Proposal to allow Class d athletes to participate in more than one sport per season

Here is the proposal I submitted for consideration this Fall. It will be voted on by Class D schools only.

Currently students may participate in only one sport per season (Fall, Winter, Spring).

The exception shall be for students participating in Class D high schools with local administrators and school board determining eligible participation in more than one (1) interscholastic sport per season at that high school.

Cost Analysis of Proposal: There will be no additional cost to the NSAA.

Rationale for the proposed change:
This proposal is designed to assist small schools in providing sports offerings for students. This proposal was modeled after the Washington State Activities Association policy. The most likely concurrent sports seasons would be Fall for girls sports (golf-volleyball, golf-softball, golf-cross country) and Spring for boys sports (golf-track or golf-baseball).
Sample school policies, procedures, and participant agreements are included with the proposal. In the examples, the student must designate a primary sport that would take priority regarding practice and competitions.

Great Plains schedules next week

Volleyball and football games will be airing on GPC-TV channel 22 starting Thursday September 27 and running through Wednesday October 3. The times for each game are listed below.

Bancroft-Rosalie vs. Scribner-Snyder Football         7:00 pm

Bancroft-Rosalie vs. Homer Volleyball                   7:30 pm

Neihardt Laureate's Feast Sunday November 11

The Laureate's Feast is the main fund-raiser for the John G. Neihardt Historical Site. The program includes a presentation of the Word Sender Award to author Joe Starita.

Rosalie Village Board Election

Last week I listed the ballot for local elections in Cuming County.
Here is the ballot for the election in Thurston County.

FOR VILLAGE OF ROSALIE

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Vote for TWO

                                    Jan Hawk                                               Brian Marr

Letter to Parent from USDA regarding school meal changes

 Dear Parent, Guardian: 

Your child’s school day just got healthier! School lunches now include more fruits, vegetables, and whole grain-rich foods; only fat-free or low-fat milk; “right-size” meals with portions designed for a child’s age; and less saturated fat, trans fat and sodium. The changes in school meals, the first in 15 years, are based on the latest nutritional guidelines. 

Here are some important facts about the new school meals: 

 The new school lunch provides 1/3 of the average daily calorie needs for kids by age. 

 Some highly active students, like athletes, may need more calories. Some schools may offer second helpings of fruits and vegetables. A second carton of milk may also be an option. Students and/or sports teams can also bring food from home. 

 In practice, many students are being served the same amounts of protein as before under the new standards. 

Your child can learn good habits for life by making healthy food choices and getting proper exercise now. This year is a transition year as schools implement these new standards and work together with parents, to ensure that every child, in every community across America, has access to healthy and nutritious meals. Encourage them to try new foods and eat the healthy food offered. Reinforce healthy eating by offering similar new foods at home. 

Free Music Concert in Bancroft Park this Sunday

Get rid of old prescription Drugs and Household Wastes in Bancroft Saturday

Grandma's Attic and First Community Bank named Business of the year

Grandma's Attic of Bancroft and First Community Bank of Beeemer  were presented with the Cuming County Business of the Year Award at last night's Cuming County Economic Development Annual Awards and Recognition Banquet.

Beemer was recognized at Community of the Year.

Wisner-Pilger students won the "Bright Lights" Award for their presentation on a "Cuming County FunPlex". Bancroft-Rosalie students Josi Bruning, Suzanne Ras and Kylita Gomez were runner-up with their idea for a Screen-Printing business.

Local candidates vying for office

I just received a copy of the Notice of Election for Cuming County. There are three local races of interest. Two people are running for the office of County Supervisor. Four people are running for the two positions on the Village of Bancroft Board of Trustees, and three people are running for the three spots on the Board of Education. 

I will have Thurston County information when it comes available.

Homecoming Royalty announced at Pep Rally

King- Brady Petersen
Queen- Josi Bruning

Senior Attendants- Levi Beutler, Baylie Reil, Sadie Hermelbracht

Junior Attendants- Preston Peters, Kayli Wheaton

Sophomore Attendants- Easton Weborg, Suzanne Ras

Freshman Attendants- Austin Bruning, Kassidi Browning

An Update on Preschool through College Education in Nebraska By Governor Dave Heineman

This is from an August 31 press release from the Governor's Office. I sat on a task force that provided information to the Governor regarding Career and Technical Education in Nebraska prior to developing goals for the P-16 initiative. I support the goals of the P-16 initiative and Bancroft-Rosalie has made it a priority to improve our college going rate by encouraging all graduates to attend a two or four year college or to seek some form of post-secondary training (which would include the military).

"Dear Fellow Nebraskans:

In 2009, Nebraska reorganized its preschool through college (P-16) initiative to strengthen the education that we provide to Nebraska students. As good as Nebraska’s education is now; it needs to be even better in the future.

As Governor, I chair the P-16 Initiative and the Co-Chairs are State Senator Greg Adams, Chair of the Legislature’s Education Committee, Commissioner of Education Roger Breed, University of Nebraska President J.B. Milliken and President and CEO of Education Quest Foundation Liz Koop.

The eight goals of the P-16 Initiative are as follows:

·         Adopt a college and career preparation core curriculum that requires four years of English and three years each of math, science and social studies in Nebraska school districts by the 2014-15 school year.

·         Eliminate the academic achievement gap between Nebraska’s K-12 Caucasian students and its African American, Hispanic, and Native American students.

·         Develop an effective longitudinal data system which provides information on the Nebraska educational system from preschool through post-graduate degree attainment and entry into the workforce to help align resources with strategic goals.

·         Attain a high school graduation rate of 90 percent or higher in every Nebraska high school.

·         Improve Nebraska’s college-going rank to the Top 10 tier nationally.

·         Provide affordable access for Nebraska students to attend Nebraska’s postsecondary institutions.

·         Improve time to degree completion and increase graduation rates of Nebraska’s postsecondary institutions.

·         Provide all students with the science, technology and math skills to succeed in postsecondary education and the 21st Century workforce.

The State Board of Education has already approved increased high school graduation requirements. The Department of Education, the University of Nebraska, our State Colleges and our Community Colleges are working together to develop more effective data systems.

The University of Nebraska and Nebraska’s State Colleges have revised their curriculum requirements so that students in most majors can graduate in four years with 120 credit hours. Much of higher education had 128-135 credit hours required for graduation with the exception of those programs where accreditation requires more hours.

Currently, Nebraska’s high school graduation rate is approximately 86 percent, which puts us in the top 10 states for graduation rate. Our goal is 90 percent.

These goals are designed to work together to improve the academic achievement of our students.  Nebraska is now conducting statewide assessments in reading, writing, mathematics and science.

This allows the state to partner with local districts to fairly compare the test results, to share best practices among school districts, and to develop individual, strategic school district plans to improve the academic success of Nebraska students.

We are encouraged by the focus on academic achievement by Nebraska’s school districts. We will continue that focus in the future and we are working to strengthen the coordination and cooperation between K-12 and higher education."

Board meeting minutes Sept 10 and Sept 17

Community Pep Rally 7:00 pm tonight

The pep rally will be held at the football field at 7:00 pm tonight. First National Bank will be serving hamburgers from 5:30-6:30 pm. The King and Queen will be crowned and Homecoming attendants announced during the pep rally.

Assembly speaker October 5 to talk about her experiences under Hitler's rule

Homecoming candidates named

King candidates- Brady Petersen and Levi Beutler

Queen Candidates- Baylie Reil, Josi Bruning, and Sadie Hermelbracht.

Homecoming Week Activities

Special School Board Meeting

Due to a clerical error on the original budget hearing notice, a special board meeting will be held tonight at 7:30 pm to hear testimony on the budget and property tax request and re-adopt the 2012-13 school budget.

Free Events in Bancroft- Saturday Movie Night and Sunday at the Neihardt Museum

Nebraska Telephone Assistance Program

2012 Annual Cuming County Economic Development Dinner Sunday September 23

The Annual Dinner will be at the Nielsen Center Sunday September 23 at 6:00 pm. Registration fee is $20.
Grandma's Attic has been nominated for Cuming County business of the year.

Master of Ceremonies
Mr. Tom Feller - CCED Board Member - Wisner

 Welcome
 Mayor Marlene Johnson - City of West Point

 Introduction of Head Table, Board Members + Special Guests and Year in Review Presentation
Garry Clark

 Ag Update
 Mr. Larry Howard - Extension UNL/Cuming County

 Cuming County Area Recruiters
Mr. Jason Smith - F&M Bank - West Point

 Keynote Speakers Cuming County Youth
Bancroft-Rosalie H.S will be represented by Josi Bruning

Awards
Mr.David Steffensmeier & Mr. Jon Bailey

ESU2 Initiates E-Library 'sweet' is the student reaction

Here is an article published by Joan Wilson from the ESU 2 website http://www.esu2.org/vnews/display.v/SEC/Technology|Current%20Highlights. The e-books can be accessed from school or at home. Mrs. Hawk can assist students who would like to access books. The 8th grade students will be instructed in the process tomorrow. From the Axis 360 Magic Wall, in the Blio of an eye, the Shadow Hills book cover appeared on my Droid RAZR. With a swipe from my finger, a page corner virtually furled and turned. In minutes, I was living the life of Persephone "Phe" Archer at an uptight East Coast preparatory school in Shadow Hills, MA, and, already at page 38, was 10% of my way through a 388-page novel for young adult readers by Anastasia Hopcus --her first. "Sweet," I reiterated, remembering the smiling reply of Yutan junior Lilly Kult, who was first at her school to get the story on the e-books --and who has had her smartphone since Christmas. Two is the first Educational Service Unit in the state to launch a regional digital school library partnership. The initiative is designed to supplement --not supplant-- existing library collections and to promote literacy by utilizing technology already in the hands of many students and families, said project facilitator Diane Wolfe. It is Wolfe's job to know about instructional materials and educational technology that will enhance classroom instruction and further student achievement. "We live in a Wi-Fi world. Schools realize students reluctantly have to unplug when they cross the threshold and, so, are increasingly looking at feasible options that will engage students in learning through captivating technology," said Wolfe. "Moreover, especially in our more rurally situated districts, students exposure to books --not textbooks, but to quality age-appropriate literary fiction and nonfiction-- may be limited to their school's collections." Wolfe initiated project discussions last March with an ad-hoc committee of six library-media specialists representing urban and rural member districts to determine the feasibility of a partnership and to identify a satisfactory vendor. Members researched e-book distributors and circulation services attuned to the needs of educational institutions. Their investigation included factors such as abundant electronic K-12 content, appropriate file formats and delivery platforms, as well as licensing and pricing models. Baker & Taylor Publishing Group emerged as the best fit. In addition to its own imprints, B&T has negotiated agreements with other publishers and is able to offer about 230,000 titles to libraries through 198 publishers on a one-book, one-user model. About 112,000 of the titles have been converted for use on the Blio e-reader app that is part of the Axis 360 service. 1 Axis 360 is its user-friendly, cloud-based book circulation system for shelving and checking digital content in and out. Blio is its free-to-download e-reader software, chosen because it installs on a broad range of electronic devices consumers already own: * on personal computers with Windows Vista, 7 or newer operating systems, * on tablets (iPad, iPod Touch) and smartphones with Apple iOS (iPhones) or Android 3.1 operating systems, * on a Kindle Fire (special instructions necessary) but not on Nooks, at present. Blio offers an interactive, graphic e-reading experience for emerging young readers and text-to-speech capability, a plus with regard to Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance. The text-to-speech software syncs the book and the audio and a cursor moves along so you can read as you listen. 2 Thus far, ten ESU2 school districts have signed a modest buy-in agreement that has enabled an initial K-12 purchase of almost 1,000 e-book titles, cooperatively selected by their library-media specialists. Elementary titles currently number 417; middle school, 332; and high school, 192, with more expected. Participating districts include: 1. Bancroft-Rosalie, 2. Logan View, 3. Lyons-Decatur, 4. Mead, 5. North Bend Central, 6. Oakland-Craig, 7. Wahoo, 8. West Point, 9. Wisner-Pilger, 10. Yutan.

Bancroft to be featured on Lincoln Channel 10/11

Channel 10/11 Pure Nebraska will be featuring Bancroft, Nebraska on its weekly Pure Nebraska feature. It is an interview that the host did we me in August. The show will be airing at 12:30 and 6:30 today on Channel 10/11 and can be viewed at their website http://www.1011now.com/purenebraska/headlines/This-Week-on-Pure-Nebraska--September-11-2012-169166556.html.

School Board Agenda September 10

There will be two hearings for hearing public comments on the Budget and the {Property Tax Request before the regular meeting.

Hazardous Waste Recycling in Bancroft Sept 29

Volleyball Schedules for this week

Here are the times for the volleyball games at Wakefield and the Cedar Bluffs Tournament next Saturday

BLIZZARD FEATURED AT NEIHARDT SITE

On Sunday, September 16th at 2 p.m., writer Marita Placek of Lynch, Nebraska will present a program on the “Great Plains Blizzard of 1948-49.”   From November 1948 through January 1949, Nebraska experienced over 1700 telephone poles downed, numerous trains stranded, and thousands of cattle smothered in one of the worst winters on record, rivaling the great 1880 storms. According to the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources: “During the winter of 1948-1949, parts of the State had received more than 100 inches of snow. The Wausa/Bloomfield area received a total of 90 inches. One area in Antelope County had drifts that reached over 35 feet and didn't melt until June.”  The U.S. Air Force ran many emergency hay-lifts and other runs of food and fuel supplies. While the snow made it a miserable winter, the spring of 1949 brought widespread flooding and further devastation. It was a rough year all around.  Using slides and display of photographs and artifacts, freelance writer Marita Placek will present personal stories and anecdotes. Placek writes for the Norfolk Daily News, several weekly small town newspapers, and the Lynch News on KBRX radio. She contributes to the magazine Living Here on local history and people from northeast Nebraska and South Dakota. The Blizzard of 1948-49 appeared first as an article in Living Here.  Another recent story, on John Neihardt, appeared in the 2011 Fall issue. Her most recent project is a book entitled, “Legends and Lore of the Outlaw Trail,” an area which is part of the Highway 12 Scenic Byway. She and her husband Willard volunteer at the Lynn Theatre in Lynch as part of a group who keep the theater open with affordable ticket prices. They live on a farm near Lynch.
The Neihardt State Historic Site is located at 306 W. Elm Street, Bancroft, NE. The program begins at 2 p.m. followed by a reception. The event is free and open to the public.

Lewis and Clark Conference Proposals

Here are the proposals the conference is considering Wednesday.

A. Format for Conference Art Show Change format for Conference Art Show to include 10 pieces of K-6 art. K-6 students would not be eligible for medals but would receive ribbons. 

B. Purchase Music Puchase 100 copies of “Angels Sing Gloria” for Conference Music Contest 

C. Number of finals to Conference Speech Contest Take eight to finals and medal eight in finals of Conference Speech Meet 

D. Payying Judge of Oral Intrepreation of Drama Pay judge of Oral Intrepretation of Drama (OID) double per round 

E. Pole Vault Scoring Scoring the Pole Vault starting with the 2014 Conference Track Meet 

F. Conference Wrestling Tournament Conference Wrestling Tournament starting with the 2013-2014 wrestling season. 

G. Conference Cross Country Meet Conference Cross Country Meet starting with the 2013 season. 

H. Conference Basketball Host Site Alternate Conference Basketball Championship Sites between HCC and Wayne High School if those schools would agree or check withWayne State College for neutralality purposes.