Former mayor, principal files for school board
McCOOK, Neb. — Dennis Berry, retired McCook Junior High Principal and McCook's longest consecutive serving mayor, has filed for a seat on the McCook School Board.
Berry, who did not run for re-election to the city council four years ago, holds a bachelor's degree, master's degree and an education specialist degree. He served as interim superintendent for McCook School, as well as being principal at both the junior high and Central Elementary. In his long education career, he has also been an athletic director. In addition to being certified as an administrator, he has previously taught English, Speech and Physical Education and was the sponsor for the yearbook, one-act plays and student council plus coaching, football, basketball and track. He has had three different articles published in three different national educational magazines.
The former mayor is currently the president of the McCook Economic Development Corp. and President of the McCook TeamMates Mentoring Program. He is also on the board of the Norris Institute, the Child Advocacy Team, Southwest Nebraska Leadership, the McCook Community Foundation and Through the Eyes of a Child. He was a past member of the Southwest Nebraska Public Health board and is past President of the McCook Chamber of Commerce.
"McCook has been recognized nationally for excellence in education," Berry said. "The major reduction of state aid will make it very difficult in the future to meet the needs of students without raising local property tax, which is never my first choice," he added.