76 percent of kindergarten through fifth grade students are above their grade level in reading compared to the 70 percent this time last year; 80 percent are above their grade level in math compared to 73 percent a year ago; 75 percent of third through fifth grade students are above their grade level compared to 60 percent last year and 87 percent of third through fifth grade science students are above grade level compared to 78 percent last year.

Cook, secondary principal, reviewed enrollment. There are three less students currently enrolled than started the school year. This year’s senior class has 44 students. It is the largest class in the school. There are 24 juniors, 30 sophomores, 34 freshmen, 25 eighth grade students, 32 seventh grade and 30 in sixth grade. Obviously, enrollment is expected to drop in the next year.

Spring sports practice begins Monday, Feb. 27.

Supt. Kobza reviewed legislative bills being considered especially related to property tax and school finance. He encouraged school board members to remind their state representatives that they also are elected and know the voters. Kobza said. “The most significant political position with the most immediate impact is a school board member.”

The meeting opened with Andrew Miller thanking the board for their support of Red Caps and help with the Red Caps’ basketball tournament.

The public portion of the meeting lasted 50 minutes, then board adjourned into executive session to discuss personnel.

 

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