The Heartland School Board and administrators took care of regular business at their Monday evening meeting.
It was a pretty light agenda for the Heartland Community School Board, considering the past year of dealing with the struggles of completing the stalled 2022 building expansion bond project. Board members present were Gary Braun, Lacey Gloystein, Ryan Goertzen, Jennifer Hiebner, and Tyler Newton along with HCS principals Tim Carr and Dana Reinke. Board member Tammy Ott was absent.
Superintendent Klein updated the Board about the current special legislative session and his conversation with Senator Jana Hughes about his concerns about the proposed changes for school funding underway in the Nebraska Legislature Special Session. He shared a joint letter sent to the Legislature from the Nebraska Education Collaboration, which Heartland is a member of. Here is the letter:
“It’s really a mess, and with the political environment of this special session, things get cobbled together that shouldn’t be,” said Klein. He told the Board that he believes there is a way forward to balance school funding needs and reduce property taxes and will keep involved in the ever-changing legislation during this contentious special session of the Nebraska Unicameral.
He also updated the Board about the recent start of demolition and earthwork on the building project. “After this phase is completed, the underground work will begin next. We are trying to work quickly so the sidewalks and concrete can be put back around the Vo-ag building and the outdoor restrooms and concessions area in time for the first home football game on September 6th,” said Klein.
Currently, he said the building committee meets every two weeks, and he anticipates most of the construction traffic to come from the north to minimize any disruption to the school’s south main entrance. Here is a picture of the planned temporary fenced-in grass area west of the circle drive, mainly for the preschool students.
HCS High School Principal Tim Carr and Elementary Principal Dana Reinke presented their reports. Reinke expressed appreciation for Mary Hiebner’s running of the annual Summer Reading Program and the 57 kids who attended the end-of-season trip to the Funplex in Geneva.
She also reported on the year-round services provided to students through the summer months. “We are ready for the kids on Thursday for the first day of school, and everybody is excited,” she said. According to Carr, the 7th-grade orientation was held on August 6, and all student schedules have been updated so they are ready for Thursday’s start.
Motions were passed to reaffirm teacher and principal evaluation frameworks. The Finance, American Civics, and Building committees were discussed and reaffirmed.
The upcoming closing out of the budget was explained by Klein and dates were discussed for a special meeting to be held the week of August 26 to conduct the fiscal year closeout. The official property tax valuation will be announced by August 20 and certified by the county. The next regular school board meeting will be Monday, September 9, at 8 p.m. The 2024/25 budget will be formally adopted at a special meeting sometime the week of September 23.
The minutes and treasurer’s report of the July 8 meeting were approved. Klein explained a few of the claims for the HVAC work in the kitchen, including replacing a blower and compressor unit and installing a service counter this summer.
Before adjourning, the Board went into executive session to discuss the purchase of real estate.
