5-School Committe Meeting #5
5-School Committee Meeting #5
Plainview Public School - High School Media Center
July 23, 2014
Welcome – Mr. Alt welcomed the committee members to Plainview. An agenda for the committee meeting was available on the tables.
Following his welcome, Mr. Alt informed the media representatives from the Norfolk Daily News and the Plainview News that one of the discussion items for the evening’s meeting was to allow the public to attend future 5-school committee meetings. Mr. Alt then explained that, based upon the evening’s discussions, each of the individual boards would have an opportunity to discuss the matter prior to the next 5-school committee meeting and determine how these meetings would be handled in the future. However, for the evening’s meeting no change was approved and, therefore, they would need to leave the meeting. Both media representatives expressed a desire to have it on record that they were present at the beginning of the meeting.
The committee then discussed allowing the public to attend future meetings of the 5-school committee. Following discussion it was the general consensus of the committee members that, in an effort to improve transparency, the public could be allowed to attend future meetings. Each individual board will discuss this issue at their next regular meeting and determine how they would like to see the issue be dealt with.
The next agenda item was a survey of district patrons. Discussion included using a common set of questions for all districts with an opportunity for an individual district to tailor some questions to their specific needs, what type of questions should be asked, boards having an opportunity to review the survey before it is distributed, and possibly having a person trained in surveying techniques, etc. assist in the survey process.
At the last regular meeting of the boards, each board designated committee members for the following committees: curriculum/instruction, legal, architecture, investigative and economic/labor. Each superintendent had provided Mr. Alt with a list of their respective committee members. Mr. Alt handed out a member list for each committee and asked that committee members provide telephone numbers and email addresses as they felt comfortable with providing. These sub-committees will report to the 5-school committee and to their respective individual boards.
Cory Epler, from the Nebraska Department of Education, spoke to the committee about career and technical education. He spoke briefly about the ReVISION grant that each of the five districts have applied for and how that grant could benefit the schools not only financially, but also by aligning the schools’ curriculums with local job needs. He also provided committee members with copies of information on rural populations, a Nebraska Economic Industry Report and an All Career Clusters Report. He shared with the group information on the latest economic projections and work forces.
Mary Honke, from Northeast Community College, talked to the group about programs that NECC offers and how NECC could assist in making these programs available to students.
Mr. Alt handed out a sheet that listed some of the pros of both 9-12 and 7-12 formats for grade configurations. Discussion pertaining to this agenda item centered on transportation issues, students being able to participate in all activities, utilizing a junior high format and then transitioning the junior high into the 9-12 facility, travel time for teachers in a 9-12 format because of junior high vocational and career classes, and school counselor needs to effectively serve students in a 7-12 format. It was suggested that the 7-12 and 9-12 formats be discussed by the individual boards during their next regular meetings.
A short discussion was held about a “vote of the people” versus a “vote of the boards.” Additional information needs to be obtained through the advice of legal counsel to specify voting options and language of such options.
The holding of a joint meeting of the entire boards of all five districts was discussed. Possible target dates for the meeting would be in October or November – possibly between the fall and winter sports seasons.
August 27th was suggested as a tentative date for the next 5-school committee meeting.
The five sub-committees met briefly to “get to know each other” and to appoint co-chairpersons, if deemed practical at the time.