McCook Daily Gazette: News : McCook Public Schools

McCook Public Schools

Action by the school board and news related to the schools.

Three resignations, five contracts on school board agenda (02/10/12)
McCOOK, Nebraska -- The McCook School Board of Education will be asked to approve three teacher resignations, three teaching contracts and two contracts for principals, at the regular meeting Monday night, 6:30 p.m. at the Junior High cafeteria Teachers resigning effective the end of this school year include Denise Lee, a teacher at Central for 24 years; George Briggs, who has taught at MHS for 40 years and Kari Quigley, a special education teacher...

Superintendent: Testing more than grades (01/11/12)
McCOOK, Nebraska -- McCook Public School teachers are taking steps to create tests that focus on quality, rather than quantity. "Its more than putting grades into a grade book and moving on," said Superintendent Grant Norgaard at Monday's McCook School Board meeting. "The goal is to use the best instructional techniques to get the best possible results from students...

Board election takes two ballots (01/10/12)
McCOOK, Nebraska -- McCook School Board member Diane Lyons retained her position as secretary, but it took two ballots to get there. School Board members elected the president, vice president and secretary at their regular meeting Monday night. Current president Tom Bredvick was unanimously retained as president, after being nominated by Lyons. Due to the lack of other nominations, the vote was not by secret ballot and board members stated their vote...

School budget reflects federal budget cuts (01/10/12)
McCOOK, Nebraska -- Federal grants to the McCook School District have been awarded and some changes have been made in reimbursements. MPS Business Manager Rick Haney advised the McCook School Board Monday night at the regular meeting that the 2012-13 budget will be adjusted according to the slight decrease in reimbursement amounts from the awards...

School board reorganizing for new year (01/06/12)
McCOOK, Nebraska -- The McCook School Board will elect new officers, at its regular meeting Monday, Jan. 9, 6:30 p.m. at the Junior High conference room. By board policy, the superintendent will chair the election of the president and then the newly-elected president will preside over the other elections of vice president and secretary...

Board discusses property sale in executive session (12/14/11)
LORRI SUGHROUE McCook Daily Gazette McCOOK, Nebraska -- The McCook Public School District may have some property up for sale in the future. At Monday nights' regular Board of Education meeting, the board met in closed session after the regular meeting, to discuss the sale of district properties...

August hail did $140,000 damage to school property (12/14/11)
McCOOK, Nebraska -- The McCook School District sustained an excess of $140,000 in damages from the August hailstorm. But the insurance reimbursement have been received and will repair the damage, Superintendent Grant Norgaard told the McCook School Board Monday night at the regular meeting...

Committee in talks with local teachers (12/14/11)
McCOOK, Nebraska -- McCook School Board members on the Negotiation Committee are in talks with the local teacher's union on next year's salaries and benefits. The committee, comprised of Tom Bredvick, Sandy Krysl and Shane Messersmith, have been meeting with the McCook Education Association, with the latest meeting Tuesday morning...

Bus barn at armory may have to wait (12/13/11)
McCOOK, Nebraska -- Depending on funds available, the McCook School Board of Education will take a "wait- and-see" attitude about when the building it purchased in September will house district vehicles. At the regular McCook School Board meeting Monday night, McCook Public School Superintendent Grand Norgaard gave a brief presentation on recent updates underway at the former Nebraska Army National Guard building, that the district purchased in September...

City hopes law firm will find answers (12/09/11)
McCOOK, Nebraska -- While city staff downplayed the expense of hiring Howard Olsen of Simmons Olsen Law Firm in Scottsbluff, Nebraska, as an outside firm to aide in defining a state law that both the State Attorney General's Office and League of Municipalities have been unwilling to offer an official stance on, Councilman Aaron Kircher warned that the city faces additional legal expenses either way it proceeds...

Old armory on school board agenda (12/09/11)
McCOOK, Nebraska -- The McCook School Board of Education will hear a presentation on the former Nebraska Army National Guard Armory building the school district has purchased, at its regular meeting Monday night, 6 p.m. at the Junior High Conference room...

'Infinite Campus' helps keeps school, families connected (11/17/11)
McCOOK, Nebraska -- It's magic -- computer magic. McCook, Nebraska, Public Schools can make thousands of phone calls in minutes, alerting parents to snow days or late starts, or, heaven forbid, an emergency or crisis. But, before the messages and alerts can go out, parents must go on the schools' website -- mccookbison.org -- log in on "Infinite Campus" (upper right-hand side) and set up their phone numbers and email addresses in "Contact Preferences" (lower left-hand side)...

School board reviews audit (11/16/11)
McCOOK, Nebraska -- After several years of saving, the McCook School District was able to use money from two funds in the budget, for upgrades at the high school and to purchase a building. The Special Building Fund, as well as the Depreciation Fund, are part of the budget of the McCook School District and are used to purchase items that will be needed in the future, MPS Business Manager Rick told school board members at their regular meeting Monday night...

School board brings absences policy into line with state law (11/16/11)
McCOOK, Nebraska -- State legislators and the McCook Public School system are taking school attendance more seriously. A new school policy approved by the McCook School Board Monday night at its regular meeting will allow five excused or unexcused absences per quarter (nine weeks), instead of the previous seven days...

School works to occupy old National Guard armory (11/16/11)
McCOOK, Nebraska -- Work is progressing at the former National Guard Armory, now owned by the McCook School District. The McCook School district purchased the building this year for $82,500. There were no other bidders, according to state officials. The district plans to use it for students after some remodeling, as well as to house some of the activity buses...

Intruder drills go well (11/15/11)
McCOOK, Nebraska -- The recent "intruder drills" at McCook Public Schools highlighted a few areas that needed to be addressed, said MPS Superintendent Grant Norgaard. During the "Board and Administrative Comments" portion at the regular school board meeting Monday night, Norgaard said on the whole, the drills were conducted as planned and much was learned, but that he and staff realized that they weren't totally prepared for every issue that came up...

McCook Elementary principal takes early retirement (11/15/11)
MCCOOK, Nebraska -- The McCook School District will be looking for a new elementary school principal. At its regular meeting Monday night, the McCook Board of Education accepted with the resignation of McCook Elementary Principal Lynda Baumbach, who has been with the McCook Public School system for 24 years...

School hopes to rein in heating costs (11/15/11)
McCOOK, Nebraska -- The McCook Public School system will join a new cooperative, with the goal of reining in heating costs. The McCook Board of Education unanimously approved Monday night at its regular meeting to participate in an interlocal agreement with the Nebraska Choice Joint Utilities Management Program -- CJUMP...

Board approves contract with new teacher (10/11/11)
McCOOK, Nebraska -- The McCook School Board unanimously approved a contract for a new speech language teacher. Board members approved the contract for Lydia Karnopp for the 2012-13 year, at their regular meeting Monday night. It has not yet been determined which school she will be teaching at, said Business Manager Rick Haney...

Kids now must be slightly older for Kindergarten (10/11/11)
McCOOK, Nebraska -- Children entering kindergarten next year will have to be a little older than before. The McCook School Board adopted a compulsory attendance policy Monday night at its regular meeting, that will require children to be five years old by July 31, instead of the current Oct. 15 deadline...

Heat, air upgrades on schedule at schools (10/11/11)
McCOOK, Nebraska -- Infrastructure improvements at the district's schools are still moving forward, said McCook School District Business Manager Rick Haney, This includes the heating and air conditioning upgrades at the high school, Haney said Monday night at the regular McCook School Board meeting...

'Attendance team' gets credit for improvement in tardies and truancies (10/11/11)
McCOOK, Nebraska -- Tardies/truancies issues have have improved since the implementation of the new "attendance team" at McCook High School. During 'Positive Comments" at the regular McCook School Board meeting Monday night, Board President Tom Bredvick noted how attendance problems have decreased at the high school. He gave credit to members MHS Principal Jerry Smith, Resource Officer John Smith, Activities Director Darin Nichols and LIFT Program Administrator, Jeff Gross...

School buys old armory for $82,500 (09/27/11)
McCOOK, Nebraska -- McCook Public Schools Superintendent Grant Norgaard confirmed Monday that the district has purchased the former Nebraska Army National Guard Armory from the state for $82,500. In August, following the McCook School Board's one-hour closed session, (allowed under law to discuss the acquisition of property), members authorized Norgaard to submit a sealed bid to purchase the armory...

Board OKs $5.7 million in local taxes (09/13/11)
MCCOOK, Nebraska -- The McCook School Board approved the budget request of $5.7 million in local property taxes, to fund the 2011-12 school budget. After a public hearing Monday night at which no member of the public spoke, the board later adopted the $5.7 million tax request for the general fund, bond fund and special building fund...

FFA gets $10,000 in anonymous donations (09/13/11)
LORRI SUGHROUE McCook Daily Gazette McCOOK, Nebraska -- Thanks to $10,000 in anonymous donations, the high school FFA club will have its own classroom. The McCook school board unanimously accepted the donations of $4,000, $3,000 and $3,000 at its regular meeting Monday night at the Junior High conference room. Rick Haney, McCook School Business Manager, said the funds would be used to construct a classroom in the auto body shop for FFA...

Budget hearing Monday for McCook Public Schools (09/09/11)
MCCOOK, Nebraska -- The McCook School Board will have a budget hearing and public hearing on the 2011-12 proposed budget, 6 p.m., Monday, Sept. 12 at the Junior High Conference Room. The proposed total 2011-12 tax request is $5,783,293.00. Total budget for all funds is proposed at $21,726,111.61...

School board picks member, swears her in (08/09/11)
McCOOK, Nebraska -- The five-member board of education of McCook Public Schools elected a mother of two and an office manager to fill a vacancy created in June by the resignation of a board member found guilty of driving while intoxicated. Teresa Thomas, who manages the University of Nebraska Extension office in Red Willow County and McCook, was elected on a 3-2 vote to fill the seat of Maury Green. ...

School may buy old armory (08/04/11)
CONNIE JO DISCOE Regional Editor McCOOK, Nebraska -- The McCook, Nebraska, Public Schools board of education will discuss the possible purchase of the former Nebraska Army National Guard Armory at its monthly meeting Monday, at 6 p.m., in the junior high board room...

School board to interview two potential members Monday (08/04/11)
McCOOK, Nebraska -- McCook, Nebraska, Public Schools board of education members will interview at their meeting Monday the two candidates who expressed an interest in serving on the school board by the Aug. 1 deadline. Both Darin Morgan and Teresa Thomas will be interviewed, and one or the other will be seated immediately to continue with the final two agenda items of the meeting scheduled to begin at 6 p.m., in the junior high board room...

Applications being accepted for school board (07/12/11)
McCOOK, Nebraska -- The McCook, Nebraska, Public Schools board of education will interview applicants for a board vacancy at its monthly meeting in August. At their July meeting Monday evening, board members agreed upon a process to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Maury Green, who resigned his school board position June 13...

Board VP questions raises for teachers on 'improvement plans' (07/12/11)
McCOOK, Nebraska -- McCook School Board vice president Larry Shields voted "No" on a negotiated package and pay raise for teachers and also on the 2011-12 compensation package for administrators. Shields said it isn't the 3.17 percent increase that bothers him so much as offering the same pay raise to teachers for whom administrators have written "improvement plans."...

School board accepts member's resignation (06/14/11)
McCOOK, Nebraska -- McCook, Nebraska, Public Schools Board of Education members accepted the resignation Monday evening of a fellow board member found guilty in May of driving while intoxicated and disturbing the peace. Board president Tom Bredvick read a brief letter of resignation, dated May 27, from board member Maury Green, a McCook attorney found guilty of DWI and disturbing the peace in Red Willow County District Court on May 26. ...

School board extends contract for three years (06/14/11)
McCOOK, Nebraska -- McCook, Nebraska, Public Schools board of education members at their monthly meeting Monday evening unanimously approved a new contract and salary increase for Superintendent Grant Norgaard. Norgaard has completed two full years as superintendent, and his first employment contract was a two-year contract that is set to expire June 30, 2011...

Personnel top items for school board (05/10/11)
McCOOK, Nebraska -- McCook Public Schools' board of education members accepted the resignation of a 39-year teacher and approved the hiring of seven new teachers at their monthly meeting Monday evening. The board also took the first steps in the annual evaluation of Superintendent Grant Norgaard. "My intent is to request a contract extension," board president Tom Bredvick told fellow board members...

Electronic document idea presented to school board (04/15/11)
McCOOK, Nebraska -- Superintendent Grant Norgaard told board members that making the move to electronic documents would be "a positive move," improving efficiency and organization for board members, board committee members and administrators. Board members would be able to log onto a web-based service to access agendas, documents needed for board meetings, policies and meeting minutes. Electronic documents have the capability of reducing paper use and costs and manpower hours, Norgaard said...

McCook High School to finally get air conditioning (04/14/11)
McCOOK, Nebraska -- McCook, Nebraska, High School students will have a new heating system this winter, and air conditioning -- yes, AC -- next spring. At their monthly meeting Monday evening, board of education members accepted a proposal from Siemens Industry Inc. ...

Officials: New books are a bargain (04/12/11)
McCOOK, Nebraska -- McCook, Nebraska, Public Schools' curriculum director told board of education members Monday evening that the new K-5 reading materials are valued at $469,000. Finance director Rick Haney said he was expecting to spend anywhere between $188,000 and $225,000, "or whatever we needed."...

School calendar must prove itself by boosting scores (03/15/11)
We tend to agree with the president of the McCook school board, who said he is a firm believer in the "butts-in-the-seats learning" concept when it comes to learning. Other school officials and teachers may also agree, but they're making more time for teacher training, approving a 2011-12 school calendar that includes six all-day teacher in-service or work days and 16 early dismissals for putting teachers' butts in the seats...

School calendar includes twice monthly early outs (03/15/11)
CONNIE JO DISCOE Regional Editor McCOOK, Nebraska -- The McCook, Nebraska, Public Schools board of education Monday evening unanimously approved a calendar for 2011-12 that includes six all-day teacher in-service and/or work days and 16 early dismissals for teacher training...

School plans to amend current budget (03/11/11)
McCOOK, Nebraska -- In an move to preserve and protect the school district's pre-existing budget authority, McCook Public Schools board of directors will, at their meeting Monday evening, amend the district's 2010-11 budget. The meeting will open at 6 p.m., in the junior high cafeteria, with a public hearing to explain and accept comments from the public on the proposal to move $1.8 million from budgeted cash reserve to budgeted disbursements and transfers...

Official not afraid board will allow guns in school (02/16/11)
McCOOK, Nebraska -- McCook Public Schools' superintendent told board of education members during their monthly meeting Monday evening that he's not afraid the board will agree to state legislation allowing guns in school. Nebraska Sen. Mark Christensen's proposed bill, LB 516, allowing teachers and administrators to carry guns in schools "is not positive," and is "not the right direction" for McCook Public Schools, according to Superintendent Grant Norgaard...

School board gets first look at calendars (02/15/11)
McCOOK, Nebraska -- McCook Public Schools board of education members got their first look at calendar proposals for the 2011-12 school year at their February meeting Monday evening, and found one calendar similar to this year's, and another that includes two early dismissals each month September through April for teacher training...

Schools receive top audit rating (01/14/11)
McCOOK, Nebraska -- McCook Public Schools' board of education president said at a board meeting Monday evening that every organization that goes through an audit of its financial records hopes for an "unqualified opinion." "Unqualified ... no reservations. That's the best audit you can get," MPS board president Tom Bredvick said. "That's our goal ... to get an unqualified audit."...

Public, parochial schools will share mentoring program (12/14/10)
McCOOK, Nebraska -- McCook, Nebraska, Public Schools will share its TeamMates mentoring program with St. Patrick's Catholic School, also of McCook, following action Monday evening by the MPS board of education. MPS board members voted unanimously to open the MPS TeamMates program to St. ...

McCook school will enact dating violence policy (11/09/10)
McCOOK, Nebraska -- Meeting Monday night, the McCook Public Schools board of education approved board policy 504.05, which defines dating violence and provides for training for staff and personnel to identify the signs of dating violence and inappropriate dating behaviors that may be happening inside and outside the school environment...

Board OKs new bus, pay scale (11/09/10)
McCook school board members approved purchase of a new route bus and set a new base salary for teachers Monday night. The McCook Public Schools board of education agreed that the school should spend $74,600 to replacing a 1993 route bus with about 270,000 miles...

New classrooms nearly ready for developmental students (10/29/10)
McCOOK, Nebraska -- A McCook Elementary teacher waits anxiously for her new classroom. "I can't wait. I can't wait. I can't wait," laughs teacher Laura Nokes. Laura's Structured Resource classroom is one of two new classrooms in an addition built this year onto the northwest corner of McCook Elementary. The second classroom will be for Laura Blomstedt's Development Learning Center students...

School board speeds policy approval (10/12/10)
McCOOK, Nebraska -- The Board of Education approved a policy Monday evening at its regular meeting which rescinds the current second reading requirement needed to adopt new policies. Board members were split 4-2 on the measure with dissenting votes coming from board members Diane Lyons and Shane Messersmith...

School board approves $5.6 million tax request (09/14/10)
McCOOK, Nebraska -- The McCook Public School system will be facing major fiscal challenges in the next few years, but officials hope a budget approved unanimously Monday night will help ease the pain. After a hearing at which no member of the public chose to speak, the school board voted unanimously to approve a $20 million budget of expenditures that will ask for $5.6 million in local property taxes...

Superintendent sees room for improvement (08/26/10)
McCOOK, Nebraska -- Results of reading tests taken in the spring of 2010 by all of Nebraska's third through eighth graders and eleventh graders indicate that, on average, 70 percent of McCook Public Schools' students are meeting or exceeding state reading standards...

Contract extended for superintendent, school food services (07/13/10)
McCOOK, Nebraska -- McCook Public Schools' board of education signed two contracts at its July board meeting Monday evening, one extending the superintendent's contract and increasing his salary, the other continuing the district's food service. Superintendent Grant Norgaard has completed his first year at MPS, having been hired in February 2009 and paid $131,000 for the first year of a two-year contract from July 1, 2009, until June 30, 2011...

School changes health coverage for paraprofessionals (05/11/10)
McCook Public Schools Superintendent Grant Norgaard said this morning that a change in insurance benefits for the school district's 58 paraprofessionals is a cost-offset effort in response to ever-increasing insurance costs and reductions in state aid...

MHS Class of 2010 ready to blaze a trail (05/10/10)
By CONNIE JO DISCOE Regional Editor McCOOK, Nebraska -- One of McCook Senior High's newest graduates promised his fellow students during graduation Sunday afternoon that they have all the opportunities in the world waiting for them. Another told them not to fear the future, that it's okay not to know now what they want to do...

Arriving in style (04/19/10)

Student-built robot struts its stuff for McCook school board (04/14/10)
McCOOK, Nebraska -- Last fall, four McCook Senior High students started building a competition robot, and by the end of February, it could perform autonomously and manually. In after-school sessions throughout the winter, Shelby Hudson, Dakota Baumgartner, Trevor Pate and Tristan Thomas -- students of MHS automotive technology teacher Ron Barger -- built and modified a robot kit to compete in the 2009-10 Midwest VEX Robotics "Clean Sweep" tournament hosted Feb. ...

Board authorizes use of contingency funds (04/13/10)
McCook Public Schools' board of education, at their monthly meeting Monday evening, authorized the use of special building funds if contingencies in the construction of new classrooms at McCook Elementary exceed the federal stimulus grant awarded to build them...

Board OKs $389k for staff buyout (03/09/10)
McCook Public Schools board of education members at their monthly meeting Monday evening approved paying $389,000 in early retirement incentives to 10 teachers who represent 230 years of experience. The board offered the one-time early retirement program, called "Temporary Separation Incentive Policy," in January in anticipation of a reduction in state aid to McCook's school district. That reduction, Superintendent Grant Norgaard reported Monday evening, will be approximately $307,959...

Ten McCook teachers to accept buyouts (03/05/10)
Ten McCook Public Schools teachers have accepted one-time early retirement incentives, and their resignations will be discussed at the March board of education meeting Monday. The meeting, in the junior high conference room, begins at 6 p.m. The school district's "Temporary Separation Incentive Policy" program is designed to save personnel costs, replacing a higher-earning long-time teacher/administrator with a younger candidate hired at a lower salary. ...

School board OKs SPED director, classroom addition (02/19/10)
McCook Public School board of education members approved a contract for the new special education director and plans for a classroom addition at McCook Elementary during a special board meeting at noon Friday. John Hanson of Elba will split his time as SPED director 60/40 between McCook Public Schools and Educational Service Unit No. 15, Trenton, when he starts with the 2010-2011 school year...

School may add 5 minutes to schedule (02/02/10)
McCook Public Schools may add five minutes to its schedule for the 2010-11 school year. Superintendent Grant Norgaard told board members at their monthly meeting Monday evening that two instructional days lost in next year's calendar due to teacher training can be recaptured by adding five minutes to the daily schedule. "There is a need to lengthen classroom time on day-to-day basics to get content and curriculum covered," he said...

Top bidders disappointed in rejection of District 8 offer (02/02/10)
By CONNIE JO DISCOE Regional Editor The decision Monday evening to list the former District 8 schoolhouse for sale disappointed the rural McCook couple who submitted the high bid at the property auction last Friday. Following a 50-minute closed session called during the board's monthly meeting to discuss personnel and the sale of District 8 property, board members voted 4-2 to reject all bids for the property and list it for sale with a real estate agent. ...

No sale: Bid for old Distrct 8 school not high enough (01/29/10)
The former District 8 schoolhouse two miles southwest of McCook did not sell at auction Friday morning. The final bid of $48,000 generated at the auction at the Chief Restaurant and any other subsequent bids will be presented to the McCook Public Schools board of education at its meeting Monday, starting at 6 p.m. in the conference room of the junior high...

School board approves one-time buyout plan (01/12/10)
McCook Public Schools' board of education Monday evening approved a one-time program to pay financial incentives to long-time teachers and administrators wanting to leave the school system, a program reacting to an anticipated reduction in state aid...

Higher scores credited to new learning system (11/12/09)
McCook Public Schools Superintendent Grant Norgaard and staff members Karen Miller and Gayle Sharkey updated school board members Monday on assessments and school improvement, which, Norgaard said, are getting more attention from the state's Department of Education...

Old District 8 on agenda (11/09/09)
McCook Public Schools board of education members will discuss the fate of the District 8 school house facilities and the planning of special education classrooms at McCook Elementary during their meeting starting at 6 p.m., today, in the junior high conference room...

Superintendent thinks new school is cool (09/09/09)
McCook's public school system has met or exceeded the expectations of its new superintendent, a former elementary and junior high principal in Benkelman in 2000-01, who dreamed then of becoming McCook's top school administrator. Grant Norgaard said Thursday morning, from his new office in the senior high, that he and his wife, Michele, visited McCook almost every weekend when they lived in Benkelman, for shopping or socializing. ...

MHS homecoming candidates (08/26/09)
McCook High School's "Homecoming 2009" royalty candidates pose in the school's LeRoy Hoehner Memorial Park Wednesday morning. The queen and king and their attendants will be announced following the McCook-Sidney football game Friday evening. The game starts at 7 p.m., at Weiland Field. ...

Board approves salary agreement (08/24/09)
McCook Public Schools board of education members at noon Friday approved a 2009-10 agreement with certificated staff and the McCook Education Association, raising the base teacher's salary by $1,273 a year. School board president Tom Bredvick reported, following closed session during a special meeting, that the salary for a new teacher in the McCook school system increases from $28,770 to $30,043...

Board approves trip for ag team (08/11/09)
The McCook Public Schools board of education Monday evening approved a trip to the Kansas City American Royal livestock judging competition by a team of McCook High School ag students. If the MHS team is selected as Nebraska's representative from among the top five teams in the state, ag instructor Josh Schieber and chaperones will accompany team members Samantha Yonkers, Will Miller, Katelyn Fritsche and Amanda Shields to the judging competition Nov. 1...

Special ed interim, new anti-bullying policy approved (07/14/09)
By CONNIE JO DISCOE Regional Editor McCook Public Schools' new superintendent, Grant Norgaard, presided over his first board of education meeting Monday evening, overseeing the board as it hired an interim special education director and approved the school district's new anti-bullying policy...

Schley: Teacher's won't roast (05/14/09)
McCook Public Schools Superintendent Dave Schley promised "not to barbecue" teachers at the high school by proposing at the board of education meeting Monday to eliminate the built-in early-dismissal heat schedule for the first week of school this fall...

New science curriculum called bargain (05/13/09)

School taking part in effort to promote area (05/12/09)
The McCook Public Schools board of education approved, on a 5-1 vote, the schools' involvement in an eight-member inter-local cooperation project to design a marketing plan to promote the McCook area. The schools' involvement would require a $1,000 contribution for each of the next two years and provide one position on the 13-member board. ...

Stimulus funds could help add classrooms (05/12/09)
McCook Public Schools could use its American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds to add four early childhood preschool classrooms at McCook Elementary. That concept would meet the federal government's requirement that its recovery funds be used for special education projects. Moving preschool special education students into new classrooms would free up existing classroom space for K-3 students, several of whose populations are larger than normal...

Teacher wins 'Rookie of the Year' honors (05/01/09)
McCook Junior High's eighth grade social studies teacher and the high school's assistant softball coach has been named the "Rookie Teacher of the Year" by the Nebraska State Education Association. Craig Dickes, who has taught in McCook and coached seventh grade girls basketball and eighth grade boys basketball as assistant coach since the 2007-08 school year, was nominated for the award by fellow teachers for, among other traits, his "excellent classroom management skills."...

Walk to School Day (04/29/09)
Helen Hackney walks her granddaughter, Jacinda Ramirez to McCook Elementary this morning, during the school's Walk to School Day. Students and families enjoyed fruit and juice in the school commons area after their walks. Besides walking to school students will also be cleaning up the parks and playgrounds this afternoon in honor of Keep Nebraska Beautiful Day...

Board approves credit recovery summer school (04/16/09)
McCook junior and senior high students with failing grades can make up missing credit hours at summer school this summer. McCook Public Schools board of education members Tuesday evening unanimously approved the start of summer school classes and the implementation of a computer software credit recovery curriculum called "A+."...

Cooler classrooms ahead for Junior High (04/15/09)
Over the objections of two board members, McCook Public Schools' board of education Tuesday evening approved a contract with a Kearney company to install air conditioning at the junior high. Concerns about America's economic woes and optimism about maybe getting a lower price later caused Larry Shields and Shane Messersmith to cast "No" votes to the bid from the Siemens Co. to air condition the junior high for $392,886.64...

School board studies half-million dollar air conditioning plans (03/26/09)
McCook's junior high school will be air conditioned this summer if the board of education proceeds with one of the two proposals made during a special board meeting Tuesday evening. Installing air conditioning in the 43-year-old building could cost as much as half a million dollars...

School may hire new secondary art teacher (03/25/09)
McCook Public Schools may hire a teacher for art classes at the junior and senior high, the board of education authorizing the advertisement of the new position during a special board meeting Tuesday evening. It was a recommendation from the board's programs committee (board members Diane Lyons and Scott Johnson and Superintendent Dave Schley) to advertise for an instructor to teach two exploratory art classes at the junior high and one class at the senior high (in addition to current teacher Steve Clapp's schedule). ...

City irons out rules for new wireless tower at school (03/17/09)
Conflicting language in a city ordinance about wireless towers was ironed out by the McCook City Council Monday night. The amended ordinance now allows a 75-foot tower to be built at McCook Elementary. Operating on a skeleton crew with only three council members present -- Mayor Dennis Berry was absent due to a health issue and Councilman Jack Rogers was excused -- the rest of the council approved on its first reading an amended ordinance that allows school districts to have their own wireless towers, as long as the tower is separated from a church or residential structure by 100 percent of the height of the tower.. ...

Art proponent worries about timing (03/10/09)
Discussion of creating an elementary art program at McCook Public Schools started Monday evening when the president of the McCook Art Guild worried about moving the April school board meeting from the 13th to the 20th. Ray Walter, representing the art guild, told board members that he was afraid McCook would miss opportunities to sign a contract(s) with an art teacher(s) if the board met after April 15, a date by which teachers' contracts are generally signed and/or renewed...

English as second language enrollment climbing (02/11/09)
In 2000, McCook Public Schools had no children documented as "English Language Learners." Four years later, in 2004, Carolyn Klimper's job helping 10 or so McCook students who were learning English as their second language started as "a side job," "extra duty," with her sixth grade English teaching job at McCook Public Schools...

School calendar approved, despite concerns over interruptions (02/11/09)
One board member couldn't approve the 2009-10 school calendar ultimately OK'd by the McCook Public Schools board of education at its meeting Monday evening. Superintendent Dave Schley told board members and members of the public, "Everyone's had a whack at it -- it's the best we could come up with. It's not going to please everyone."...

Software system for at-risk students approved (02/10/09)
The absolute support of the schools' curriculum director and several teachers convinced the McCook Public Schools board of education Monday evening to purchase a computer software learning system designed to help at-risk students recover class credits and get closer to earning their high school diplomas on time...

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