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Nonprofit seeks school partnership for mental, behavioral services
McCOOK, Neb. – A non-profit organization started in 2007 in Douglas County, Neb. plans to provide services for the youth and families of Red Willow County and would like to partner with McCook Public Schools to do so. Representatives of Banisters Leadership Academy spoke to the McCook Public School Board of Education Monday during the public comments portion of the meeting.
Banister’s mission is to strengthen youth and families through leadership, working with youth from kindergarten through 12th grade to teach leadership, life, social, and job-readiness skills.
The organization has branched out state-wide and is now operational in 23 counties in Nebraska. They are launching their Family Navigator program in McCook on the second Friday of every month from 5 to 9 p.m. The program focuses on at-risk youth in 7th through 12th grade and is free to families. In the Spring, they plan to offer another program that will be targeted to children kindergarten through sixth grade.
In addition, Banisters Leadership Academy has received a federal grant that will allow them to provide mental health and behavioral services for families in Nebraska. The virtual and telehealth program is open to children, families, and individuals, and will be based on mental and behavioral health services through social and emotional learning. There is no charge to participants.
Representatives Tiffany Hernandez and Milva McGhee told school board members that they would like to partner with MPS for the program, in both referrals and facilities. Hernandez said they are beginning a soft launch of the program this Friday and encourages anyone who may be interested to call (402) 672-5476 to find out more.
Jonathan Frank, elected by his peers as a student school board representative, and who took the oath of office earlier in the meeting, updated board members on student council activities, which included plans for Color Day and Students in the Driver’s Seat.
Two members of the Bison Bass Fishing Team, Kaden Wilhelmson and Canyon Hosick, updated board members on the activities of the team. The group has competed in several tournaments throughout the season, which run in the Spring and Fall. They fish in teams of two and travel throughout the state and beyond. Both boys, who fish on different teams, have met with a considerable amount of success traveling as far as South Carolina and Wisconsin to compete. Wilhelmson told the board that McCook has great participation in the Bison Bass Fishing team, with more duos participating from McCook than in most schools around the state.
Superintendent Grant Norgaard updated board members on the progress being made for a potential Junior High Bond issue. Community members were invited to participate in an informational meeting about the history and need for a new and updated facility. The presentations included information from engineers and architects, plans currently being proposed, and information about deficits in the current building. The purpose was to gather feedback from the community. The group consisted of participants of varying ages and different areas of the workforce. In groups, the committee members answered questions about the perceived strengths, weaknesses, recommendations, and overall thoughts on the building project.
A similar informational/feedback meeting was held with junior high school staff, and another is planned to be conducted with the high school staff.
Norgaard also reported on an Oct. 3 meeting with three construction companies who may be interested in bidding on the project. Norgaard is hopeful that those three companies, and possibly more, will submit the required documents to be considered for the project. On Oct. 30, the Construction Manager at Risk Committee will review the documents and choose three or four companies to “move on to the next round”. The next round consists of interviews with the finalists on Nov. 8, followed by a ranking process by the committee. From there, the committee will make a recommendation to the school board for approval. Discussion will take place at the November school board meeting, followed by approval at the December meeting.
Norgaard also shared information he gathered as a member of the Nebraska Department of Education Commissioner’s Advisory Committee. The first meeting was held at the end of September and topics included statewide assessments, teacher shortage, teacher certification, and school budgeting process and the legislative pressure that is being placed on school districts to help with political agendas.
The board accepted a donation from MNB Bank of $2,099.30. The funds were from the Bison Debit card program sponsored by the bank.
The board also approved two student trips, one for the FFA chapter to attend the national convention in Louisville, Ken. on Oct 31 to Nov. 4, 2023; and the other for the foreign language group to travel to the Dominican Republic for eight days beginning June 4, 2025.
Positive Comments:
Jonathan Frank has been impressed with the school spirit he has observed at sporting competitions. He was fearful that school spirit would be down this year with the graduation of a spirited group of Seniors last year. However, he has found out that his classmates and underclassmen have stepped up to the plate and have provided the energy and enthusiasm needed to create a supportive environment for student-athletes. He also applauded the efforts of the Student Council to make school more fun.
Teresa Thomas had praise for parent-teacher conferences recently held and appreciated the extra work the teachers and staff put in to make them successful.
Mike Langan offered congratulations to Bison sports teams who have experienced success this fall season. He also expressed appreciation for the teaching staff in the school system.
Tom Bredvick had praise for the business office personnel and the teamwork they demonstrated tackling the annual audit of the school finances. He also said he was proud of the McCook Elementary staff and the work they did to help Stella McConnell reach her goal of starting first grade.
Scott Barger appreciated the community members who provided feedback on the junior high building project. He also appreciated the community members who help to complete health assessments for students.
Jeff Gross echoed Bredvick’s praise for the work his staff did on the audit, specifically naming Heather Collicott, Bobbi Bortner, and Erin Ruppert, who he described as “rock stars” for McCook Public Schools.
Brad Hays thanked the Evangelical Free Church, which provided meals for teachers during parent-teacher conferences. He also recognized the Bison Girl’s Golf team, who qualified for State, and the Girl’s Softball team who competed in District finals.
Grant Norgaard appreciates the passion that the Junior High staff have for their school. He said during the feedback sessions he conducted with the staff their number one concern was to provide a great learning environment for the students. He said the professionalism, enthusiasm, and teamwork they brought to the session made it a positive experience.