OSMOND — The Osmond Board of Education met Monday, Aug. 12, and began the meeting with a Celebration of Excellence recognition of Joe Ortmeier, who was featured in last week’s Osmond Republican for his 40 years as a coach at Osmond Community School.
Athletic director Brian Guenther shared the 2024-25 sports schedules, including junior high and junior varsity football schedules and junior high boys’ and girls’ basketball schedules.
Principal’s Report
Principal Kurt Polt reported on teacher in-service days which were taking place Aug. 12-14, and a staff meeting on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) was held last week.
The elementary open house was scheduled for Aug. 13, as was Chromebook check-out. The first day of school will be Aug. 15 with a 2:06 p.m. dismissal.
Mr. Polt reported that the expectation for the kindergarten class was 10 students. School enrollment was expected to increase slightly, and he shared an updated enrollment sheet with board members.
Polt advised that he and school secretary Jessica Johnson had a Zoom meeting with Power school last week to get the process started for the school’s new messaging service. It will take at least one more Zoom meeting before the new service is operational, he said.
The jamboree volleyball games are scheduled in Osmond this year, on Monday, Aug. 26. Proceeds go toward the Nebraska High School Hall of Fame. The regular season opener is a dual at Wynot on Aug. 29.
The first football game is scheduled for Friday, Aug. 30, at Wausa against Wakefield. Osmond's homecoming game will be held on Friday, Oct. 4, against Hartington-Newcastle.
The first cross country meet will be held Thursday, Aug. 29, at Hartington.
The principal reported that work on the senior banners has begun and they will be sent to print as soon as he has them completed. They will be hung in the gym as early in the first quarter as possible. He reminded board members that it is their gift to the seniors.
Mr. Polt added that there will be no school on Monday, Sept. 2, for Labor Day.
Superintendent’s Report
Superintendent Skip Bremer gave an update on the building/front of- fice remodel. The framing and rough electrical work has been done, as well as drywall, and other prep work. The doors have been delivered but have not been installed yet, and the window and the cabinets are not here yet.
Mr. Bremer explained where how the various rooms will be used once Principal Polt and Mrs. Johnson are moved to the front office. He said next summer they could continue planning on what is needed to complete the office moves.
Bremer noted that he and Principal Polt attended administrator days in Kearney July 24-26. He also briefly commented on the childcare situation and the need to support Tiger and Friends Childcare.
Mr. Bremer said the co-op with Wausa is progressing well and junior high basketball has been approved by both districts.
Feasibility Study
Board President Mark Moes and Board Member Larry Krohn spoke about committee meetings with Wausa and the recommendation to hire the Nebraska Rural Community Schools Association (NRCSA) to run a feasibility study. Jack Moes of NRCSAwill meet together with the two districts to make sure he understands each board’s desires with the study.
An article written by Superintendent Bremer and Wausa Superintendent Brad Hoesing is printed elsewhere in this issue that explains why the feasibility study is being conducted and the tentative timeline of the study.
Board members stressed that the purpose of the study is not to consolidate, but to work together for the good of both districts.
Later, in action items, the board approved entering into a feasibility study with Wausa Public Schools and hiring NRCSA to lead the study.
Other Business
Moes advised that he had spoken with Kelly Hodson of West-Hodson about the concrete that was poured recently. Kelly said he put down one layer of protection and generally he does two. Moes said he thinks the school should do the second layer of protection to protect that investment. The board was in agreement, and Bremer will take care of it.
Moes said that, moving forward, when the board does roll call on a vote, they will answer with “yea” or “nay” or “abstain.” When asked, he explained that it is the more formal way of doing business.
Board Member Tyler Gansebom said that he and Board Member Michelle Reikofski had spoken with City Council Member Doug Schmit about a couple different possible sites for a city sign. Love Signs will need to look at the options, but the plan is to move forward on it.
Moes, Bremer and Krohn discussed a meeting they had with a representative of ALICAP Insurance. They said that the local company, Town & Country, has been really good, but the premiums had just been too high, so their recommendation was to go with ALICAP. After some discussion, the board approved a motion to use ALICAP beginning Sept. 1.
Bremer advised that, after lengthy discussions with NDE, he found that the district needs to move its dollar and energy savings loan of $500,000 out of the depreciation/general fund and deposit the amount directly into 42R SCHOOL BOARD PREPARES FOR NEW YEAR
the special building fund. Otherwise it “messes up” the school’s budgeting process for 2024-25. The board approved a motion to reverse the transfer of the loan of $500,000 out of the depreciation fund to general fund, and then reverse the deposit out of the general fund, then finally deposit it into the special building fund.
In other business, board members: - reviewed Policies 4009-4010, 4011.1-4013, 4015-4017 — were asked to inform Bremer if they will be attending the NASB convention — approved transferring from the general fund $150,000 to the deprecia tion fund for all approved accounts, and $10,000 to the nutrition fund.
