Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First

Kimball school board updated annual appointments

Traditionally, the Kimball school board uses the first meeting of each new year to reappoint officers, board committees, media and financial affiliates. This year was no different.

At their Jan. 9 regular meeting, the Kimball Board of Education renewed the officers of the board, electing to keep everyone in the current positions. President of the board remains Lynn Vogel, board vice president is Clint Cornils, Heather Norberg is secretary and Carrie Tabor is treasurer.

Each board member serves on various committees as well, assigned by the board president with input from Superintendent Marshall Lewis. Vogel announced new committee assignments to each board member.

“One thing Lynn (Vogel) is very conscious of is that some committees meet more than others, so we try not to kill anyone with meetings,” Lewis said.

Americanism and curriculum: Cornils, Norberg and Tabor

Buildings and grounds: Norberg, Brad Reader and Vogel

Finance: Reader, Tabor and Vogel

Negotiations: Cornils, Norberg and Vogel

Scholarships: Cornils, Norberg and Matt Shoup

Technology: Reader, Tabor and Vogel

Transportation: Cornils, Reader and Shoup

Media affiliates will continue to be the Western Nebraska Observer and Scottsbluff Star Herald as well as radio outlets KNEB and KSID. Two radio stations were eliminated, as they were no longer used, and the current stations receive the district all-calls.

Financial institutions for the district will be FirsTier Bank, Kimball State Bank and Points West Bank, all of Kimball.

Elementary principal Mike Mitchell reported that he had a student teaching request from an online student of Valley City State University of Valley City N.D.

“This guy is doing his student teaching this year and his wife will do hers sometime next year,” Mitchell said. “It is kind of unusual, I don’t know the last time I got a student teaching request from a male in the elementary, so that is good.”

Following the second reading of four board policies, including vehicle driver requirements, transportation, certificated professional staff requirements, the board also reviewed amendments to policies regarding operation and maintenance, community use of school facilities and planning.

Community use of school property is generally disallowed, however, the district has allowed use of the building for funerals that are expected to exceed maximum occupancy in any other local venues.

“We like to say it is not for personal use, but rather for community good,” Lewis said.

The fee schedule was updated for any instance in which the district’s building and grounds are used for non-school activities.

Superintendent Marshall Lewis’s contract was reviewed in closed session with no action following.