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. 

School Discipline and Social Media

I attended a school law update last week that addressed the issue of student discipline when it involves social media issues that take place outside of the school. Can schools discipline students for internet postings done outside the school walls or is it a violation of their Free Speech rights?

The courts have used a three part test to determine if Facebook or other postings are protected Free Speech or if they cause "Substantial Disruption" at school.

1. Does speech relate to the school? Is the school a target? Is a student, a teacher or a coach a target?

2. Is speech directed to students of that school?

3. Did the speech reach the school? Was it accessed by students, teachers or administrators at the school? Was it foreseeable that it would reach the school?

A threat of violence is generally less likely to be seen as Free Speech.

B-R One Act places Second at Conference Meet

The Pied Piper of Hamelin placed second at Monday's Conference One Act Contest. Homer won the meet. Austin Bruning won Best Actor and Overall Outstanding Actor for his role as Farmer Schmidt, Amanda Brummond won Best Actress as the Piper, and Superior Acting Awards went to Suzanna Ras (Dame Von Braun), Shelby Ostrand (Bertram Von Braun) and Ryan Wellman (Mayor Von Braun).

Nebraska State test results released today

The Nebraska Department of Education will release the results of state testing from last spring. Tests were given in Reading, Math, Writing and Science. Students tested were in grades 3-8 and 11 for math and reading. Science was given at grades 5,8 and 11. Writing was given to grades 8 and 11.

Bancroft-Rosalie results:

Strengths-

B

–Group Improvement in Reading  1st out of 248 schools. Group results from last spring compared to the year before (different students).  –Student Growth in Reading  2nd  of  248 schools. Same students scored better last year than the year before. –Student Growth in Math     13th  of  248–Group Improvement in Math           49th  of  248–Graduation rate     56th  of  182–Average Reading score         125th  of  249. Average of all of our students who took the test.

Areas for improvement-
–Average Writing score  166  of  249
–Average Math score  223  of  249
–Average Science score  242  of  249

We have begun looking at ways to improve the average math, science and writing scores. In science, we have to decide if we want to adopt the suggested high school curriculum for 9th and 10th graders, which does not include the study of plants and animals, or to continue with what we are doing and accept that our junior test scores may not be where we want them. 

State testing shows attendance impacts state test performance

The Nebraska Department of Education released the results of a study comparing student attendance to scores on the state assessments. The table below shows that students who miss more than 10 days of school score significantly lower on state assessments than students who were absent from school less than 10 days. The scores are even worse for students that miss more than 20 days of school.

The evidence is clear that schools need to be tough when it comes to enforcing mandatory attendance.

Neihardt program Sunday at 2:00 pm

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School Board meeting summary

The November meeting of the Bancroft-Rosalie School Board was held Monday, November 12, 2012 at 7:30 p.m. in the school library. 

Dr. Cerny presented: the October transportation report; District tax history; State School Board Conference; Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance rates for 2012-13; Office of Civil Rights on-site visit report; MAP test Fall results; and the Nebraska Performance Accountability results.

In old business the board gave final approval to amended policy #0537 Ceremonies, Observances, Pledge of Allegiance and discussed placement of the cement barricades in the west parking lot.

In new business the board reviewed the district multicultural program and the school technology plan. 

The board approved the baseball cooperative agreement to allow Lyons-Decatur to join with B-R, West Point-Beemer, and Pender for baseball this spring.

The bid for snow removal from Marvin Siebrandt was accepted. 

The board discussed the new draft of the Nebraska Social Studies Standards.

School Board meeting agenda- Monday, Nov. 12

Bancroft-Rosalie Community School

Regular Board of Education Meeting Agenda

Monday, November 12, 2012 --- 7:30 p.m. in Bancroft.

1.             Call to Order

2.             Roll Call

3.             Read and approve the minutes of the October 8, 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. Final approval amended policy #0537 Ceremonies, Observances, Pledge of                         Allegiance.

      B. West parking lot

9.            New Business:

            A. Annual review of Multicultural program.

            B. Annual review of technology

            C. Preliminary teacher evaluation

            D. Recognize the BREA as the exclusive bargaining agent for teachers.

            E. Nebraska Social Studies Standards.

10.             Executive session-

11.            Future Planning- Next  meeting- Monday, December 10, 2012 at 9:00 p.m.           

12.            Adjournment.

Shannon Johnston Benefit Sunday

Lewis and Clark Conference changes

The following proposals were passed by the Lewis and Clark Executive Committee last night.

Volleyball Divisions:
Central- Bancroft-Rosalie, Homer, Ponca, Wakefield, Winnebago, Laurel-Concord
East- Allen, Hartington, Emerson-Hubbard, Walthill, Wynot, Winside
West- Bloomfield, Creighton, Osmond, wausa, Randolph, Plainview

B team matches- 2 out of 3 to 25
C team matches- 2 out of 3 to 21

Volleyball Tournament:
Three day tournament. Round One at 4 highest seeds, 2 out of 3.
Semifinals and finals at rotating sites, 3 out of 5. There will be a 3rd place game 2 out of 3.
Consolation round on Tuesday- seeded so closest seeds play (#15 plays #14). 2 out of 3.

All-Conference Volleyball- Select 12 players in each division.

Add Cross-Country as a conference activity.

All Conference basketball- Select 10 players in each division.

Basketball Tournament proposal:
Seeds 15-18 play on Friday night (Boys and Girls) hosted by the #15 seeds.
Round Two at 4 Highest seeds. Consolation round seeded by closest seeds (#15 plays #14).
Quarterfinal and semifinal games at rotating sites.
Look at using Wayne State College for Championship site. If not, rotate between Wayne High and Hartington CC.

Add Wrestling as a conference activity.

Score the pole vault at the conference track meet.

Mandatory Attendance

LB 996 changed the law for students that want to drop out of school.

•It strikes 2004 language that permitted any parent to discontinue enrollment of 16 or 17 year old child

•It replaced the 2004 language with new section (§79-202) setting forth procedures and forms to be used for withdrawing 16 or 17 year olds from attendance under two certain limited circumstances:

1. If the student is experiencing financial hardships requiring the student to be employed to support student’s family or dependents of the student; or

2. illness making attendance impossible or impracticable

Absenteeism

LB 993 amended the way that excessive absenteeism is to be reported to the County Attorney.  Excessive absenteeism occurs when students miss more than 10 days per semester or 20 days per year.
Students with excessive absences must be reported to the County Attorney unless the following condition is met:

•If all absences of a student are excused or due to documented illness that makes attendance impossible or impracticable, then the school may (but is not required to) report matter to county attorney.  

•Any letter sent by the school to the County Attorney must include one of the following two statements:

1. School requests more time to work with student;

2. School has used all reasonable efforts & recommends county attorney intervention.

Excused absences:

Nebraska state law requires that every school age child shall be in school each day school is open and in session;  except when:

–Illness makes attendance impossible or impracticable;

–Severe weather makes attendance impossible or impracticable; 

or Excused by school officials.

There is nothing in the law that allows parents to excuse their own children from school. It has been Bancroft-Rosalie School policy to excuse children from school when parents submit a reasonable written excuse. That does not mean that we will accept unreasonable excuses. 

Why is this such a big deal? The Nebraska Department of Education has been compiling information on individual student performance on state tests and comparing it to that students attendance.
They found that there is a significant decrease in performance on state assessments when students miss more than 10 days of school. And as you would expect, student performance is even lower when students miss more than 20 days of school. 

The expectation is that all students will meet benchmark (pass) the state assessments. In order to do this, students have to take advantage of the learning opportunities by attending school every day possible.

November Biz Buzz Social at Lucky's Nov. 13

Top ten Hot Jobs in Nebraska this week

The occupation list below are the top 10 hot jobs found in Nebraska this week. Today's Hot Jobs are defined as High Wage, High Demand and High Skill. High wage is determined when an occupation has wages at or above the median. High demand is determined by the number of annual openings, the net change in employment, and the growth rate for the specific occupation. High Skill is defined as occupations which require some form of training and education beyond high school.

1. Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers

2. Registered Nurses

3. Insurance Sales Agents

4. First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers

5. Sales Managers

6. Sales Representatives, Services, All Other

7.Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Care

8. Computer Support Specialists

9. Computer Software Engineers, Applications

10. Physical Therapists

All District Football Team

Renewing Confidence in Public Education

Recently State Education Commissioner Roger Breed shared the information below with the Northeast Nebraska Superintendents. It shows that Math scores in the United States have continued to improve over the past forty years and the graduation rate has increased, yet confidence in public education is half what it was in 1970. It is hard to understand why people are so down on public education. 

Most people give their own local schools high marks when asked how they are doing. The problems seems to be those "other schools" out there that are not doing a good job. The finger pointing is usually at large urban schools that face the problems of educating low income, high minority populations of students. 

It is obvious that Public Schools have not done a good job of pointing out their success stories.  So when given the opportunity, I will share some of the good things we have going at B-R. 

Last week I saw Greg Vanderweil, Assistant Professor of Industrial Technology Education at Wayne State College. He talked up the three B-R students that are doing well in the Industrial Technology program at Wayne. He said he wants to keep the "pipeline" going. There is a shortage of "shop" teachers in Nebraska. Mr. Smith gets the credit for being a good model for our students and getting them interested in teaching Industrial Technology.