The Falls City Public Schools held its regular monthly board meeting on Monday, April 8, 2024. Here are the highlights of the meeting.

Nebraska State Speech Qualifier Gunner Lippold - Demonstrating his talent for public speaking, Gunner Lippold earned a selection in the NSAA State Speech Championships 2024 Class C1 Oral Interpretation, Oral Interpretation Humorous Prose in March 2024. Lippold's qualification for the Nebraska State Speech Championships is a credit to his hard work and persistence, having shown dedication and talent. In addition to highlighting Lippold's individual accomplishment, and his trip to the State Championships, he also performed his humorous speech for the BOE and audience.

Education Committee has advanced LB 1331 - The Legislature advanced LB1331 Wednesday intended to drive down property taxes by doubling the amount of state aid going to schools, boosting foundation aid from $1,500 per student to $3,000. The end result would be more state aid to public schools but not a new investment in education. With the increase in foundation aid allocated per student, it is not responsive to the differing needs of students and districts. The bill's advancement cannot pass without a companion bill to raise state revenue. The amendment to fund LB388 would have increased the state sales and other taxes and imposed additional property tax revenue caps on city and county governments. Lawmakers did however advance LB388 without the amendment. Because of revenue caps on schools, the resulting increase in state aid would drive down school property taxes.

The Legislature’s agenda for Day 57, Tuesday, April 9th, includes a host of second-round measures, including two education-related package bills (LBs 1329 and 1284).  It also includes a revisit on the issue of public funds for private schools (LB 1402). LB 1329 includes changes relating to (i) handguns and firearms in school environments; (ii) classification of school districts (iii) excessive absenteeism, (iv) the enrollment option program, (v) educational certificates, permits, and endorsements, (vi) grants relating to school mapping data, (vii) debt collection activities, and (viii) the use of maps for schools. LB 1284 includes changes to (i) teacher incentive programs, (ii) a pilot program to distribute menstrual products in schools, (iii) a Dyslexia Research Grant Program, (iv) a professional learning system relating to instruction in reading, (v) a statewide computer science education expansion program, (vi) provisions relating to school psychologists, and (vii) certain scholarship programs.

The District 56 Board of Education acted on several items before concluding the regular meeting.

1.     Approved the final reading on Policy Reviews and Revisions: 1) 2320 Negotiations; 2) 4266 Data Breach Response; 3) 4281 Strength and Conditioning Facility Usage After Regular School Hours; 4) 4290 Activities Program; 5) 7120 Dispensation of Medicine

2.     Approved Resignation Effective at the End of the 2023-2024 School Year: 1) Caitlin Shafer, Elementary Teacher

3.     Approved the Certified Employment Contracts for 2024-2025: 1) Ashleigh Eickhoff, Secondary School Counselor; 2) Kylie Whitney, Special Education Coordinator; 3) Emma Shubert, Elementary Special Education Teacher

4.     Approved the K-12 Math Curriculum Purchase for enVision Math K-5 and HMH Math 6th grade through Algebra II.

5.     Approved the Technology Replacement Proposal

6.     Approved Facility Improvement Projects for 2024

7.     Approved a 25 cent Increase for School Meals in 2024-2025

8.     Authorized the Superintendent to renew a $500,000 Special Building Fund CD

            The next regular monthly Board of Education meeting is scheduled for May 13, 2024 at 7:00 P.M. in the Central Office in Falls City Middle School. Regular and special meeting agendas are kept in the Office of the Superintendent, Tim Heckenlively.

District policy is that no person shall be subject to discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age or handicap in admission or access to, or treatment or employment in its programs and activities and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups.