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.

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.

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 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

]]> http://wpmu.esu13.org/nlscoach/2008/06/03/kimball-public-schools-foundation/feed/ http://wpmu.esu13.org/nlscoach/2008/04/30/comparison-group/ http://wpmu.esu13.org/nlscoach/2008/04/30/comparison-group/#comments Wed, 30 Apr 2008 22:04:11 +0000 nlscoach http://wpmu.esu13.org/nlscoach/2008/04/30/comparison-group/       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. 

     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.