School board to implement eMeetings

McCOOK, Neb. -- McCook School Board members will be attending training on protocol for eMeetings.

The training is provided by the Nebraska Association of School Board, which sells the software for eMeetings and conducts workshops. There is a $1,500 cost annually, along with $500 fee for training.

McCook Schools superintendent Grant Norgaard asked school board members Monday night at the regular board meeting to send him days that would be convenient for them to attend training. In response to a question by board member Loretta Hauxwell concerning devices, Norgaard said Chromebooks or iPads already used in the district could be set up and ready for to go for board members before the meeting, or they could use their own laptops. Members who used devices from the school would sign into their own "cloud" account on the Internet, where shared resources and information are stored.

The McCook School Board voted in August to go paperless, with one member, Diane Lyons, voting against it. Lyons said costs associated with the program could be better spent on teacher supplies or teaching training.

Remarks made during the "Positive Comment" portion of the meeting and "Board and Administrative Comments" included:

Dawson Bredvick, MHS Student Council representative: the National Honor Society, InterAct and FFA are participating in a law enforcement appreciation event, by making plaques and serving a dinner of steak or lobster. He also cited in the report by John Hanson, SPED director, that the number of students in the McCook School District ages 0-21 receiving some kind of special education services has decreased, from 221 students to 201. Hanson said in the report that he believes an attributing factor may be the "Response to Intervention" program that provides help to struggling students before they get referred to special education and the PLC process,where teachers coordinate together on each student.

Diane Lyons: related that Central Elementary students celebrated the school's recent rating by the state by being allowed to scream and shout as loud as they could for the last five minutes of the day.

Loretta Hauxwell: cited the recent "boot camp" challenge at the junior high.

Bob Elder: heard many good comments concerning the recent GNAC tournament in McCook and commended the partnership between McCook Schools and McCook Community College for coordinating the event.

Teresa Thomas: commended parents and other individuals who supported and organized the many school activities for children. She also offered condolences to the Chris Klein family. Klein passed away over the weekend in a vehicle accident and his son attends McCook Public Schools.

Tom Bredvick: attended the Christmas band concert and was impressed by the students and efforts put in by band instructor, Donita Priebe.

Rick Haney, business manager: negotiations between the school district and the McCook Education Association, the bargaining agent for McCook teachers, went very smoothly.

Norgaard: encouraged people to become a mentor in the McCook TeamMates Mentoring program. Also cited Amanda Davidson, MHS drama instructor, who took drama students to a thespian festival in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Board member Brian Esch was absent from Monday's meeting.