$112,867 in stimulus funds for B-R

Bancroft-Rosalie School was granted $112,867 in stimulus funds for 2009. The Title I remedial program will get $33,739 and Special Education will get the remaining $79,128. The stimulus funds are being put to use right away for the following purposes:
Staff development and teacher support in Reading and Math $49,500
Math curriculum materials $5050
Laptop computers for special education $9,564
Reading and math assessments $2189
Special education room improvements $5100
Preschool playground equipment and improvements $20,164
Purchase of interactive whiteboards (Smartboards) $7300
One classroom paraprofessional $14,000

L.J. Dunn hired as B-R custodian

L.J. Dunn was hired as custodian and bus driver. L.J. is a 2005 graduate of Bancroft-Rosalie School. He was previously employed at Mill Road Truck Stop in West Point. L.J. will begin at B-R the week of August 10th.

B-R receives grant

Nebraska Senator Ben Nelson welcomed an announcement by the U.S. Department of Agriculture that Nebraska will receive $147,800 to start or expand rural businesses and to fund employment-related education programs. Bancroft-Rosalie School will receive $7,000 for the purchase of a wind turbine.
Hopefully, the turbine will be up and running this fall.

Volleyball Districts

Volleyball sub-district assignments have been released. Bancroft-Rosalie will compete in class C-2 subdistrict 5. The sub-district tournament will be held Nov 2 and Nov 3 at Wayne High School. The five teams are Bancroft-Rosalie, Homer, Ponca, Wakefield and Winnebago. The teams in the other side of the district are Creighton, Hartington Cedar Catholic, Laurel-Concord, Plainview and West Holt.

President Obama's Education Initiative- "Race To The Top"

The President has released information on Race To The Top. For states to qualify for some of the $4.35 Billion dollars in funds they have to agree to reform efforts in four areas:
1- Adopting internationally benchmarked standards and assessments that prepare students for success in college and the workplace;
2- Recruiting, developing, rewarding, and retaining effective teachers and principals;
3- Building data systems that measure student success and inform teachers and principals how they can improve their practices; and
4- Turning around our lowest-performing schools.
The Nebraska Commissioner of Education has stated that Nebraska will pursue these funds. In order to access this money, the state must agree to make some changes.
#1- The state must require schools to adopt high graduation standards for students and increase the number of students attending postsecondary schools. In math, this would mean requiring algebra, geometry and possibly even algebra II for graduation.
#2- Reward effective teachers and principals. They are talking about merit pay for teachers.
#3- Having data systems in place that can link students and their teachers. They want to be able to identify the teachers that are effective in getting students to perform at a high level.
#4- Improve low performing schools. Allowing charter schools to exist as an alternative to regular public and parochial schools. Currently there are no charter schools in Nebraska.
This initiative is requiring changes to take place in schools. Our Commissioner says he is ready to promote these changes. Are Nebraska schools ready?
The school curriculum should be challenging to students, but struggling students need to be supported by teachers, not be left to fail. Excellent teachers deserve to be paid better. Teachers should be accountable for the performance of their students, not just covering material. The drop-out rate is this country needs to be reversed.
We will have to wait and see if "Race To The Top" can get off the ground.

State Aid increase for B-R

Bancroft-Rosalie School will receive an increase of $305,334 in state aid for the next school year. That will make the total amount $986,635. The amount received because of option enrollment is $409,310.
State aid is determined by taking the difference between a school districts resources (mostly property valuation) and its needs. Bancroft-Rosalie had a large increase is its needs for next year. This is a result of changes made in the state aid formula two years ago which changed the way needs are calculated. Needs are now calculated by taking the average expenditures of the ten schools closest in student enrollment (five larger and five smaller). Here is a list of the ten schools used for 2009-10 state aid and their expenditures.
As you can see, Bancroft-Rosalie is a low spending school.
AMHERST PUBLIC SCHOOLS 1,969,840.39
GARDEN COUNTY SCHOOLS 2,903,270.66
HIGH PLAINS COMMUNITY SCHOOLS 3,191,934.68
WALTHILL PUBLIC SCHOOLS 2,658,678.11
EAST BUTLER PUBLIC SCHOOLS 2,634,217.94
BANCROFT-ROSALIE COMM SCHOOLS 1,707,316.92
OVERTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS 2,418,745.44
LOUP CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS 2,921,918.30
MAXWELL PUBLIC SCHOOLS 2,642,894.98
SCRIBNER-SNYDER COMMUNITY SCHS 2,449,589.08
EMERSON-HUBBARD PUBLIC SCHOOLS 2,552,826.58

Fall softball at B-R this year

Wisner-Pilger and Bancroft-Rosalie have agreed to co-op softball for the next two years. B-R had three girls sign up for the team. All home games and practices will be in Wisner. The girls will be responsible for their own transportation to Wisner. Softball games will usually be played on Tuesdays and Thursdays with Saturday tournaments. They have a lot of games scheduled.
The team will play an intersquad scrimmage August 24. The first game is at Madison on August 27.

Wind For Schools Program

Bancroft-Rosalie School was selected to participate in the Wind For Schools Program last spring. This project will place a small wind turbine on the school grounds to be used for educational purposes. The turbine will generate a small amount of electricity ($600 per year), but the main purpose is to provide wind data for the University of Nebraska Wind Application Center. B-R students will be responsible for collecting the data via computer.
We are currently awaiting word on a grant from the USDA on a Rural Development Rural Business Enterprise Grant. The $7000 grant would provide funds to purchase and install the wind turbine.

Nature Explore Classroom Update

The Nature Explore outdoor classroom will be experiencing a new addition. A $14,000 treehouse play structure is set to arrive next week. The treehouse will be placed inside the concrete wheeled toy path.

The Nature Explore area is only for early childhood students (ages 3-7). Plantings and furnishings have been provided through grant funds, including $5000 from Great Plains Communication, $4500 from the Statewide Arboretum Trees For Nebraska Towns, and $5000 from the Lower Elkhorn Natural Resource District. The Nebraska Assocation For the Education of Young Children provided a landscape designer to draw up a plan for the Nature Explore area. The playground planting plan was developed by Christy Hoyt of the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum. Plants were purchased and planted by Berried Treasures of Thurston.

The Nature Explore classroom has several play areas including: an entry, a climbing area, a messy materials area, a building area, a nature art area, a music and movement area, a garden area, a gathering area, a storage area, a wheeled toy area, and a greenhouse.

Health Science classes added to curriculum

Health science will be a new area of study at Bancroft-Rosalie School for the upcoming school year. Bancroft-Rosalie School is one of twelve schools in Northeast Nebraska to implement a "Health Science Academy." Three semester courses will be offered: Intro to Health Science first semester, medical terminology second semester, and Intro to Nursing second semester.

Mr. Zavadil will teach the Health Science and Medical Terminology classes. The school has a bid from Logan-Elkhorn Valley Health Department to teach the Intro to Nursing over distance learning.

The Medical terminology class will be a "hybrid" class, which means it will be on-line through Northeast Community College supplemented by the classroom teacher. Students will get three credits of "articulated" credit. Medical terminology is required for several health care majors, including the nursing programs at Northeast CC. Since some majors do not require it, the articulated credit allows students to earn the credit without paying tuition, and it can be used at Northeast CC or transfered to other colleges. We did not want students to pay for credit they may not use.

Intro to Nursing is also a three credit class offered through Northeast CC. Students will receive three credits in Basic Nurse Aide, which is also required for the Northeast CC nursing program, and will be certified to work as a CNA. The students are charged for taking this class, but may receive some tuition reimbursement.

These courses are not just for future nurses. They are important for any student considering a career in health care. Medical professions are one of the fastest growing job markets, and we want our students that are interested in this career area to learn about the different health care jobs available.

School Board Policy 0607.1 Equal Access For Student Groups and Boy Scouts

The school board adopted policy 0607.1 Equal Access For Student Groups and Boy Scouts based on a recommendation by the Perry law firm.
Why is this necessary?
The Boys Scouts of America Equal Access Act was adopted as part of No Child Left Behind. Several school districts were required to complete an assurance of compliance form by the U.S. Office of Civil Rights (OCR) last year. This policy describes how requests for use of school facilities from outside groups are to be handled by school staff, and to make it clear that Boys Scouts have equal access upon request in case we we have to satify any OCR request in the future.
At Bancroft-Rosalie School all student groups have been, and will continue to be, allowed to use school facilities for meetings outside of the school day.

Bancroft Beerfest August 1

As President of the John G. Neihardt Historic Site, I want to spread the word about the Bancroft Beerfest fund-raiser. If anyone needs tickets, I have them for sale. Here is the press release-

NEIHARDT’S BANCROFT BEER FEST

Besides being a renowned writer and Nebraska’s “Poet Laureate in Perpetuity,” John G. Neihardt loved good beer. On August 1st that love will come full circle in the first annual “Bancroft Neihardt Beer Festival,” a specialty beer-tasting fund-raiser sponsored by the Neihardt Foundation.
The fest will be held at the Country Pub, 409 Main Street in Bancroft on Saturday, August 1st from 7 to 9 PM. More than 20 brews provided by area distributors and brew pubs will be available for sampling, along with appetizers, a demonstration of home brewing, and a silent auction of specialty items. "We'll be serving up a healthy helping of good cheer for a good cause," said Event Coordinator Paul Hammel.
Tickets are $20 and $25. Purchasing a $25 in advance includes a beautifully etched glass Neihardt mug. Proceeds benefit the Neihardt Foundation’s programs and projects of the Neihardt State Historical Site, which requires additional private funding to operate.
Tickets are available through the Neihardt Site and at several businesses in the Bancroft area.
So join the fun, enjoy some of the finest new beers on the market, and help a good cause.
This event is the evening before the State Legislated Neihardt Day Celebration with a full program of presentations and an art exhibit beginning at 1:30 PM on Sunday, August 2nd at the Neihardt State Historic Site, 306 W. Elm Street.
For more information on either event and to order tickets, call 1-888-777-4667 or 1-402-648-3388 or by e-mail at Neihardt@gpcom.net. Must be 21 to participate; drink responsibly.

One to One Computer Initiative approved

The Bancroft-Rosalie School Board approved the purchase of 60 Asus net-book computers for students in grades 11 and 12 this fall. This "one to one initiative' means that juniors and seniors will each be given a net-book computer for their own personal use 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The computers will be issues on Thursday August 13 in the school library. Students must be accompanied by a parent. Two meetings will be held on the 13th, at 4:00 pm and 7:00 pm. The school one-to-one computer policy will be explained and must be signed by both the parent and student before a computer will be checked out. The policy meeting will detail what the computer can be, and cannot be, used for.

The net-book computers cost $375 each and are an inexpensive way to implement one-to-one on a trial basis. The plan is to continue adding grades each year until all high school students have personal computers. During this trial period, student use will be followed closely to determine if net-book's meet the needs of the students, or if notebooks should be purchased in the future.

First Train To Bancroft is a big hit.

The melodrama "First Train To Bancroft" drew rave reviews from the audience at both performances. The cast and crew are pictured with author John Burkhart, who wrote the melodrama after reading historical information about Bancroft.

Approximately 400 people attended the Friday night show and another 300 were there Saturday morning. The villain (Danny Bridges) was a character that the audience loved to hate as he chased through the audience on more than one occasion, pelted by popcorn from the crowd.

The second picture is me with Susan Barber (Sheryl Tietz) and Eliza (Sandy Ahlers), the heroines of the melodrama.

We hope to continue the community theatre as an annual summer event. If you are interested in joining us next summer, let me know.

July 13 School Board Meeting News

The Bancroft-Rosalie Board of Education met Monday, July 13, 2009 at 7:30 pm in Bancroft. Superintendent Cerny presented the June transportation report, the Nebraska Reading First report, Career and Technical Education information,and School Board member professional development. Principal Sjuts reported on athletic schedules.

In old business the board gave final approval to special education board policies 0538.1 through 0538.15.

In new business, the board named First National Bank as the official bank for the general fund and Citizens Bank for all other funds, named the Wisner News-Chronicle as the official newspaper, selected Harding, Schultz, and Downs as legal council, and set hot lunch prices and class enrollment limits.

Hearings were held to discuss the Student Fee Policy and the Parent Involvement Policy and both were adopted without changes.

In other new business, the board reviewed the school census, approved the purchase of an elementary copy machine, purchased science books for grades 7-10, approved a nursing contract with Logan-Elkhorn Valley Health Department, and adopted state language arts standards. New policy 607.1 Equal Access For Student Groups and Boys Scouts was given first approval, along with revised policies 0126.2, 0126.3, 0386, 0411.2, 0411.5 and 05271.

The board approved the purchase of 60 net-book computers for juniors and seniors as part of a one-to-one initiative.
The board discussed applications for the custodial position and the timeline for interviewing and hiring

Dodge Ball underway this afternoon

The Q125 Dodge Ball tournament is taking place in the Bancroft gym. The "Blue Balls" a team of former B-R students (top picture) is battling a team from Pender. At the bottom, a team of B-R elementary students gets ready for "Dodge Ball."

Speech and Drama Camp- The tradition continues

Eighteen elementary students from the area were involved in four days of speech camp at Bancroft-Rosalie School. B-R high school students helped Coach Ronda Ras work with the students prepare speech pieces, culminating with a public performance Thursday.

The B-R speech team is building upon their winning tradition, with back-to-back third place finishes at the State Speech meet. With the talent displayed at this camp, the future looks bright for B-R speech.

Main Street preparations underway for Q125

Bancroft Main Street was closed this morning in preparation for the Q125 celebration that starts tomorrow. The photo shows the efforts of members of the Bancroft Fire Department to wash off the street prior to the erection of a large tent for music and the community church service.
Opening ceremonies will be held Friday morning at 10:30 am at the Neihardt Center.

Wii Fit or PlayStation Dance Revolution?

Drake Luedert has a tough decision to make. Should he use the Wii or the Playstation to work on his foot speed and cardiovascular?
Physical Education teacher Cory Meyer participated in a grant workshop on how to use Wii and Playstation in PE classes last winter. The grant provided the school a free Wii and Playstation 2 to try out, including a Wii Fit pad and two Dance Revolution pads. New distance learning equipment in the DL room allowed an old DL TV tree and TV's to be moved up to the weight room.

New AED in the Commons area

St. Francis Memorial Hospital provided a new Automated External Defibrillator (AED)to Bancroft-Rosalie this week. The new AED, manufactured by Zoll, will be identical to those used by St. Francis Hospital and Bancroft Rescue. This will provide for better patient care when transferring between Bancroft-Rosalie School, Bancroft Rescue and St. Francis since the AED pads used will be compatible with all three groups involved. Before, AED pads would need to be removed and new ones put on at each phase of the transfer.

Hopefully this new machine will never need to be used.

House disappears over the week-end

The house at 618 Main Street was hauled out of town over the week-end, leaving room for more parking north of the school. Bancroft-Rosalie School purchased the property from the Mabel Wagner family in 2007. The house was sold to Brooke Darnell last year and he loaded it up on a trailer and hauled it off.

Q125 Melodrama

The Q125 Melodrama "First Train To Bancroft" will take place on the Bancroft-School old gym stage Friday July 10 at 7:00 pm and Saturday July 11 at 10:00 am and will be a great show. Everyone attending the Bancroft Q125 July 10-12 should come and see how early events in Bancroft, Nebraska history "might have been". There is a great cast including myself, Danny Bridges, Sheryl Tietz, Nikki Sachs, Steiny and many other great performers.