School may lease land for skate park

McCOOK, Nebraska -- School property may be leased to the city for a skate park, if approved by the McCook School Board.

The board will be asked to approve Superintendent Grant Norgaard discussing a lease arrangement with city at the regular school board meeting, Monday, 6:30 p.m. at the junior high conference room.

In September 2013, the "Build McCook a Skate Park" group asked the school board to donate property west of the YMCA for a skate park.

The board declined to approve the donation, citing state law that prohibits school districts to give away property if the property has value.

Although an exact location has not been determined, it has been suggested in recent discussions between Norgaard and skate park volunteers that property west of the YMCA, in a drainage area, be used. The city would maintain the park and cover liability expenses. The park would require 5,000 square feet for the initial build, with 10,000 square feet for expansion.

No information has been given as how long the lease would be.

The board will also be asked to approve the "Acceptable Use Policy" for the 1:1 iPad initiative next year.

At the March meeting, the board approved the purchase of 500 iPads for high school students for the 2014-15 school year. The devices will be handed out to students at an iPad "boot camp" scheduled for parents and students in July, after students and parents sign the acceptable use policy. Parents can view the acceptable use policy beforehand on the school's website, at mccookbison.org.

In other business, the board will be asked Monday night to approve five resignations and seven new teacher contracts.

The resignations, effective at the end of this year, come from Sarah Knutson, ag instructor; Beth Haag at Central Elementary; Erin Milton, sixth grade resource; Jill Lauer, sixth grade English and Kristen Liechty, second grade.

Contracts the board will be asked to approve are for Jacob Curl, industrial tech; Joe Vetrovsky, resource; Deborah Donelan, elementary music; Thomas Benedetto, fourth grade; Marguerite Gallegos, seventh grade science ( 2013-14 school year); Tracy Cooper, ag education and Jessica Shepherd, second grade.

Other action items for the meeting include approving travel plans for the Destination Imagination team to attend the national competition in Knoxville, Tennessee and a $1,000 donation from Jerry and Kate Repass (R and S Hay Service) for the Destination Imagination program.