Kimball Public Schools would like to express our sincere thanks to the following companies and individuals for their support of our school district.

Clean Harbors and Schadegg Motors for their work on the football field lights.

Joe and Deb Fennell for their donation of the track scoreboard.

FirsTier Bank for their donation of 8 steel golf carts.

Flo Robbins and Z&S Construction for their donations of scoreboards for the new gym.

Support from the community like this greatly enhances the quality of education and extra curricular opportunities we can provide to our students.  Your support deserves to be acknowledged and applauded.  Thanks from all of us at Kimball Public Schools.

     The Nebraska Association of School Boards held an area membership meeting in Gering on August 27^th.  The Nebraska Association of School Boards annually gives out an Outstanding Board Award to school boards across the state that attains very strict and specific requirements.  Only fifteen schools reached these goals for 2008.  Kimball Public Schools Board of Education was one of the fifteen from across the state who were awarded the 2008 Outstanding Board Award.     The Nebraska Association of School Boards has an individual awards of achievement program.  The NASB’s philosophy is to carry out a Board member’s role effectively, board members must keep abreast of changing times and circumstances.  Their existing expertise must be augmented by the continuous addition of new knowledge.  The NASB Award of Achievement program is designed to recognize the time and commitment made by board members in continuing their education and their involvement in the Association.  Points are awarded for participation in local, state and national activities which enhance effective board service.        The Kimball Board of Education has set the following goals for themselves:BOARD PROFESSIONAL GROWTH – The Board of Education will collectively attend educational opportunities for board members.

1. Board members will collectively participate in education meetings and conferences at the state level.  (At least 2 functions per board member.)
2. The board will work towards the “Outstanding Board” award through the Nebraska Association of School Boards.
3. The board will study the role and authority of the board, as well as, the role and authority of the superintendent.  

     The following members of Kimball Public Schools school board were honored with individual awards.  

Rick Perry                    Level IV

Clint Cornils                 Level II

It should be notes that only 1% of all school board members in the state of Nebraska ever reach Level IV or higher.

Assessment of State Writing Standards

All Students

Overall Performance Percentages for All Students Meeting or Exceeding Standards

Years Grade 04 Grade 08 Grade 11 2003-2004 42.22% 90.32% 95.35% 2004-2005 63.83% 68.89% 77.78% 2005-2006 89.19% 91.11% 76.32% 2006-2007 55.88% 84.09% 80.39% 2007-2008 84.78% 90.48% 85.00% % of Change 42.56% 0.16% 10.35%

% of Change: Compares the percentage of students proficient on the first state writing assessment to the current year’s results.

LB 1153 extended for one year (2008-2009) the opportunity for Kimball Public Schools to allow kindergarten-age-eligible children to attend our district’s early childhood program. Beginning in the 2009-2010 school year all Kindergarten-age-eligible children will not be allowed into the early childhood program. Kindergarten-age-eligible children as defined by Rule 11 is age 5 by October 15th of the current school year. We would encourage you to make your plans accordingly for this year. Please contact West Elementary at 235-3671 if you would like to enroll your child in the early childhood program (Pre-K). There will be several new faces this year at Kimball Public Schools.

Chauncey Pedersen HS Guidance Counselor

Travis Terrill Technology Coordinator

Erin Aerni HS English

Vickie Mitchell JH Science

Lisa Grote HS Foreign Language

Fred Williams HS Math

Kimball Public Schools would like to welcome all the new staff members. We are looking forward to a great year! We would also like to thank the exiting and current staff members for all of their hard work and dedication to our students. We are looking forward to having a great year as excellence has become the expectation for Kimball Public Schools.

The Kimball School Foundation was established as a non-profit organization in 1990. Donations have been accepted through the years in an effort to build a financial base to begin awarding grants for use by individuals or organizations to promote, support, and enhance educational-related experiences.

The first grants were awarded in 1992 and totaled $761.75. The total foundation grants awarded in the last two years is over $21,000.

Projects or individuals supported through grants in the last few years include . . .

• Pre-School literacy program.
• Fund the Nebraska Children’s Choice Award, The Golden Sower.
• Assist funding for the National FFA Convention
• Assisted funding for the Grand Piano at the High School
• Assist attendance to Cornhusker State in Lincoln
• Assist funding of Edwards 55 ton Ironworker
• Stained Glass Art Project
• Baby Think It Over Infant Simulators
• 4 Annual Scholarship ($1000) for Graduating Senior

The Foundation was directly involved in organizing and promoting the All School Reunion a few years ago and will assist in the upcoming event.

Each fall a mail campaign to Kimball graduates is conducted for Foundation support. Kimball School employees have and continue to contribute to the Foundation.

If you are a Kimball graduate, and feel strongly that quality education should be maintained in Kimball County, please send a donation to . . .

Kimball School Foundation

901 South Nadine Street

Kimball, NE  69145

(308) 235-2188

      I thought I would share our current comparison group for state aid.  Notice that of the ten schools we are compared to only one of ten was previously a sparse school.  The change in formula with LB 988 hurt those schools by lowering cost per students around $700.  We have a stability factor for two years of about $388,000 which protects us from taking the full loss at least until then.  We are also hurt by not taxing closer to $1.05.  If you notice of the ten schools below besides us only one is taxing below $1.0289.  It is also   interesting to note that seven of the ten have already had to override the $1.05 tax limit. 

Student #

Prev. Cat.

Tax Rate

2007-2008

2008-2009

Difference

DONIPHAN-TRUMBULL

530.8

R

1.0499

900,357.03

891,650.85

-8,706.18

WOOD RIVER

536.79

R

1.0658

738,424.97

783,369.99

44,945.02

BRIDGEPORT

537.06

S

1.0289

3,901,515.00

3,775,267.34

-126,247.66

CENTURA

537.64

R

1.252

1,400,413.83

1,775,439.03

375,025.20

GIBBON

546.03

R

0.9548

1,821,400.23

1,964,230.94

142,830.71

KIMBALL

547.57

S

0.9961

1,566,706.62

1,459,277.51

-107,429.11

MADISON

558.1

R

1.1067

1,071,255.00

1,140,137.65

68,882.65

FORT CALHOUN

568.73

R

1.1698

1,194,937.87

1,383,774.61

188,836.74

LOGAN VIEW

572.93

R

1.1226

882,720.24

812,972.02

-69,748.22

BOONE CENTRAL

574.69

R

1.0538

93,628.01

90,261.81

-3,366.20

FILLMORE CENTRAL

589.66

R

1.105

659,301.69

485,635.54

-173,666.15

The 2008/2009 State Aid Recertification was issued today.  The numbers for Kimball were worse than projected.  The 2007/2008 state aid was $1,566,706.62.  The 2008/2009 state aid numbers are $1,459,277.51.  This is a loss of $107,429.11 from last year.  It is also a loss of $765,026.91 from what was certified to us (Feb. 1) before LB 988 was passed. 

     It is important to know how schools are funded in Nebraska.  Schools receive the majority of their funding in basically two areas.  One is property tax and the other is state aid.  The state aid comes from the Tax Equity and Educational Opportunities Support Act.  LB 988 was a bill that changes the Tax Equity and Educational Opportunities Support Act.  LB 988 was passed this legislative session by the unicameral.  It was signed into law by the Governor.  Obviously the passage of LB 988 effects school funding.  LB 988 requires the recertification of state aid.  Aid to schools was certified February 1^st.  Kimball received $1,566,706.21 in state aid for 2007-2008.  Our certified state aid for next year under the formula was to be $2,224,304.42.  This would have been an increase of $657,597.80. 

     Here is what LB 988 does to the Kimball school district.  LB 988 changed the computation of the needs formula.  This means instead of being in a cost group with other schools in a sparse area we are put into a comparison group of the next five larger schools and the next five smaller schools.  The sparse and very sparse categories which helped even the playing field for rural schools were thrown out.  A recent letter to the editor in the Star Herald shared the fact that LB 988 increased aid to South Sioux City by over $1 million, Lexington by over $2 million, Grand Island by over $4 million, Omaha by over $21 million, and to Lincoln by over $11 million.  LB 988 also changes the computation for the resource formula.  The local effort rate was changed from the maximum levy less $0.10 to the maximum levy less $0.05.  First we need to translate what the local effort rate is-PROPERTY TAX.  The maximum levy in Nebraska is $1.05.  Under the old formula the minimum levy if you wanted to maintain state aid was $0.95.  Kimball Public Schools in the 2007-2008 year taxed at 0.996.  Under LB 988 we are under the now required $1.00 to maintain state aid.  It is projected under LB 988 that property taxes state wide will increase at least $7.8 million.  LB 988 penalizes any district who does not maintain their effort rate (property tax) at $1.05.    

     What does this all mean for Kimball?  First of all it means we are forced to raise our property tax request or we will take another reduction in our state aid the following year.  It also means when the new state aid figures come out we are projected to receive $1,652,152.58.  This is an $85,445.96 increase from last year but a loss of $572,151.84 from the aid that was certified to us February 1^st.  The $572,151.84 projected loss covers almost 1% of the entire projected budget shortfall for the entire state.  We are also projected to lose another $95,000 from the previous year’s state aid.  So the sum effect is Kimball Public Schools will receive state aid of approximately $10,000 less than the previous year.  With this decrease we will deal with the cost increases which affect us all.  Gas prices, food prices, cost of living are just a few examples.

     The Kimball Board of Education will not be able to do much to support our local tax payers.  The Board will be forced to submit a property tax request as close as possible to $1.05 so the $1.6 million dollar state aid is not put into jeopardy.  I am sure there will be criticism of being progressive and constructing an addition at the high school and then raising property taxes.  It is important to note that even if the construction was not taking place, LB988 would force the raise in the property tax request.  The construction project will have no bearing on the upcoming tax request.  The Board of Education has worked very hard over the years to keep property tax down.  I felt it was important to share with the taxpayers what was going on at the state level.          

   Kimball Public Schools and Kimball High School’s Music Department will be presenting “Once on This Island” in the Harry E. McNees Auditorium on May 2 & 3, 2008 at 7:00 p.m. “Once On This Island” is set on a tropical island and begins after a storm hits the island, leaving a young girl orphaned – Ti Moune, played by senior Lindsey Keeler.  She is discovered by two old peasants; Mama Euralie, played by junior, Mollie Baliman and Tonton Julian, played by sophomore, Lyle Janicek.  As the story progresses, Ti Moune falls in love with a wealthy young man from the other side of the island; Daniel Beauxhomme, played by sophomore, Matthew Merryfield.  Their forbidden love leads to many adventures for the characters who are controlled by the gods; Asaka – goddess of the earth, played by senior, Stephanie Fossand; Erzulie - goddess of love, played by senior Nicole Fossand; Papa Ge - the sly demon of death, played by junior Brock Tjosvold and Agwe – the god of water, played by junior James Merryfield.  The end has a twist of fate that will leave you happy and sad at the same time.   “Once On This Island” received 8 Tony Award nominations, including Best Musical, Best Score and Best Song.   Tickets are now available through Kimball High School.  Cost for tickets are $7.00 and $10.00.  For more information, please contact Kimball High School at 308 – 235 – 4861.