Bancroft community organization meeting tonight

Tonight at 7:00 pm there is a Community organization meeting at the Community Building. Members of the Young Women's Club have scheduled the meeting for anyone (male or female) interested in becoming part of a Community organization to carry on the activities of their club.

Quote from the Commissioner

“If life experiences can change poor kids for the worse, can’t life experiences also change them for the better”?(Eric Jensen, 2009).

This was a quote used at Commissioner Breed's speech to the ESU 2 School Board members Wednesday to illustrate the idea that instead of schools making excuses for why their students are not performing well, they should focus on what they are doing to improve performance.

In his book, Teaching with Poverty in Mind: What Being Poor Does to Kids’ Brains and What Schools Can Do About It, Jensen tells this story:

"A teacher asks students to write a theme about their dreams. Monty writes of being a ranch owner and horse trainer. Teacher gives Monty his theme back with an emphatic “F” and advises Monty to write about something he can actually achieve, and she will consider changing the “F” to a passing grade. Monty tells teacher to keep her “F” and he will keep his dream. Monty turns out to be the person we know today as the Horse Whisperer, Monty Roberts. Monty owns a huge thoroughbred ranch, has written five bestselling books, was focus of a major motion picture starring Robert Redford, and has trained horses for the Queen of England."

We may not have a Monty Roberts in our schools (and then again maybe we do), but we owe to our students to provide all of them with the skills they need to be successful at the next level, whatever that might be. Educator Ron Edmunds once said, "we can educate anyone whose education is important to us."

2011-12 School calendar

Here is the proposed 2011-12 school calendar. The School Board will act on the calendar at the March 7 school board meeting.

Changes from 2010-11. The teacher workday will be January 2 instead of in March.

Education Commissioner Breed on student attendance

Last night Educational Service Unit 2 hosted a school board dinner. The guest speaker was Education commissioner Roger Breed. The commissioner pointed out the need to improve student attendance. Last year (2009-2010) 21,964 students in Nebraska missed more than 20 days of school. That is 8.8% of the students. Of that number, 1513 of the students were in grades 1-2.

The Department of Education has the data to statistically analyze the effect of excessive absences on state assessments. The grade 11 students that missed less than 20 days averaged 102 on the state Reading assessment. Grade 11 students that missed more than 20 days averaged 72 on the Reading assessment. That information shows a clear relationship between attendance and reading scores.

The commissioner encouraged administrators and board members to be vigilant in their efforts to increase student attendance.

High school diploma needed for a permanent drivers license?

Yesterday Governor Heineman asked the group of rural school administrators and school board members how we felt about the idea of requiring a high school diploma before Nebraska residents could receive a permanent drivers license. Currently students are issued a provisional license which can become a permanent license if they can demonstrate that they can operate within the laws of Nebraska. People are looking at ways to increase the graduation rate of Nebraska schools and this was a suggestion given to the Governor.

This looks like a great incentive for students to finish high school. The lack of a good public transportation system in the state makes a drivers license a necessity in most communities. There are probably several unknown consequences that could result from such a law, but it is something that needs to be considered.

Health insurance rates increase 0% for next year

It is hard to believe, but it is true. The school health insurance premiums for employees will not increase next year. Here is part of the news release from the Educator Health alliance:

"There will be no increase in health insurance premium rates for groups and early retirees participating in the Educators Health Alliance (EHA) for the 2011-12 plan year, beginning September 1, 2011, according to EHA Board of Directors Chairman Dr. Dan E. Ernst.“This is great news for school districts and school employees across Nebraska,” said Ernst."

"Additionally, the EHA announced that the premium rates for the 2012-13 year, beginning September 1,2012, will be limited to an increase of no more than 4 percent from the current year rates."

This is good news for school budgets and taxpayers.

Graduation and Retention Rates of Nebraska Colleges

It is that time of year when high school seniors are making plans for next year. Here are the graduation rates and retentions rates for colleges in Nebraska.

Graduation rates for four year schools are based on the number of students that graduate within 6 years of enrollment.

Retention rates refer to the number of first year students that return for their second year.

BAHNER COLLEGE OF HAIRSTYLING FREMONT, NE
Graduation Rate: 78%
Retention Rate: 59%

BELLEVUE UNIVERSITY BELLEVUE, NE
Graduation Rate: 7%
Retention Rate: 28%

CAPITOL BEAUTY SCHOOL OMAHA, NE
Graduation Rate: 78%
Retention Rate: 100%

CENTRAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE- GRAND ISLAND, NE
Graduation Rate: 32%
Retention Rate: 65%

CHADRON STATE COLLEGE CHADRON, NE
Graduation Rate: 49%
Retention Rate: 64%

CLARKSON COLLEGE OMAHA, NE
Graduation Rate: 43%
Retention Rate: 66%

COLLEGE OF HAIR DESIGN LINCOLN, NE
Graduation Rate: 67%
Retention Rate: 95%

COLLEGE OF ST MARY OMAHA, NE
Graduation Rate: 62%
Retention Rate: 60%

CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY SEWARD, NE
Graduation Rate: 62%
Retention Rate: 81%

CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY OMAHA, NE
Graduation Rate: 76%
Retention Rate: 87%

DOANE COLLEGE CRETE, NE
Graduation Rate: 66%
Retention Rate: 74%

GRACE UNIVERSITY OMAHA
Graduation Rate: 45%
Retention Rate: 70%

HASTINGS COLLEGE
Graduation Rate: 64%
Retention Rate: 69%

JOSEPH'S COLLEGE OF BEAUTY/ALL CAMPUSES
Graduation Rate: 57%
Retention Rate: 59%

KAPLAN UNIVERSITY - LINCOLN
Graduation Rate: 32%
Retention Rate: 89%

KAPLAN UNIVERSITY - OMAHA
Graduation Rate: 19%
Retention Rate: 80%

LITTLE PRIEST TRIBAL COLLEGE WINNEBAGO, NE
Graduation Rate: 0%
Retention Rate: 29%

METROPOLITAN COMMUNITY COLLEGE OMAHA, NE
Graduation Rate: 14%
Retention Rate: 51%

MID-PLAINS COMM COLLEGE - NORTH PLATTE
Graduation Rate: 50%
Retention Rate: 52%

MIDLAND LUTHERAN COLLEGE FREMONT, NE
Graduation Rate: 55%
Retention Rate: 65%

NEBR METHODIST CLG OF NURS ALLD HLT OMAHA, NE
Graduation Rate: 72%
Retention Rate: 74%

NEBRASKA CHRISTIAN COLLEGE PAPILLION, NE
Graduation Rate: 36%
Retention Rate: 54%

NEBRASKA INDIAN COMMUNITY COLLEGE MACY, NE
Graduation Rate: 0%
Retention Rate: 27%

NEBRASKA WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY LINCOLN, NE
Graduation Rate: 65%
Retention Rate: 83%

NORTHEAST COMMUNITY COLLEGE NORFOLK, NE
Graduation Rate: 49%
Retention Rate: 68%

PERU STATE COLLEGE
Graduation Rate: 33%
Retention Rate: 64%

SOUTHEAST COMM. COLLEGE-ALL CAMPUSE
Graduation Rate: 34%
Retention Rate: 74%

UNION COLLEGE LINCOLN, NE
Graduation Rate: 53%
Retention Rate: 67%

UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA - CURTIS
Graduation Rate: 54%
Retention Rate: 46%

UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA AT KEARNEY
Graduation Rate: 59%
Retention Rate: 79%

UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA-LINCOLN
Graduation Rate: 64%
Retention Rate: 84%

UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA-OMAHA
Graduation Rate: 43%
Retention Rate: 69%

VATTEROTT COLLEGE OMAHA, NE
Graduation Rate: 50%
Retention Rate: 64%

WAYNE STATE COLLEGE WAYNE, NE
Graduation Rate: 48%
Retention Rate: 65%

WESTERN NEBRASKA COMMUNITY COLLEGE SCOTTSBLUFF, NE
Graduation Rate: 23%
Retention Rate: 49%

YORK COLLEGE YORK, NE
Graduation Rate: 47%
Retention Rate: 76%

Commission of Industrial Relations (CIR)

The Commission of Industrial Relations (CIR) is a Nebraska state agency designed to resolve public sector labor controversies with jurisdiction over state and local government employees.

The Bancroft-Rosalie School Board of Education passed a resolution at the February Board meeting urging the legislature to "produce a statutory solution to help minimize, reduce, or eliminate the influence of the CIR on the collective bargaining process of school employees. The board felt that in these tough economic times, the methods used to resolve contract disputes with public employees needs to take into account economic realities.

Currently, the CIR resolves disputes by looking at compensation of the teachers at the school district and comparing it to the compensation received by teachers at an array of similar schools. The school must provide compensation at or above the average of its "array". Which means that half of the schools will always be below the average, resulting in the need to raise their compensation which in turn raises the average. This guarantees a compensation increase every year.

The legislature is considering several bills that would impact the way the CIR works, including one to abolish the CIR altogether. It is likely that something will be done this spring.

Hunter Safety classes move to the school

The Bancroft-Rosalie School Board will allow Hunter Safety classes to be held in the school. A legal opinion from school attorney Kelley Baker said that the Gun Free Schools Act does allow for guns to be used for educational purposes. He recommended that the school and the instructors have a written agreement describing how the program will operate.

The school can provide instructors access to the technology they need to instruct the course. This technology is not available at the Fire Hall, thus the need to change the site.

The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission carries $1,000,000 of liability insurance on approved Hunter Education programs.

The Hunter Education Policy that has been developed is displayed to the left.

Teaching EMT classes to high school students?

As the number of EMT's declines in small towns,it raises the question of whether or not schools should be involved in training students as EMT's for their local rescue squads. This would require offering a year-long EMT class and having a certified instructor. Students would also have to pass the National Registry Exam to become a certified EMT.

This is one class that would provide tremendous benefits to the communities served by the school. It would also help prepare students for careers in health care.

Last year Bancroft-Rosalie School began offering a Health Science program. The courses offered are Intro to Health Sciences (first semester), Medical Terminology (second semester), and Basic Nurse Aide (second semester). The nurse aide class culminates with a certification test. Next year CNA class will be offered first semester and Medication Aide will be taught second semester. Currently there are 12 students signed up for these classes.

An EMT instructor class is offered by Northeast Community College over three week-ends in March and April. If there is enough student interest, maybe someone from the school could attend and become a certified EMT trainer.

School uniforms In Iowa

The Iowa State Board of Education recently rejected a dress code instituted by the Waterloo school board.

The state board said the rules went beyond the authority allowed by state law.
The state board’s lawyer said the board's decision was based on a law that allows schools to prohibit clothing but doesn’t let them require that students dress in a certain way.

Iowa lawmakers are considering a bill allowing schools to prescribe a standard dress or uniform if officials determine the policy would improve the health, safety or positive educational environment. School boards may currently establish a dress code that bans gang-related or other specified apparel if the board determines that the code is necessary for the health and safety of students and staff or for the appropriate discipline and operation of the school.

Twenty-two states have enacted legislation authorizing school districts to implement dress code and/or uniform policies. In states where no policy exists (including Nebraska), it can be assumed that districts can require dress codes and/or uniforms. Court rulings and attorney general opinions in an additional four states have upheld the right of districts and schools to set dress requirements.

No state requires students to wear uniforms.

One state, Massachusetts, prohibits the use of dress codes unless there are health or safety issues.

Traditionally uniforms have only been worn in private schools, but parents, teachers and school administrators around the country are incorporating uniforms into more and more public schools. School uniforms can remove visible economic differences between students as well as creating a more orderly learning environment. School uniforms can be convenient for parents, as they spare shopping time, and make mornings go more smoothly. But students want the freedom to express themselves through dress.

Will the desire for school uniforms eventually make its way across the Missouri into NNebraska.

Bancroft-Rosalie School Board meeting summary

Bancroft-Rosalie School news

The Bancroft-Rosalie Board of Education met Monday, February 14, 2011 at 7:30 pm in Bancroft. Superintendent Cerny presented the January transportation report and the legal opinion on teaching Hunter Safety in the school.

In old business the board approved the purchase of 50 Band uniform tops, capes and hats with boxes. The board also approved $800 from the activity fund to the Bancroft-Rosalie Education Association for student scholarships in appreciation for the staff taking tickets at home games.

In new business, the board reviewed curriculum, personnel needs, and buildings and grounds needs for 2011-12. The board adopted a resolution on the Court of Industrial Relations and Helping Local Boards. The seniors class request for an additional 15 hours on Sneak Trip was approved.

The board went into executive session to discuss administrator contracts and personnel. Following executive session, the board voted to offer contracts to the superintendent and principal.

Rosalie Gym vandalized

Sometime on Sunday February 13 someone broke open the kitchen window and entered the Rosalie gym. The vandals may have been in the gym for some time before exiting, leaving the side gym door wide open. The vandalism was discovered Monday morning.

If anyone knows anything about this incident, or saw anyone in the Rosalie gym Sunday, please contact Jon Cerny or Mike Sjuts at the Bancroft-Rosalie School office 402-648-3336.

This type of behavior cannot go unpunished.

School Safety Committee Minutes

Safety Committee Meeting Minutes
February 7, 2011
10:00 am


1. Roll Call- Cerny, Pagels, Wortman, B.Smith, Sjuts, Bray, Munderloh

2. Minutes of November 10, 2010 meeting were read.

3. Documentation- Blood exposure incident in elementary. Parents have been contacted.

4. New claims- None

5. Training- Safeschools training scheduled for January-March.

6. Safety inspections- Inspection report from 2/07/2011.
ALICAP visit February 10, 2011.

7. Accidents/Incidents- Two student incidents. One at recess and
one at PE II.

8. Safety issues: Discussed students in building during games.
Lock on handicapped restroom.
Exit door off of stage- Needs bar replaced.
Moving breakers to furnaces in Rosalie gym to the kitchen so they will not be accidentally shut off.

9. Other business: None

Bancroft Fire Department Awards Dinner

Saturday night Bancroft Fire and Rescue held their annual dinner and awards night. This year awards went to Paul Bonneau for 40 years of service and Arlan Petersen for 25 years of service. Both served as firemen and EMT's.

Paul received a watch and a glass plaque and Arlan received a clock.

State releases drop-out rates and graduation rates

The Bancroft-Rosalie graduation rate and drop-out rates for 2005-2009
B-R had a 0.69% drop-out rate and a 100% graduation rate for the most recent school year (2008-09).

Student Dropout Rate


Years State District

2005-2006 1.81% 0.00%
2006-2007 1.94% 0.00%
2007-2008 1.69% 0.00%
2008-2009 1.59% 0.69%


High School Graduation Rate


Years State District
2005-2006 88.76% 95.45%
2006-2007 89.17% 100.00%
2007-2008 89.74% 100.00%
2008-2009 89.85% 100.00%

Students improve scores in Reading and Math

The Winter MAP tests are completed in grades 7-12. 70 students improved their Math scores and 54 students improved their Reading scores. An order was placed for Ice Cream treats to reward the students for their efforts. I should have them by next Thursday.

Congratulations.

POETRY AND PROSE FROM A NATIVE PERSPECTIVE

Betterment meeting report

The Bancroft Betterment meeting was held yesterday at 5:15 pm in the Country Pub. Guest speaker was Pam Thomsen from Three Rivers Housing. She discussed five housing programs that Bancroft may be interested. Three of the programs are available to residents of Bancroft right now.

1. Home purchase/rehab/resale program for first time home buyers- Qualified applicants (based on income) will be eligible for up to $10,000 in down payment and closing cost assistance. The assistance is in the form of a grant that is forgiven by 10% each year of ownership. The first time buyer can also qualify for up to $10,000 for repairs and rehabilitation in the form of a loan at 0% interest. The loan does not need to be repaid until the home is sold or the owner is no longer the primary resident. This program is available through three Rivers Housing.

2.Owner occupied rehabilitation. The owner can obtain funds to repair or rehabilitate their home. This program is available through the Northeast Development District.

3. New home construction. A contractor can get a no interest loan of up to $100,000 to construct a home. It is recommended that the home be built with a particular buyer in mind. Potential funding will be provided through either development subsidy,down payment assistance, or a combination of both not to exceed $75,000. The loan will be used towards the down payment of one housing unit and associated closing costs. The applicant is required to provide $1,000 to cover a portion of the required closing fees and prepaid escrow accounts. NED, Inc. will charge a $500 closing fee which can be used
toward the $1,000 requirement.

There are two possible projects that Three rivers could assist with- Elderly housing units or Affordable Housing Units. The type of project Bancroft could pursue will depend on the results of the Housing survey that will be done later this year.

Reports:
School- An application for the Backpack program has been submitted. This would provide up to 20 students with backpacks of food over the weekend.
Cuming County Economic Development- Mr. Clark discussed the business training workshop that is being offered in the county and new businesses that have started. Two residents of Bancroft will be asked to attend a meeting to organize a Cuming County Foundation.
Neihardt Center- Author Allison Hedge-Coke on February 20.
Recycling- Received $68.75 from the Fall Green Fiber Drive. It is recommended that the money be used for incentives to turn in Housing Surveys.
Community Theater- Danny Bridges has volunteered to direct the next production. A date will be discussed.
It was also mentioned that members of the community were organizing a community club to carry on the work of the Young Women's Club and the Q-125 committee.

Deb Bonsall has volunteered to chair the Food Pantry Committee. Amber Bridges and Jon Bailey have volunteered to serve on the committee. Deb will present the program at the March Betterment meeting. The committee is looking for a place in town to store and distribute the food.

The next meeting will be March 8 at 5:15 pm at the Country Pub.

B-R students win Bein' Green contest

Nebraska Public Power held a contest to see which students could come up with the best video to promote "Being Green."Bancroft-Rosalie students Matt Stansberry, Alex Sjuts and Matthew Wegner won the Class D competition for the Most Popular video based on number of U-tube hits it received. The group of Carly Tietz, Jade Farmer, and Tracey Neumann received honorable mention.

Math Testing today

The Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) Test is being given to all 7-12 students today. Student scores can be compared to the September test score to see the progress in math scores since school began.

The Reading test was given two weeks ago. Students write down their scores on cards so they can chart their own progress.

Bancroft Betterment agenda Feb. 8 5:15 pm

Here is the agenda for Tuesday's Betterment meeting. Community Housing is the topic for the meeting with Pam Thomsen from Three Rivers Housing as guest speaker. Anyone interested in improving housing in Bancroft is invited to attend.

Bancroft Betterment Monthly Meeting Agenda
February 8, 2011
5:15 pm at the Country Pub

Call to order.

No Host this month

Guest Speaker- Pam Thomsen, Three rivers Housing

Read and approve minutes of January 2011 meeting

Reports
1. School
2. Village
3. Cuming County Economic Development
4. Neihardt Center
5. Recycling
6. Community Theater

Old Business
1. Food Pantry
2.

New Business
1.
2.

Public comments


Next meeting March 1, 5:15 pm at Country Pub.

Meeting adjourned

Possible changes in school nutrition requirements

The following e-mail information was received from the USDA.

USDA published a proposed rule on January 13, 2011 to update the nutrition standards for meals served through the National School Lunch and Breakfast programs. The new proposed meal requirements will raise standards for the first time in fifteen years and will make critical changes to school meals and help improve the health and nutrition of nearly 32 million kids that participate in school meal programs every school day, an important component of First Lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move! Initiative to solve the challenge of childhood obesity within a generation.

The proposed changes to school meal standards, which would add more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fat-free and low-fat milk to school meals, are based on recommendations released in October 2009 by the National Academies' Institute of Medicine (IOM) and presented in their report, School Meals: Building Blocks for Healthy Children. Schools would also be required to limit the levels of saturated fat, sodium, calories, and trans fats in meals.

I hope that reducing calories does not mean smaller portions. Many older students feel that are not getting enough on their tray as it is. And will ketchup count as a vegetable serving?

NSAA enrollment figures for 2011-12

Here are the enrollment figures approved by the Nebraska School Activities Association for activity classification for the 2011-12 school year.

It looks like Bancroft-Rosalie School will be D-1 for most activities again next year.

Positive Behavior Support Program

Yesterday I attended the Administrator Academy for the Positive Behavior Support (PBS) program. The reason I am interested in the PBS program is to add the third component of a Response To Intervention (RTI) system. RTI is an approach to dealing with students that have difficulties in school by providing interventions before identifying and placing them in special education. The three main RTI components are reading (we have a good system in place), Math (our system is in the implementation phase), and Behavior. I like the PBS behavior program because it has the best scientific research base supporting it.

The first phase of the PBS program involves getting a school-wide behavior system in place. This includes:
1. A common purpose and approach to discipline
2. A clear set of positive expectations and behaviors
3. Procedures for teaching expected behavior
4. procedures for systematic supervision
5. A continuum of procedures for encouraging expected behavior and discouraging inappropriate behavior
6. Procedures for data collecting and correcting behavior.

Phase II involves classroom rules and expectations and phase III involves addressing individual student behaviors.

Before a school can apply for PBS, there are several steps that must be completed. Attending the Academy was step 1. The others steps are:
2. The Principal must agree to support and participate in all PBS activities
3. School wide discipline must be one of the top three school improvement goals
4. The Principal must agree to use SWIS for data collection of behavior at the school
5. 80% of the staff must commit to the Program
6. A 6 member team must agree to attend PBS I training 3 days this summer
7. The team must commit to meet once a month to look at data

The application deadline is May 2.

I will be providing information to the staff on PBS in the upcoming months to gauge interest in the program.

Teachers packing guns at school?

A bill sponsored by State Senator Christensen would allow teachers to carry fireamrs at school. According to an article in the Lincoln Journal, Kenneth S. Trump, one of the nation's foremost experts on school security, says on his company's website that his opposition to arming teachers and school staff focuses on implementation issues, rather than political statements and beliefs about the right to bear arms.

"School districts considering arming teachers and school staff with guns would take on significant responsibility and potential liabilities that I firmly believe are beyond the expertise, knowledge-base, experience and professional capabilities of most school boards and administrators," Trump said.

I have no interest in carrying a gun in school and I do not want the responsibility of overseeing a policy that allows loaded firearms in a school building.

Conference Basketball Tournament Update

The conference basketball games Wednesday are postponed. The Boys first round games will be played Thursday night. Bancroft-Rosalie will play in Bancroft against Walthill. The first game will be Emerson-Hubbard and Hartington.

Second round games will be played Saturday night at Ponca, Semi-finals on Monday and the Finals on Wednesday night at Laurel.

School closed Wednesday

No school Wednesday due to the predicted high winds and low temperatures.

The conference tournament games may still be played. Check for an update Wednesday at noon.

Updated Conference Basketball Schedule

Boys games are scheduled for Wednesday night. At Bancroft, 6:00 Hartington vs. Emerson-Hubbard and at 7:45 pm Bancroft-Rosalie vs. Walthill.

Second round boys games will be Friday night and the semifinals will be Saturday night.

Girls games will be Thursday night. The consolation girls games have been canceled, so B-R will not be playing again in the tournament. Semi-finals will be Saturday afternoon.