School budget on track

McCOOK, Neb. -- The McCook School District is right on target for financials.

For September, October and November, expenditures and expenses are at 25 percent, which is where it should be for the first quarter, said McCook Schools business manager Rick Haney at the regular school board meeting Monday night.

According to the monthly financial report, expenditures for November were $1,753,699, with the majority of that, at $1,464,636, for the general fund. The general fund covers teacher and administrator salaries, as well as maintenance services, custodial services and pupil support services, such as transportation.

Revenue for November was $936,777. Year-to-date revenue from property taxes to the general fund were $1.82 million and from state aid, $1.43 million.

These numbers vary slightly from month to month, depending on costs and time of the year, Haney said.

Comments made at the board meeting Monday night from school board members and administration included:

Diane Lyons: students in National Honor Society are making baby blankets that are given to the parents of new babies, along with a book. Noted the many music programs going at this time of the year and thanked music instructors for their work. Also told the board that the PTO at McCook Elementary is selling Bison Christmas ornaments for $5 and cup "koozies" for $2, available at school music programs and on the organization's Facebook page.

Loretta Hauxwell: thanked the community for its monetary donations to the district. Also thanked parents who volunteer to help at junior high dances on Friday nights.

Bob Elder: thanked the teachers and administration for all the work they do. Also recognized Landon Towne, the eighth grade wrestler at McCook Junior High, who allowed a special needs wrestler from Cambridge, Nebraska, to beat him at a recent wrestling match.

Brian Esch: thanked the school district for allowing school board members to attend a recent school board convention in Omaha, Nebraska. Also recognized teachers and administrators who laid the groundwork for the "excellent" and "great" rankings McCook Schools received from the state.

Teresa Thomas: cited the recent projects being done by the high school National Honor Society and teachers who take the time to meet with parents one-on-one.

Tom Bredvick: commended school officials who shared with students the recent school classification ratings by the Nebraska Department of Education. Cited the importance of "student involved assessment," one of the programs being implemented at McCook Schools, where students focus on their own progress in a subject and work toward goals, being accountable for their own success.

Dawson Brunswick, McCook High School student council representative: thanked McCook Elementary teachers for doing a great job with kids, despite poverty affecting nearly 1 in 2 students at the school. Brunswick also told the board that the student council has ordered hand sanitizers for the high school and that preparations are underway for the Color Day dance in February.

Rick Haney, business manager: clubs and activities are going smoothly and noted that an original song written by a student was recently performed by the band at a recent high school achievement celebration.

Tim Garcia, McCook Elementary principal: at a recent conference he attended for school principals, other administrators were "in awe" that teachers at McCook Schools have "early out" Wednesdays, where teachers have time to collaborate on student's progress. He thanked the school board for allowing that time for teachers.

Superintendent Grant Norgaard: recognized Deb Goodenberger, elementary art instructor, for displaying art work by students at the state conference.