Welcome to our Board Meeting Bulletin series, where we highlight key takeaways from each board meeting to keep our community informed and engaged with the latest developments in our school district.

Administrative & Superintendent Salaries Approved: The board approved a 3.25% average total package increase for certified administrators, classified directors, and assistant superintendents for the 2026-27 school year, moving the base salary from $74,290 to $75,800. The board also approved Dr. Rikli's three-year superintendent contract at a salary of $283,557.70 for 2026-27, representing a 3.02% total package increase. Both packages were informed by the teacher negotiated agreement approved earlier this year at 3.5% for year one, and both passed unanimously.

Middle School Transportation Discussion: The board heard an update from Assistant Superintendent Brett Richards on the possibility of expanding bus service for middle school students. The district currently operates 17 general education bus routes, with the cost per route rising to $81,200 next year. The board discussed the complexity of launching such a program, including driver hiring and training, technology infrastructure, and route planning. Next steps include finalizing cost modeling, determining what portion the district could subsidize, and sending an interest survey to eligible families to gauge demand and willingness to pay. 

Property Tax Refund Resolution: The board discussed a resolution stemming from a Sarpy County Tax Equalization and Review Commission decision involving local hotel properties. After the properties' assessed values for 2022 through 2025 were found to have been set too high, the county and the property owners reached a settlement. The district's share of the resulting refund totals approximately $825,000. Rather than a lump-sum payment, the district is considering a credit arrangement that would spread the refund over approximately two years of future property tax payments. The board plans to take formal action at its next meeting.

Early Literacy Grant Update: Dr. Shureen Seery presented an overview of the district's multi-year literacy project, which launched this school year with a focus on strengthening reading instruction and student outcomes from preschool through 12th grade. The district is funding the effort through a combination of general fund dollars, a Learning Community grant, and a competitive state grant. Key initiatives include an attendance interventionist, trained floater substitutes to maintain ELA instructional consistency, progress monitoring software, professional development on the science of reading, and family literacy nights. An external review team recently completed classroom observations across the district and will deliver findings soon, with follow-up presentations planned for coming months.

These are just a few of the topics discussed during our recent board meeting. For full access to agendas and minutes, please visit our website. Broadcast recordings of the meetings are also available on our YouTube channel.