Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
Sorted by date Results 26 - 50 of 107
What's working at Summerland Public School and what improvements can be implemented to benefit students? The answer to those questions will be determined by responses to a district-wide survey, which is part of the school's strategic planning process, that is required per Rule 10 of the Nebraska Department of Education. Superintendent Kyle Finke said strategic planning will assist in identifying goals, developing strategies to accomplish goals and determine how the district will take that step....
Summerland Board of Education will learn about the 2023 audit process when they meet in regular session, Tuesday, Nov. 14, at 6 p.m., in the school’s board room. Marcy Luth, with Almquist, Maltzahn, Galloway, & Luth, P.C., based in Grand Island, will present findings during a phone conference and the board will take action on the audit during new business. Discussion on the process used for the superintendent evaluation will also take place. According to the agenda, which appears on Page 14 o...
Summerland School officials have until Nov. 30 to declare if the Bobcat football team will play in the eight-man division during the next two-year cycle. During the Oct. 16 board of education meeting, activities director Zach Rosenboom said the current enrollment shows 63 male students in grades nine, ten and eleven. "The cutoff (for eight-man) is 47," he said. Rosenboom said a one-cycle waiver is available, which makes the Bobcats eligible for post-season play. Board member Nate Schwager asked...
Monday Morning Motivation, a weekly get-together of elementary students and staff at Summerland Schools, started like usual this week. Elementary principal Cathy Cooper welcomed students for a new week of learning, a staff member discussed ways to handle conflict and stress, students said the Bobcat pledge and recited the Pledge of Allegiance. Then, Superintendent Kyle Finke interrupted the weekly routine for an important announcement. "Last April, Mrs. Cooper was awarded the Region III...
PROCEEDINGS SUMMERLAND SCHOOL BOARD OF EDUCATION Sept. 12, 2023 Summerland Public School Board of Education met in regular session, immediately following the tax request hearing, Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2023. President Steve Thiele called the meeting, which was advertised in the Sept. 6, 2023, newspapers, to order at 5:17 p.m. Thiele noted the Open Meetings Act posted in the boardroom. Roll call was taken. Present: Ed Nordby, Nate Schwager, Scott Thiele, Steve Thiele, Austin Twibell, Jeremy Wagner. All board members present. Motion by Nordby,...
Preliminary enrollment numbers show an increase in Summerland Public Schools after the first weeks of classes. Superintendent Kyle Finke said 13 more students are enrolled than last year at this time. According to Finke, 443 students are currently enrolled in preschool through 12th grade. Final enrollment numbers are due to the Nebraska Department of Education by the end of this month. One of the noticeable differences is in the senior class. Thirty students comprised the class of 2023, while...
APPROVED CLAIMS SUMMERLAND SCHOOL Amazon Capital Services, Inc., sup, 1,199.44; Antelope Memorial Hospital, bus driver physical, 185.00; Black Hills Energy - Clearwater, nat gas 45.91; Bud’s Sanitary Service, LLC, trash serv, 736.00; Capital One, sup/meals, 827.72; Carlson West Povondra, prof serv, 1,939.60; Charles Sargent Irrigation, Inc., motor/serv, 13,955.71; Chipps, Amy, rep/serv to sewing machines, 330.53; ColdType Publishing, print, 329.10; DAS State Acctg - Central Finance OCIO, internet line charges, 267.63; Dusty’s, fuel, 90.41; Eak...
Drive, and the pursuit of following one's aspirations, took center stage, Tuesday, as Summerland Public School students returned for the opening day of the 2023-2024 school year. Superintendent Kyle Finke said several changes in the district give students "everything you need to be successful, no matter what you decide to do." Finke introduced the word of the year - drive - for the upcoming school term. "I hope you have some drive this year, that you focus on that and become better and better st...
It’s a case if you don’t use it, you’ll lose it. “And you’ll never get it back,” Summerland Superintendent Kyle Finke said while discussing the board’s decision to raise the district’s tax asking authority by up to 7%. The agenda action item is the result of the recent enactment of LB243, known as the School District Property Tax Limitation Act. For the upcoming fiscal year, the act limits growth at 3%. The act creates a default rule which caps the magnitude of a school district’s prop...
The cost of a potential outdoor storage shed to be built at Summerland School dominated a majority of the school board’s Monday evening meeting. Superintendent Kyle Finke said the “price tag might be getting up there.” Finke told the board he contacted Bob Sukup, an architect, who visited the site of a proposed 40 x 75 foot building, outfitted with a drain, water and electricity. “Do we still want that in the building?” Finke asked. The proposed structure would house pole vault and high jump...
Almost a year after receiving notification that the Village of Ewing was selected to receive funds to construct a two-unit duplex, officials broke ground on the project, Aug. 1. The $431,640 project, from the Nebraska Affordable Housing Trust Fund, will start construction in mid-August, according to village clerk Sharon Swails. The village will provide a $100,000 match. Village chairman James Ramold said each unit will feature two bedrooms, one bathroom and a single-car garage, available for...
Meal prices are expected to remain the same for the upcoming school year at Summerland Public Schools, following a recommendation from Superintendent Kyle Finke made at the district's July 17 board of education meeting. Breakfast, served daily from 7:40 to 8 a.m., will cost $1.50 for students, while adults will pay $2.40. Lunch prices will remain at $2.35 for kindergarten through sixth grade students. The cost for students in grades seven through 12 will be $2.50, while adults will pay $4 per...
The Summerland Public Schools Board of Education discussed lawn care, board policy and tech upgrades at its June 13 meeting. During public participation, the board learned more details about the pep rally honoring the Summerland SkillsUSA national qualifiers, sponsored by the “Summerland Advocate-Messenger.” Superintendent Kyle Finke outlined mower equipment available from Lazy T, with board members receiving information on lawn mowers in a range of prices. AKRS has also been contacted to give m...
PROCEEDINGS SUMMERLAND SCHOOL BOARD OF EDUCATION June 13, 2023 Summerland School Board of Education met in regular session, Tuesday, June 13, 2023, at 12 p.m. President Steve Thiele called the meeting, which was advertised in the June 7, 2023, newspapers, to order at 12:01 p.m. Thiele noted the Open Meetings Act posted in the boardroom. Roll call was taken and all members were present: Ed Nordby, Nate Schwager, Scott Thiele, Steve Thiele, Austin Twibell, Jeremy Wagner. Motion by Twibell, seconded by Scott Thiele, to approve the agenda: Voting a...
Summerland Booster Club Golf Tournament Committee members Terri Hergert, Josh Napier, Rita Anson, Aaron Kruger and Kyle Finke present a $19,000 check to Summerland Booster Club representatives Karen Cronk and Shelly Mlnarik. The funds were raised during the May 27 tournament at Summerland Golf Course. Twenty-eight teams registered for the event and raffle tickets were sold for "big ticket" items, including a Blackstone grill, Yeti cooler, Handlebend mugs, cornhole board set, Pit Boss grill and...
Summerland School Board of Education members approved pay increases for three categories of classified staff members and finalized the superintendent’s contract during the May 16 meeting. Board president Steven Thiele said the Negotiations Committee met in April and reviewed items under consideration with Superintendent Kyle Finke. “We wanted to reconvene this month because of a new state law that will take effect over the next three years as it relates to minimum wage,” Thiele said. By 2026,...
NONPUBLIC SCHOOL CONSULTATION MEETING NOTICE On May 31, 2023, at 10 a.m., a meeting conducted by Summerland Public School will take place at 51293 857th Rd, Ewing, Nebraska. The purpose of the meeting will be to provide an opportunity for parents and representatives of nonpublic schools to participate in the development of a plan for providing special education services to children with disabilities who attend nonpublic schools and home schools which are within the Summerland district for the 2023-2024 school year. Parents of a home-schooled...
Circle May 6 on the calendar. Be prepared for increased traffic near Summerland School. Be on alert for selfie-seeking seniors donned in commencement caps and gowns. A graduation ceremony for the class of 2023 will begin at 3 p.m., at the school, situated at 51293 857th Road, near Ewing. The program will begin with a slide show. Summerland band will play the processional. Superintendent Kyle Finke will present the administrative welcome and the senior welcome will be given by the salutatorian....
Amazon Capital Services, Inc., sup, 518.93; Avera St. Anthony's Hospital, occ therapy, 197.55; Black Hills Energy, nat gas, 583.25; Bomgaars, sup, 7.49; Bud's Sanitary Service, LLC, trash, 1,488.50; ByteSpeed, LLC, sup, 129.00; Capital One Bk(USA), NA, sup/gas/rooms/meals, 991.41; Carhart Lumber - Neligh, sup, 152.00; Central Nebraska Rehabilitation Services, occ therapy, 91.25; Chartwells Dining Services, meals, 322.50; ColdType Publishing, printing, 120.48; DAS State Acctg-Central Finance OCIO, internet line charges, 411.70; Dusty's, fuel,...
A new addition to the Summerland teaching staff was announced Monday. During the monthly board of education meeting, Danielle Birch, of O'Neill, was hired as a math instructor, for the 2023-2024 school year. Superintendent Kyle Finke indicated her hiring would allow additional math and science classes that will benefit students. "If we hire an additional math instructor, we would be able to offer a dual-credit math class. We could move some junior high science classes around to another...
PROCEEDINGS SUMMERLAND PUBLIC SCHOOL BOARD OF EDUCATION March 14, 2023 Summerland Public School Board of Education met in regular session, Tuesday, March 14, 2023, at 6:30 p.m. President Steve Thiele called the meeting, which was advertised in the March 8, 2023, paper, to order at 6:30 p.m. Thiele noted the open meeting act posted in the board room. Roll call was taken. Members present: Ed Nordby, Nate Schwager, Scott Thiele, Steve Thiele, Austin Twibell and Jeremy Wagner. Absent: none. Motion by Nordby, seconded by Scott Thiele, to approve...
A foundation supporting Summerland School is one step closer to fruition following a February meeting of the Summerland Board of Education. Board member Ed Nordby, working with district patron Laura Ferguson, presented options to the board, Feb. 15. Nordby said a foundation can be formed in one of two ways: A separate entity or as part of the school district. “I think (a separate entity) is going to be the best thing for us,” Nordby said. Ferguson said the idea of forming a foundation ori...
PROCEEDINGS SUMMERLAND PUBLIC SCHOOL BOARD OF EDUCATION Feb. 15, 2023 Summerland Public School Board of Education met in regular session, Feb. 15, 2023, at the school. President Steve Thiele called the meeting to order at 6:31 p.m. Thiele noted the Open Meetings Act poster posted in the board room. Roll call was taken. Members present: Ed Nordby, Nate Schwager, Scott Thiele, Steve Thiele, Austin Twibell, Jeremy Wagner. Motion by Schwager, seconded by Nordby, to approve the agenda as presented. Voting aye: Nordby, Schwager, Thiele, Thiele,...
An Oakland native will fill the junior/senior high principal's position next fall. Zach Rosenboom will make the move to Summerland after serving as the social studies teacher at Tekamah-Herman Public School since 2014. For the past three years, Rosenboom served as activities director for the Tigers. He started his teaching career at Dorchester Public School and spent two years there. He has coached at the junior and senior high school levels and served asn an AAU coach. Rosenboom told the...
Summerland Public School students will go green next year - at least on one route - as an electric bus is added to the district's fleet. Board of education members approved acceptance of a $395,000 grant that will cover the purchase of a bus and a charging station to be installed at the school. The district was notified earlier this fall it was one of six Nebraska recipients of a grant to purchase an electric bus. Other districts receiving the grant include Hay Springs, Hershey, McCool...
