OSMOND — The Osmond Board of Education met Monday, May 11, and heard from science teacher and golf coach Dante Schmit on his first year at Osmond Community School. He asked Board President Mark Moes if he remembered a conversation they had after he (Dante) had graduated high school here. He had told Moes that he wouldn’t come back to Osmond after college and when Moes asked why, he said he couldn’t think of a reason to come back. Now, he said, he hopes he can give kids a reason — this place will always be home.
Schmit said he enjoys kids coming in and sharing about their day. He also spoke about Kooper Gubbels, who is on the golf team, and he enjoys watching him develop and improve as a golfer.
Asked if there will be any changes to his job next year, Schmit said he will be teaching technical math next year.
Athletic Director Report
Athletic Director Brian Guenther reported that Class D districts for track is on Wednesday, May 13, at Hartington, and District D-2 golf is on Monday, May 18, at Indian Trails Country Club in Beemer, hosted by West Point.
Guenther advised that Academic All-state awards have all been submitted for spring activities. He also advised that an EPIC football camp will be held here again this summer on Thursday, July 9.
Gym floor cleaning and waxing is scheduled for Friday, July 17.
K-6 Principal’s Report
Principal Paige Parsons, who had to be absent, sent in the following report: She congratulated the K-12 students and music directors Vanessa Steinkraus and Christalin Ginn for their performances in the spring concerts.
The planning committee for the Osmond PTO is planning a “kick-off” for membership at the elementary field day on Thursday, May 14. They will have brochures and information available.
Students are finishing up Acadience benchmarking and NSCAS (Nebraska Student-Centered Assessment System). She will have a more detailed report of the date at the next board meeting.
Staff Appreciation Week was celebrated May 4-8 with the theme of "90s Edition: Osmond Staff is All That and More.” She noted that Osmond has amazing staff members, and “it’s been fun to celebrate all those that make our district great.”
The elementary students have been on a few field trips recently, including the third and fourth grade to a Life on the Farm presentation, kindergarten through third grade going to Niobrara, and fourth through sixth graders going to Lincoln to visit the capitol.
Following kindergarten round-up with three families participating, there will be six new kindergarten students next fall.
Upcoming events include the field day on May 14, the last day of school on May 15 and a teacher in-service May 18 and 19.
7-12 Principal’s Report
Principal Kurt Polt reported that the last day for students in Friday, May 15, with a 1 p.m. dismissal. Grades are due at the end of that day, with all report cards being sent home by the end of the following week. Staff members will have work days May 18-19.
Polt advised that district track is May 13 at Hartington with Class C and D state track in Omaha on May 22 and 23, and district golf is May 18, hosted by West Point at Beemer, and state (Continued on Page 8, No. 1) SCHOOL BOARD APPROVES RE-KEYING, CURTAINS golf is May 27 and 28 in Columbus.
The principal noted that all students’ schedules for next year have been completed, and added that the eighth grade science class will be taught by Erin Braun.
Principal Polt thanked Mrs. Parsons and Superintendent Skip Bremer for covering for him during graduation.
Superintendent’s Report
Superintendent Bremer briefly went over the board policies for the month. Those with no changes include 3013, emergency closings; 3015, time away from school activities; 3017, official communication with the public; 3018, denying access to school premises or activities; 3019, sale or disposal of school property; 3020, copyright compliance; 3022, volunteers; 3023, record management and retention; 3024, booster clubs and parent-teacher organization policy; 3025, returned and outstanding checks.
For Policy 3016, smoking and related products, the current policy allows adult smoking outside in designated areas (which the school doesn’t have). The committee would like to be a smoke-free campus, so the changes will reflect that. All policies are available on the school website: click on Menu-School Board-Board Policies.
Bremer went over the new staff positions, which include: Morgan Schmit hired as para-educator; Grace Nordhues, fifth grade teacher; Jaci Kumm, moving from fifth grade to second grade; Lacey Bahr, moving from second to third grade; Erin Braun, moving from third to junior high interventions and eighth grade science, and Kaitlyn Anderson, resigning from her SPED teaching position.
Bremer noted that the information from the ad hoc committee would be discussed at the June meeting. Members were given reading materials to go over until then.
Mr. Bremer noted that the changeover to JMC for the school information system is progressing.
The superintendent reported that, on May 5, Security Bank’s Paula Gutz accompanied him in attending the Stellar Teller Days in Laurel with the seven Osmond sixth grade student tellers. Axyl Rice, one of the Osmond tellers, was named a “Stellar Teller.” The Osmond branch will reopen in the fall with the new school year. A question was asked about what happens with sixth graders’ money at the end of that year. He advised that the students have the option to take the cash, or open a regular account at the bank and deposit their money.
Action Items
A bid was received for re-keying the school, and a motion was made to accept the bid from Glass Edge to replace the locks and handles at a cost not to exceed $29,715, to be paid from the depreciation fund.
The board discussed replacing the stage curtains and lighting with technology, and a motion was made to accept the Omaha Stage Equipment bid for stage curtain and light replacement at a cost not to exceed $21,256 for curtains and $28,506.69 for lighting and technology to be paid from the depreciation fund. It was noted that the Osmond Community School Foundation is making a donation toward the cost, so the amount will be less.
