Prposed General Fund Budget for 2014-15

Building Construction class working on Panther Pad Student Center

The Construction students have been working on repairing and replacing the flooring at the new Student Center located in the old Country Pub building. Work is progressing in spite of the 50 minute class period they have to work in. The goal is to have the flooring can be completed and new carpet on the south side by mid-September. Then new paint and ceiling tiles should complete most of the remodeling on that side.

Nebraska Department of Education - NEARLY THREE OF EVERY FOUR NEBRASKA STUDENTS MEET STATE READING, MATH, SCIENCE STANDARDS

Nebraska Department of Education Press Release



Nearly three of every four Nebraska public school students met state reading, mathematics and science standards in 2013-14, according to test results released today.

The 2014 state test results showed that 77 percent of the students met or exceeded state reading standards, 71 percent and 72 percent met or exceeded math and science standards, respectively.

Trend data showed state test scores have improved incrementally since testing began five years ago in reading. The percentage of students proficient in reading and mathematics has improved 8 percent and 5 percent more students are now proficient in science than three years ago.

“I applaud Nebraska students and their teachers whose hard work shows in the improvement of state test results,” said Education Commissioner Matt Blomstedt.  “Our students are making progress, and we attribute that to Nebraska teachers who have a long history of helping their students meet the state’s learning expectations. Continuous improvement of our schools and strong support for our educators will continue to benefit students.”

Public school students also were tested in writing with 69 percent of the 4th graders scoring proficient. Fourth graders took their writing tests using paper/pencil. While 8th and 11th graders also were tested, those results are not available because some students in some schools experienced technical issues when taking their tests online. Those technical issues created concern about the validity of the results.

Property Tax Request for 2014-15

The school tax levy for next year will decrease from 0.9596 to 0.7343.

Neilsen Foundation awards $12,500 grant to B-R Music

B-R Music Director Viktor Sundleaf was awarded a $12,500 grant from the Neilsen Foundation for new band instruments. The instruments will be for low income students whose families cannot afford an instrument, but want to be in the band. The band numbers have continually increased over the past three years and the band put on great performances at the Burt County and Thurston County Fair parades.

Enrollment Numbers

Bancroft-Rosalie enrollment numbers 12- 15 11- 17 10- 17 9- 21 8- 20 7- 21 6- 22 5- 13 4- 27 3- 22 2- 14 1- 21 K- 15 Pre- 16 am / 16 pm

ALS Ice Bucket Challenge

These guys are looking way to happy about this. Check facebook for the longer version.

Bus schedule changes

The number of students riding the bus before and after school is to the point that we need to run two buses. Morning- Students will load in the order they arrive. The first bus will leave for Bancroft when 27 students are on board. The second bus will leave at the regular time. After school- Elementary students will load on the first bus and will leave when elementary students are finished loading. The second bus will carry grades 7-12 and will leave at the regular time. There will still be a 4:15 van from Bancroft to Rosalie and a 6:30 bus route from Bancroft to Rosalie.

District Property Valuation up 25.9%

District valuations took a big jump again this year. This makes it likely that our school will not be receiving any state equalization aid next year.

Biz Buzz 10:00 am at Gralheer's Insurance

School Year begins - Slide is ready

Reading news from Australia

Bancroft-Rosalie is a Phonics Based reading school, as opposed to a Whole Language/Guided Reading school.
I am attaching a news article from Australia (Sydney Daily Telegraph) reporting on Reading instruction in Australia. 

STUDENT teachers will be forced to learn the phonics method of teaching children how to read as the state government moves to override university programs.
In a move set to trigger a showdown between the government and the State’s universities, the Board of Studies and Educational Standards NSW has declared it will strip institutions of accreditation unless teaching courses return to the more traditional literacy learning method.
Phonics involves children being taught to read by sounding out letters in words.
The system was sidelined in the 1980s by a more whole-language, word recognition approach, which continues to be taught as part of Bachelor of Education courses.
However, State Education Minister Adrian Piccoli said paying lip service to the method was no longer good enough.
“Some unis are just paying lip service while others are doing it thoroughly,” he said. “It will become a requirement they teach phonics and we are going to enforce it.
“It is a must do, not a might do.”
The edict follows an audit of universities that found many Bachelor of Education programs adopted a holistic, word recognition-based approach in teaching children how to read.
The approach has been described by some education bureaucrats as a legacy from the 1970s with teaching students from that era taking the more free-spirited approach into the classroom.
However, the majority of State schools require teachers to have students sound out words as one of the key methods used in the classroom.
The move by the State Government to force universities to place a greater emphasis on the teaching of phonics follows the results of a recent school survey which found thousands of primary school students recorded stunning improvements in literacy after using a cutting-edge phonics-based program.
BOSTES president Tom Alegounarias said the phonics approach to teaching reading had been demonstrated to work effectively.
However, he acknowledged the strong opposition to the approach among some academics and teachers.
“The fact is it works and it is the approach adopted in our schools,” Mr Alegounarias said.
“Should the universities ignore it, they will face losing their accreditation.
“The accreditation allow students to go from university to teaching positions in our schools.”
Learning support teacher Jill Ryman said she had been successfully teaching children from Kindergarten to Year 6 how to read via a phonics-based approach for the past 20 years.
Ms Ryman, who teaches at William Clarke College in Kellyville, said she had been handed children in Year 5 who had come from other schools where other methods had been taught with serious reading difficulties.
She said allowing children to sound out words dramatically improved their reading abilities.
“The people against it think the children miss out but we include books where they can sound out words and those with more difficult words which we read and talk about,” Ms Ryman said.
“The children are restricted to Dick and Jane-type boring books.
“We screen all our kindy kids and pull out those who aren’t quite there. The key to learning to read is to intervene early and that’s what we do.”
The Board will meet with the universities to discuss its decision to determine the way forward.

Bancroft-Rosalie School Board meeting summary

The Bancroft-Rosalie Board of Education met Monday, August 11, 2014 at 7:30 pm in Bancroft.

Superintendent Cerny presented the July transportation report, library report, and the Data Dashboard Pilot School program.

In old business final approval was given to board policy 0444.4 Use of Physical Restraint/Seclusion Techniques. Seven staff members have been certified in Crisis Prevention Intervention techniques.

In new business Marjorie Vogt voiced a concern about trash being thrown in the school parking lot. Nikki Peirce gave a report on the Teammates program and is looking for more adult mentors for Bancroft-Rosalie students. The board reviewed the 2014-15 budget and set the substitute teacher rate at $110, and kept the same activity admission rates.  

The board approved the 2014-15 handbooks; accepted the bid form Magnum Builders to repair the roof of the Rosalie gym; and approved the hiring of Virginia Frisch as a paraprofessional.

Dropping off and Picking up students before/after school

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Dropping off and picking up students at school.

All students must enter the school through the Main doors on the west side of the building.

The morning bus route will be parked and unloaded in the south parking lot where the green footprints are on the map below.

Students can be dropped off and picked up in the south parking lot. When you line up after school to pick up students, leave enough room on the west end of the parking lot for a passing lane. We will try to have this marked in some way the first day of school.

The afterschool bus will load in front of the school in the same place it has in the past. This will decrease any congestion in the south lot when parents are picking up their students after school.

If you want to enter the school with your students, you can park in front of the school in the old bus drop off area for a short period of time.

Bancroft-Rosalie School Board Meeting Agenda

August Bancroft Community Calendar

Bancroft-Rosalie School receives $10,000 Monsanto grant

From Monsanto- "Hello, 2014 America’s Farmers Grow Rural Education winning school districts! Congratulations on your grant! It is our pleasure to work with you as you implement your projects to improve math and/or science education for your students. We know that by working together we can make a positive impact on students across rural America!" Bancroft-rosalie Comm Schools Cuming County Bancroft, NE Discovery Education Elementary Science Program $10,000 Funds will be used to purchase 20 IPads for use in elementary science education

Volleyball and Softball Sub Districts

Volleyball Subdistrict D2-3: Schools Assigned: Bancroft-Rosalie Lyons-Decatur Northeast Wausa Winside Wynot Subdistrict D2-4: Schools Assigned: Elkhorn Valley Ewing Santee Stuart Softball District B-4: Dates: Oct 9, Oct 10, 2014 Site: Wisner River Park Host School: Wisner-Pilger Director: Chuck Ross Schools Assigned: Blair DC West/Concordia David City/East Butler Madison/Humphrey/Lindsay O'Neill Schuyler Wisner-Pilger

Spiral Notebooks

The shipment of 3000 spiral notebooks for students was picked up yesterday. Must be time for school to start. This should be enough to get us through the year.

Looking for hosts for international students

There are several wonderful international students who would love to study in Nebraska this fall - but they need to find a family who can host them.

Exchange organizations are really trying to make Nebraska stand out as an opportunity for foreign exchange students. Away from their families, in large cities they might fall in with other folks who speak their own language. In Nebraska, exchange students are forced to really immerse themselves in American culture.

Having more international students in our schools helps our own Nebraskan students as well, exposing our kids to more and varied cultures than they would otherwise be around. It's an important part of a young person's education.

If you are interested in hosting an exchange student, please contact the Bancroft-Rosalie school office and we can put you in touch with the appropriate person.

Bancroft residents to vote on 0.5% sales tax increase and Economic Development Plan in November

Bancroft-Rosalie receives College Access Grant

Education Quest has approved Bancroft-Rosalie for a College Access grant. The grant will provide $2500 each year for four years. The funds will be used to pay student ACT fees and transportation and meals for students to visit college campuses.

The grants funds are to help Bancroft-Rosalie School increase the college going rate of graduating seniors to 80% by 2018.

In 2014-15, grant funds will pay ACT fees for the first time a student takes the ACT test. Campus visits have been planned for sophomores to Wayne State College October 14, Juniors to visit Morningside or Midland October 1, and Freshmen will visit Northeast Community College (date To Be Announced). Interested students will also be transported to visit the Nebraska Indian Community College or Little Priest College.

Other activities will include: Fall and Spring ACT testing at Bancroft-Rosalie School during the school day September 30 and April 28; Cuming County Education Night Wednesday August 27; Financial Aid presentation November 20; FAFSA Help nights; Freshman and Sophomore College and Career Night; requirement that students complete a scholarship search and complete applications to three colleges; and enrolling students in dual credit classes with the understanding that all students shall complete a dual credit class prior to graduation.