Explaining the different Nebraska school funds

This month the annual school report for 2011-12 was mailed out in the monthly school newsletter. Some district patrons may have questions about the different funds in the budget section of the report. A Fund is a sum of money set aside for specific purposes or activities.

Here is a brief explanation of what each school fund is used for.

General Fund- Finances all services required by the school district. The expenditures are limited by state law and the tax levy for this fund is also limited.

Depreciation Fund- Monies from the General Fund may be set aside into the Depreciation Fund for future large expenses. The purpose is to spread out replacement costs over a period of years. Bancroft-Rosalie School has used Depreciation Fund monies for vehicle replacement. These monies can also be used for things like roof replacement or heating and air upgrades.

Employee Benefit Fund- As the name implies, this fund is used for the benefit of school employees. Bancroft-Rosalie School uses this fund for the school flexible benefit program. Employees can have money taken out of their check prior to paying taxes and used for three purposes- medical expenses,  dependent child care expenses and paying health insurance premiums.

Activities Fund- This fund is used for financing the operations of student athletics, activities and student organizations.

School Lunch Fund- This fund handles the financial activities of all of the Nutrition programs operated by the school. 

Bond Fund- This fund is used for levying taxes to pay off bonds issued by the district. If there is not sufficient money in the bond fund, the General Fund can be used to make Bond payments. Bancroft-Rosalie uses this fund to pay off the Bonds issued for the construction of the new school in 1997. The School has refinanced the Bonds twice since the bonds were issued in 1996. All refinancing is done through the Bond Fund and the $1,780,540 shown on the 2011-12 annual report as an expenditure is to pay off the old bonds when the new bonds (at lower interest) were issued in 2010-11.

Special Building Fund- This fund is used for acquiring or improving school property and erecting, altering or improving buildings. The Special Building Fund gets its revenue from a tax levy, the sale of bonds, or the sale of property. The tax levy for this fund is limited.

Qualified Capital Purpose Undertaking Fund- This fund is used for the removal of environmental hazards, accessible barriers in school buildings, repayment of qualified zone academy bonds, and modifications for life safety code violations (fire marshal). Revenue is generated from a tax levy that is limited. Bancroft-Rosalie School uses this fund to repay the Qualified Zone Academy Bonds (at 1% interest for 20 years) that financed the new 2012 classroom addition.

Cooperative Fund- This fund is used by the school district acting as a fiscal agent or cooperative activities between public agencies. Bancroft-Rosalie School uses this for cooperative sports programs and the dual credit program with Northeast Community College.

Student Fee Fund- This fund is for programs in which money is collected from students for extracurricular programs and summer school. Bancroft-Rosalie School uses this for Driver Education and computer expenses for the one-to-one computer program.

Holiday Basketball Tournament Schedule

Friday December 28

2:00 pm     Girls     Homer vs Howells-Dodge

3:45 pm     Boys    Homer vs. Howells-Dodge

5:30 pm     Girls    GACC vs Bancroft-Rosalie

7:15  pm    Boys   GACC vs Bancroft-Rosalie


Saturday December 29

2:00 pm     Girls   Consolation game

3:45 pm     Boys  Consolation game

5:30 pm     Girls   Championship game

7:15 pm     Boys   Championship game

Paper Recycling Trailer 1st and 3rd Saturdays

Bancroft Community Club is happy to announce….

Paper Recycling is BACK!

Every 1^st and 3^rd  Saturday of each month 

West parking lot of the school 

Hours: 9 am - 4 pm

Someone will be at the trailer to help you unload between 9 and 10:30 am 

Please start filling up the trailer farthest away from the door first.

All paper/cardboard/magazines are welcome.

Please, no plastic bags.  

Suggested to fill up paper sacks or cardboard boxes with your  recyclables.  

If you have any questions, please call Amber Bridges 648-3453.

Five Days in New York City – Cheap

Hotel Carter

I traveled with my daughter Elizabeth for a 5-day vacation in New York City. Since I was on a limited budget, I found some cheap ways to have fun and see the “City That Doesn’t Sleep.”

Getting there and back.

There are three major airports that fly into New York City. The cheapest flight from Omaha was to the Newark airport (around $300 each roundtrip). We caught a shuttle bus at the airport that dropped us off two blocks from our hotel ($18 each roundtrip).

Where to stay.

Hotel Carter

The Hotel Carter is one block from Times Square. A room with two double beds was $110 a night. Don’t believe the Internet reviews. The Hotel Carter is like a Motel 6, a small room with a bathroom/shower and a television that gets only two channels. A lot of foreign travelers were staying there because of the price and the location.  I didn’t plan on spending a lot of time in the room, so I was willing to accept modest accommodations. We were on the 6^th floor, but with three elevators, we rarely had to wait.

Getting Around

We walked to nearby sights the first two days. Then took the subway (and one awkward bus ride) the rest of the time. The subway entrance was at the end of the block from the Hotel. We purchased a MetroCard for $10 worth of trips (each trip is $2.25). You can add to the card at any subway stop. The people on the subway were very helpful and polite. One gentleman heard us talking about going to Chinatown and told us we needed to get off at the next stop or we would end up in Brooklyn.

The Book of Mormon

Food.

A guy could spend a lot on restaurant food. I chose a little place a block away that sold cheese pizza for $1 a slice (50 cents more with black olives on top).  There were street food carts on every corner and we ate a couple $4-6 meals from the carts. There were some specialty places I wanted to eat at- Soup from the “Soup Nazi”, The Tasty Dumpling in Chinatown with their 5 dumplings for $1.25, a hamburger at the Shake Shack (expensive- a meal ran about $10).

Broadway shows

This is what I chose to spend money on. To get good seats for “The Book Of Mormon” was pricey, $200 a ticket. But this was the one I wanted to see. We also paid regular price ($120 a ticket) for the musical “Spiderman” (the theatre was right next to our Hotel).  

The lucky winner of Priscilla tickets

Spiderman (Good Seats)

I wanted to see a couple more shows, but didn’t want to spend a lot of money so we tried the “lottery.” Some Broadway shows hold lottery drawings for a pair of discounted tickets a couple hours before the doors open. I found some shows that had open lotteries- anyone can enter-rather than student lotteries- only people with student ID’s can enter. Of the four lottery drawings we entered, my name was drawn twice. We had front row seats to the musical “Priscilla Queen of the Desert” and good seats to the play “Peter and The Starcatcher.” I didn’t realize “Priscilla” was about drag queens traveling across the Australian Outback until right before the drawing, but the seats were great and it was hilarious.

Central Park (wrong bridge)

Free Sightseeing

#1- Central Park. A long walk but worth it. We walked through “Strawberry Fields”- a memorial to John Lennon- and made it to Belvedere Castle. I didn’t realize Bow Bridge was such a big deal (it has been used in several movies) until it was too late to go back. I suggest finding it and walking across it.

#2- Staten Island Ferry. Free trip across the Hudson River and takes you close to the Statue of Liberty.

Little Italy

#3- 9/11 Memorial. Two large pools with the names of the victims engraved around the edges. The museum was not completed yet when we went. The new towers were under construction.

#4- Chinatown and Little Italy. Lots of restaurants and shops. They can’t charge you for looking. I did spring for some gelato and a biscotti in Little Italy (dessert after a meal at the Tasty Dumpling).

#5- Times Square. Lots of things to see, including people trying to make money, like the Naked Cowboy- playing the guitar in his white Fruit of the Looms, his boots and his cowboy hat. We went to look at most of the famous Broadway theatres around Times Square.

Times Square

#6- Wall Street and the financial district. Not what I expected. The New York Stock Exchange Building was fenced in and guarded. Didn’t see any of the Occupy Wall Street people. We stopped at Trinity Church and saw the gravesite of Alexander Hamilton.

The Toy Store with the giant keyboard

#7- Grand Central Station and Park Avenue. The station is worth the walk. Wasn’t impressed with the big corporate headquarters and department stores.

#8- South Street Seaport and the Brooklyn Bridge. We walked half-way across the bridge and walked back. Checked out the view of the East River and the Bridge from the Seaport.

We also ate in Bryant Park and visited the New York Library. And went to Greenwich Village at the corner of Bedford and Grove to see the apartment building where the TV show characters in “Friends” lived. We stumbled across the filming of a stunt scene for the movie “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.”

Brooklyn from the Seaport

9/11 Memorial Pool

What we paid to see.

#1- Top of the Rock. Picked between the Top of the Rock and the Empire State Building. Went with the Rock.

#2- MOMA, the Museum of Modern Art. Lots of museums on Museum Row. Most are free one day a week, but we weren’t able to work a free trip to a museum into our schedule. My preference is for modern art over the ancient stuff. If you see a large gathering of people taking pictures, then you have found “Starry Night” by Vincent Van Gogh. Luckily, Beth took an Art History class and explained what the big deal was. I was surprised that the painting was only the size of a computer monitor.

If you were thinking there would be more in this section, refer back to the title.

Alexander Hamilton

Filming "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty"

If I had a chance to go again.

#1- Go to a Yankees game

#2- Get tickets to David Letterman or Saturday Night Live (have to request tickets a year in advance)

#3- Get on the set when they are filming one of the morning shows like GMA.

#4- Take advantage of the free museum days

#5- Get a picture standing on Bow Bridge.

Statue of Liberty from The Staten Island Ferry

#6- Go up in the Empire State Building

Run, Hide Fight- video on "surviving an active shooter event"

Received this link via e-mail from Mrs. Bray. Some good advice in light of what has happened in Connecticut and other    places.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=5VcSwejU2D0

What Is Christmas- a poem by John G. Neihardt

What is Christmas

This holiest of all the nights,
I wonder what it means?
It's surely more than candlelights
On tinselled evergreens.

It's more than toys that make it dear
And eating pleasant things,
For if you'll listen right you'll hear
A murmuring of wings.

My grandma says it's more than fun
And hanging up your stocking.
It's knowing any needy one
Might be the Savior knocking.

It's helping those who feel the rod
Of grief and heavy labors.
I guess it's being nice to God
By loving all your neighbors.

John G. Neihardt

Thanks to all the Bancroft-Rosalie Staff for a great first semester. Merry Christmas.

Winter Weather Arriving Today

According to the Weather Channel, snow is likely this afternoon with NE winds at 5 to 10 mph, increasing to 20 to 30 mph. Chance of snow 80%. 1 to 2 inches of snow expected. Occasional snow will start around 2:45 pm today.

Snow this evening will taper to a few snow showers late. Low 18F. Winds N at 25 to 35 mph. Chance of snow 90%. Snow accumulating 3 to 5 inches. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph.

A decision of school Thursday will be made by 6:00 am.

When a decision is made, the announcement will be sent to the school text group and aired on the sioux city stations, channel 7 in Omaha and on AM-84 in West Point.

Faculty Ugly/Festive Sweater Contest

School Security

The recent tragedy in Connecticut is drawing attention to school security across the nation. Over the weekend I have been reflecting on our security at Bancroft-Rosalie School. Rest assured that I and the rest of the B-R staff will do everything in our power to ensure that your children are safe here at school.

The school has a 24 page Safety/Security Plan that outlines procedures to follow in the case of an emergency. This plan includes off site evacuation and “Lock-down” procedures that are similar to what the reports say Sandy Hook Elementary teachers responded. For security reasons, we do not release the off site evacuation locations. We will be reviewing and updating the plan at the staff workday on January 2^nd. There are some things we can learn from Shady Hook.

There are 21 interior security cameras connected to monitors in the office, including a camera at each entrance. The school also has 6 cameras monitoring the exterior of the building, the parking lots and the playground. The security system is web-based, so the cameras can be viewed from outside the building in an emergency.

The next step is to add a secured main entryway. The only unlocked entry to the school is the front entrance. The plan is to keep the first set of doors open so visitors can get out of the weather, but have the second set of doors locked, requiring anyone requesting entry to be “buzzed in.” The entry door to the library is always locked except during school board meetings. We hope to have a cost proposal to present to the school board in January.

In a situation like the one at Shady Hook Elementary, the school needs to impede the intruder as long as possible so that students and classrooms can be secured and law enforcement can assist. 

G-R-R Rewards

How would you like to sit in the Principal's chair all day? That is one of the rewards students can choose for being good at school. G-R-R stands for Gotta be safe, Responsible and Respectful. When students are recognized for positive behavior at school, they get a G-R-R. The G-R-R form lists what the positive behavior or action the student did. The student turns the G-R-R into the office, the form is taped onto the hallway wall and their name goes into a drawing at the end of the week.

Five elementary and five secondary students names are drawn each week. Winning students can select from the following rewards-

Elementary:
1. Bring a friend from your lunch group to eat in the classroom with a Staff member.
2. Earn $2 to spend at the concession stand.
3. Earn a free pass to a school event.
4. Earn the opportunity to sit at the teachers desk for one day or in the Principals chair for one day.
5. Pick the game at PE class for that week.
6. Earn a homework pass for one non-test assignment that week.

Secondary:
1. Earn use of the elevator for one day.
2. Earn a parking spot in the teacher parking for the week.
3. Free admission and recognition at a sporting event.
4. Announce starting line-up at a sporting event.
5. Get teacher's chair and sit where they want in classroom for the day.
6. Earn a hall pass to leave 5 minutes early from class.
7. Bring food and drink to designated study hall area for a social study hall.
8. Earn a no homework pass to be used for one assignment in one class that week.
9. Earn G-R-R$$$$ to be used at the school.
10. Earn a Hat Day.

School Tardy Policy

Our current tardy policy states that students tardy to school will have to stay after school. The only excused tardies are for prearranged appointments or funerals. In addition, no tardies are issued on days when the weather causes the students to be late to school. The office has fielded numerous calls from parents about the tardy policy this semester because parents feel there is a good reason why their student is tardy and the student should not have to stay after school. Some students also voiced their displeasure.

 Last year we allowed students to have excused tardies if they brought a note from home. We had some students with over 30 tardies to school, with notes from the parents excusing them each time. So we had students missing 1st and 2nd period classes over 30 times with no apparent repercussions- they still participated in their school activities and had a chance to make-up the classwork, putting a burden on the teacher to accommodate their absence. Last February I stopped accepting tardies for those students who were "habitually tardy" and made them stay after. And their morning attendance improved.

 So this year I instituted excusing only prearranged tardies from staying after school. Unfortunately there are a few situations in which students have legitimate reasons for being late which are out of their control (examples- transportation issues, actually not feeling well rather than just being tired after a night activity, livestock got out, etc). And they don't feel it is fair that they have to stay after. I understand that.

 The Nebraska Department of Education has data that shows there is a direct correlation between attendance and performance on the Nebraska State Assessments. And State Accountability is forcing me to be tougher on students missing school. The question is "What policy encourages students to show up on time every day, but yet accommodates those who legitimately can't?" If we set a number of allowable excused tardies, there are some students that will show up late that many times just because they know they can.

 Here is what I am considering for second semester. Giving Mr. Sjuts and myself the discretion to approve up to 2 excused tardies to school per student each semester in addition to the excused tardies for prearranged appointments (students with diagnosed medical conditions may be approved for more than 2). Students can choose to explain to me why they were late (a maximum of 2 times a semester) or choose to stay the 30 minutes after school.

 My position is that we (the school and the students) need to maximize the academic learning time that we have available. And whatever actions are taken, this is the message I want students to hear.

School Lunch Changes to take place

Those who are disappointed with school lunches this year- there is new hope. A Dec. 7 memo from the USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service to school nutrition officials has instructed them to relax the weekly maximum limits on grains and meats served in school lunches. Those limits were set by nutrition guidelines that started with the new school year. The change is probably due to the large number of complaints about the emaciating (the word of the day- Google it) sized portions the USDA has been receiving. Nutrition advocates favor making this change before Congress decides to get involved. A YouTube video of students mocking changes to school lunches received more than 1 million views. USDA’s flexibility on the issue lets schools serve larger portions of bread and meat as they implement school nutrition standards this school year. The USDA is monitoring the situation to see if more changes are necessary. New USDA nutrition standards identify the healthy ranges for five categories of food, including fruits, vegetables, grains, meats or meat alternatives, in addition to defining the healthy ranges for total calories, saturated and trans fat and sodium. School districts that comply with the new standards are eligible for reimbursement for school meals and a 6 cents per lunch increase in federal funds, which began on Oct. 1.

Bancroft-Rosalie Community School Board News

The December meeting of the Bancroft-Rosalie School Board was held Monday, December 10, 2012 at 9:00 p.m. in the school library. Dr. Cerny presented the November transportation report, school board election results, state aid estimates, and a grant application to Fontanelle seed. The board was given Superintendent evaluations forms. In old business the board discussed the Strategic Plan. In new business the board approved the audit and the annual report. The staff Christmas gathering at Main Street was set for Friday, December 21. The board approved the purchase of 10 sound panels for the music room.

Bancroft Biz Buzz will be held at Bancroft-Rosalie School Wednesday December 12 at 9:00 am. Come join us for a sausage/egg biscuit in the staff workroom. AND DON'T FORGET THE STATE RUNNER-UP GOLF TEAM.

Christmas Concert Monday Night December 10

This Monday is the date for the Bancroft-Rosalie Community School Christmas Concert.
The Pre-6 concert will be at 7:00 pm.
The 7-12 concert will be at 8:00 pm.
Below is artwork from elementary art classes.

School Board Agenda Monday December 10

Bancroft-Rosalie Community School

Regular Board of Education Meeting Agenda

Monday, December 10, 2012 --- 9:00 p.m. in Bancroft

1. Call to Order

2. Roll Call

3. Read and approve the minutes of the November 12, 2012 regular board meeting.

4. Treasurer’s Report

            A. Approve the Bills

            B. Financial Review

5. Review Agenda

6. Public Hearing     

7. Administrator’s Reports:

            A. Superintendent’s Report

            B. Principal’s Report

8. Old Business:

            A. Strategic Plan

            B.

9. New Business:

           

            A. Approve the 2011-12 audit.           

           

            B. Approve the 2011-12 annual report.

           

            C. Approve amount for staff Christmas

           

            D. Sound Panels

            E. Interlocal Agreement for Baseball

10. Discussion Items

            A.

11. Executive Session.

12. Future Planning- Next meeting- Monday, January 14, 2013 at 7:30 p.m.           

13. Adjournment.

College Credit History a possibility next semester

Mr. Hulstein is working with the Nebraska Wesleyan University Honor Academy to offer college credit for the History classes he teaches. The classes to be offered would be 3 credits of World History and 3 credits of American History. It is possible that approval might be given to start second semester of this school year.

Troubadour to entertain with Holiday music at Neihardt Site this Sunday

On Sunday, December 9th at 2 p.m., the musical trio “Troubadour” will hold a holiday concert at the Neihardt State Historic Site in Bancroft, Nebraska. The trio, made up of Jan Cline-Zimmerman, Duane Miller, and Jeffrey Bunce, has performed in the area for several years bringing together a wide variety of musical styles from Renaissance, folk, traditional, bluegrass, and Celtic. Their holiday concert will include renditions from all of these styles using vocals accompanied by guitar, lute, pennywhistle, and hurdy gurdy; an ancient type of instrument Bunce created from a recycled guitar. The group has recorded several CDs, which will be available for purchase and signing at the concert. The Neihardt State Historic Site is located at 306 W. Elm Street, Bancroft, NE. The program begins at 2 p.m. with a reception after the program. The event is free and open to the public.

State Aid proposed changes with cost B-R

In news from the Nebraska Council of School Administrators, the Education Committee of the State Legislature is considering five changes to the State Aid formula.

1. Reducing the Basic Allowable Growth Rate from 2.5% to 1.5%.
2. Increasing the local effort rate from $1.00 to $1.025.
3. Eliminating the teacher education and instructional Time Allowance.
4. Eliminating duplication between the poverty and summer school.
5. Using the savings from the local choice adjustment for reorganization incentives.

Estimated state aid under the current law is $685,466 for next year. This year it was $708,171.

Estimated state aid with new changes is $489,895, a total loss of $218,276. The biggest loss is the instructional time allowance. B-R has approximately 1260 instructional hours per year K-12. Schools have qualified for the extra money by being above the state hours in instructional time.

The Instructional Time Allowance is one thing that schools can qualify for if they choose to do so. And it benefits students. Too bad the Education Committee picks this to eliminate, rather than going after something like the averaging adjustment- state aid that goes to big schools.

Nebraska Graduation rate ranks 4th in the nation.

Reprinted from a Nebraska Department of Education press release.

Nebraska’s high school graduation rate ranks fourth nationally with 86 percent of seniors graduating in 2011, according to the U.S. Department of Education’ first-ever study focusing on a new method for determining graduation rates.

Under the new calculation method called the Cohort Graduation Rate, Nebraska and other states are required to track students as 9^th graders to determine how many graduate four years later.

Iowa ranked at the top with an 88 percent graduation rate followed by Vermont and Wisconsin each with an 87 percent graduation rate. Nebraska ranked fourth with an 86 percent four-year cohort graduation rate, tying with five other states: Indiana, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Tennessee and Texas.

Nebraska’s 2011 five-year cohort graduation rate was higher, 89 percent. Some students take longer to graduate from high school for a number of reasons, such as illness or family circumstances, and students with special needs may attend school until age 21.

Nebraska has a goal to graduate 90% or more of its students every year.

One Act gets Runner-up at District Contest

The District One Act Contest at Osceola today resulted in a second place finish for Bancroft-Rosalie. Osceola received first place.  Special recognition for their acting performance went to Amanda Brummond, Shelby Ostrand, Ian Nottlemann, Brianna Wegner and Suzanne Ras.

New Bus arrives this afternoon

Just in time for the Basketball game in Omaha Friday Night

"KIds Only" this Saturday

Are we too boring?

The dilemma teachers face in the digital age is keeping students' attention. This is causing many teachers to adapt their instruction to become more "entertaining." Some are following the advice of researchers like Kristen Purcell (see below), trying to teach in a different way using technology. Not easily done when students are expected to know certain things on state tests and in preparation for college courses, where professors aren't changing their ways anytime soon.

The following is reprinted from a New York Times article published November 1, 2012, "Technology Changing How Students Learn, Teachers Say."

"There is a widespread belief among teachers that students’ constant use of digital technology is hampering their attention spans and ability to persevere in the face of challenging tasks, according to two surveys of teachers recently released."

"Scholars who study the role of media in society say no long-term studies have been done that adequately show how and if student attention span has changed because of the use of digital technology. But there is mounting indirect evidence that constant use of technology can affect behavior, particularly in developing brains, because of heavy stimulation and rapid shifts in attention."

"Kristen Purcell, the associate director for research at Pew, acknowledged that the findings could be viewed from another perspective: that the education system must adjust to better accommodate the way students learn, a point that some teachers brought up in focus groups themselves. “What we’re labeling as ‘distraction,’ some see as a failure of adults to see how these kids process information,” Ms. Purcell said. “They’re not saying distraction is good but that the label of ‘distraction’ is a judgment of this generation.”        

Saturday Basketball games moved up

This Saturday's Girls and Boys Basketball games with Lyons-Decatur have been moved up because of the Husker football game Saturday night.

The Girls game will be at 2:00 pm and the Boys game will be at 3:45 pm.

If you haven't got your fill of basketball that day, then the Morningside girls are playing at 5:00 pm that night against the #1 ranked NAIA team. B-R alum Shelby Beaudette, Kalene Anderson, and Jess Tietz all play for Morningside.

Staff gets Pie in the face on Rewire Wednesday

Rewire Wednesday is a time to remind students about proper school behavior. Today staff put on a skit about the rules of the Hallway. After the skit, eight winning students picked staff for a pie in the face.