Hefty anonymous donation given to MPS for tennis canopy

McCOOK, Neb. — The McCook Board of Education will be asked to approve a $15,000 anonymous donation toward the costs of a tennis canopy, at the regular meeting Monday, at 6:30 p.m. at the McCook Junior High conference room.

The donation is for a canopy at the high school tennis courts. The board will be asked to approve another, separate anonymous donation Monday night for the canopy project, at $2,500.

Before accepting the donations, the board will be asked to approve the tennis canopy project. Initial costs of the project, estimated by Engineering International of McCook, have construction costs/structural analysis and construction drawings at $25,952.

Usually, projects in the school district come up through the “Facilities” committee, where funding mechanisms and pros and cons of a project are discussed. The project is then presented to the entire school board for approval.

The board will also be asked Monday night to approve a contract for Norabell Chessmore to teach high school journalism. Under “Superintendent Comments” slated earlier in the meeting, Superintendent Grant Norgaard will discuss that they are working with her on obtaining teaching credentials that will enable her to teach journalism. This will require a transition certificate through the Nebraska Department of education via the University of Nebraska-Kearney. Individuals who go through this process receive an initial teaching certificate as they take coursework in the area where they seek full certification.

Chessmore has been a substitute teacher at McCook Public Schools and has a bachelor of science in communication, journalism, public relations and advertising, from the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

The teacher shortage is becoming more critical and is no longer contained to specific content areas, according to Norgaard’s report in the school board meeting agenda.

The board will also be asked to approve a salary package of up to $31,500 for administrators in the school district. This salary package contains the salary increases for principals/administrators for the upcoming year.

Earlier in the meeting, the board will hear updates from the finance and facilities committees; a presentation on technology integration from Tina Williams, the school district’s technology director; and a presentation on career and college preparedness.