Peggy Meyer to lead Superior Schools Board

Peggy Meyer was elected president and Luke Meyers, vice-president, Monday evening when the Superior Board of Education reorganized. Brad Biltoft will continue as secretary. As usual, the board met in the secondary library, however, the room was cool and all wore coats. Day time high was around zero Monday.

Meyer announce the budget and finance board will be composed of members of the executive board, otherwise committee members will remain much the same unless individual board members request a change.

Kim Williams was appointed treasurer and both she and Supt. Whetzal were approved to sign checks. Depositories remained unchanged. KSB School Law will continue as the school’s law firm.

The board of education approved December claims of $643,319.60. In addition, they approved the final construction bill owed to Ferris Construction of $58,257. They also approved $62,259.87 from the depreciation fund for services provided in 2022-23 to Rutt for general maintenance on the heating and air system. Rutt had submitted the bill electronically via a billing agency that the school’s computer filter system did not recognize. The disturbing question asked by administration is why the company did not call when the school did not pay they bill.

There was a general consensus that school personnel and local entities will maintain the heating and air conditioning system this coming year.

A certified contract was extended to Megan Pahl to teach in the elementary school for 2024-25.

Cletus Corman, business teacher, reported on the hunter safety firearms and bow section he had instructed. First semester 13, seventh grade students were involved during the six week instructional period. Since Cletus was not certified to teach the session, an approved on-line course was used which cost $30 per student. The local chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation paid for the $390 so each student could take the course for free. It included a two hour hands on hunt safe session. Cletus has completed the course work needed to be a certified instructor. He plans to offer it to all seventh grade students in the future. Students must be 11 years -old to take the class.

When a student successfully completes the hunter safety session they receive a certificate good for life. The life long certificate is reciprocated in all states and some foreign countries. It is required for hunting license in Nebraska. Corman said, “For many of the students it is a step toward adulthood.”

Stephanie Corman, athletic director, reviewed shot clock pricing. After talking to several surrounding school districts, she has concluded it will cost Superior $10,000 per gymnasium for shot clocks. They will be required for basketball competition after December 2024. All C1, C2 and D2 schools are now required to have shot clocks.

Superior will be a class C-2-5 school next year. Other schools in the district will be Doniphan-Trumbull, Fillmore Central, Gibbon, Hastings – St. Cecilia and Wood River.

Stephanie said, “There has been a push for some time to level the competitive playing field and for parochial schools to compete among themselves.”

The Nebraska School Athletic Association has formed a classification and competitive balance committee to address the concern.

She also reported schools will be responsible to completing their own background checks for all coaches and for deciding what training they must have completed before being allowed to coach. For example, training in heat illness, first aide and CPR is currently required.

Nebraska has divided the state into four regions for volleyball and basketball sub-district playoffs. The highest seeded team is to host the game.

Girls wrestling has been divided into Class A and Class B. The largest 56 schools in Nebraska will be Class A and the rest will be Class B.

Supt. Whetzal reported the school owns 68 large wooded tables, many of which are stored in the hallway. By consensus, the board suggested offering them to the public for a donation to the school foundation or to Red Caps and that only 20 tables to kept to be used with the 28 new plastic tables which have recently been purchased.

Supt. Whetzal reported the school food service program has taken off and is doing better financially. He also said, overall expenditure are down approximately $15,000 from the same time last year.

He distributed a library requisition policy for the board to review. The policy is not required and discussion indicated board members would prefer a shorter version which perhaps might become a directive instead of a policy.

Supt. Whetzal requested permission to take a student group to the recently purchased day care building to complete an inventory. A 501-3c classification must be obtained before a director can be hired to operate the day care.

Jodi Fierstein reported that elementary enrollment had been stable. Class size is as follows: pre-k – 35, kindergarten – 29, first grade – 30, second grade, 32, third and fourth grade each 28, and fifth grade 25 for a total enrollment of 207.

The board entered into an executive session to discuss personnel at 8:33 p.m.