[{"_1":2,"_124":-5,"_125":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100,112],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6487319,"mediaKeyId","5671283-86764ad9448006290e73b9b5ca2da33f","parentId",5671283,"title","Board debates subcommittee structure and reporting; considers rotations and expanded communications","audioSeconds",680,"startMs",3500000,"endMs",4180000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5671283-86764ad9448006290e73b9b5ca2da33f&start=3500&end=4180","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5671283-86764ad9448006290e73b9b5ca2da33f/thumbnail_3500000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6487319/Nebraska/Board-debates-subcommittee-structure-and-reporting-considers-rotations-and-expanded-communications","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6487319-cebcd730f47f7c90ebd4e602006ce640/orig.mp4?Expires=1770496819&Signature=I3mWoQMScVMPoktguWODnBZRjgdf7Zhm9G4h7aMdvXU~yC1wYMMjXWiEKZ6SiBFcpPgIqFwQa5RWtS5LqBHAydNr~SRUNhEGnfBdeanhESFo6kXEtmHmOQd~rakNtcoZlUlWrU88dmUt8Bse~o4bbFspNyPi6Z~W9JYQUFyWI9s3xJX18n~--Vftauj3s9aRkYVMQB1AVipf-5XklsfP0Mf2-Ve5A3CNtJAdIY4cwneshzQ6XPokPBsqtQicYfR7rvbwTjpsQITLCBv3fvYedTcFZeR2IE143HB1n05dQkDqZ40YM5o2O~lYDlZsQTVNVz6rr6s3CGQScsBPAq6gnw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Ralston Public Schools, NE","date","2025-08-25T20:12:55Z","article","Board members discussed the district\u0000\u0000subcommittee structure at length during the Aug. 25 Ralston Public Schools Board of Education meeting, weighing continuity and transparency as the district moves from a construction-heavy period into more routine operations.

What was proposed

Board members and staff discussed consolidating committees so they align more directly with the district strategic plan. Options discussed included:

- Keeping teaching and learning as a stand-alone subcommittee.
- Combining finance, human resources and facilities into one committee as the construction phase winds down and maintenance/finance issues become more central.
- Creating or elevating a community-collaboration/communications committee focused on alumni relations, foundation work and broader community engagement.

Rotation, overlap and reporting

Several board members suggested staggered rotations so at least one experienced member remains on any committee year to year. Board members also proposed more formal report-outs to the full board after subcommittee meetings (similar to the Ralston Schools Foundation update presented during the meeting) so all members receive the same information and discussions are more transparent.

Administrative support

Superintendent Buckingham and staff agreed to attend subcommittee meetings to provide updates and recommended that the administration circulate minutes and assign a board member to provide a short report at the next full meeting.

Next steps

- Staff will be added to committee meetings to present communications and status updates. The board discussed adopting a six-month staggered rotation, reassigning committee seats in January (or at the annual officer cycle) and returning a formal proposal to reconfigure committees for board approval.

Ending

Board members agreed on the value of subcommittee work for in-depth discussion and asked staff to propose a concrete rotation and reporting plan for future action.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","RPS Board of Education Meeting - August 25, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Board members discussed whether to reorganize subcommittees around the district strategic plan, stagger member rotations and require committee report-outs at full meetings to improve transparency.","taxTitle","RALSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS, School Districts, Nebraska","taxId",76452,"location","Nebraska","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6487323,"Nutrition services reports lower free-and-reduced percentage, Kid Culinary participation and new waste-monitoring data",1042,2199000,3241000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5671283-86764ad9448006290e73b9b5ca2da33f&start=2199&end=3241","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5671283-86764ad9448006290e73b9b5ca2da33f/thumbnail_2199000.jpg","/articles/6487323/Nebraska/Nutrition-services-reports-lower-free-and-reduced-percentage-Kid-Culinary-participation-and-new-waste-monitoring-data","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6487323-0872cda3e79810ead4bcb887c5d58ee7/orig.mp4?Expires=1770496819&Signature=khJO4dr2Jz~Ly74yk8ogBM9nPRb57exw4yJGJLmi8ysMLEbSwIme1nOLkuzHwKCQxolae~IFyp-JzjBz4s0JHw0aBBQ18qbec8WL~3FJ9krdmPB70wBvyI-J3lbBsy41s1-AerCpPL95siSw-j9wGtR84IBLfcSBaq~PLLqFkqk49XYD8qc0QcVztLnXLQdLF~fxyoLJ9EOX3PQJrD3GPCGTb9qBSO~BHo~Jd~BOI0481Iz6Lq2AYl2PSCfY1Hnc0JkWYVUyHQ81dxgfLyse3NqBDfynr7UWF~-LRWNmhdpzQlz9P3Zk~BxjJ4ce5JTAslKJ4IY02tHUOaIYG6gJog__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Judy, the district's nutrition services leader, presented the department\u0000\u0000report to the Ralston Public Schools Board of Education on Aug. 25, highlighting participation, staffing changes and a new waste-measurement program.

Key takeaways

- Free and reduced lunch: Judy said district free-and-reduced percentages (May data) fell slightly from 67% in 2023\u0000\u000024 to 64% in 2024\u0000\u000025. She noted community eligibility provisions affect how rates appear at some schools, and cautioned those figures can be hard to interpret at buildings that qualify for universal meals.

- Kid Culinary and family engagement: The department held Kid Culinary competitions in February. Participation from family members and community was high; Judy said turnout for the secondary competition was smaller and she hopes to grow high-school team participation this year.

- Staffing and operations: The district hired a Sodexo manager (Joe Grama) during the year who helped stabilize kitchen operations, particularly at Mockingbird, where managers were hard to recruit. Judy said having a manager in place allowed her to run Kid Culinary and manage a contract rebid.

- WasteWatch pilot: The district implemented a WasteWatch program in 2024\u0000\u000025. Judy shared quarter-by-quarter reports showing pounds of food waste, estimated cost, and day-by-day patterns; Fridays produced the most waste. She reported the pilot produced usable data that can help refine menus and portioning.

- Local purchasing: Judy said the district is increasing local purchasing where practical\u0000\u0000for bread and milk and is working with a local farmer for summer produce purchases.

What board members asked

Board members asked whether free-and-reduced counts had rebounded to accurate levels after pandemic-era changes. Judy noted community eligibility at some schools reduces the incentive for families to submit individual applications and said counting under that program makes interpretation of the rate difficult.

Ending

The board thanked Judy and nutrition staff; no formal action was taken. Staff sign-up sheets and volunteer opportunities were noted for ongoing meal-service support.","Child nutrition director Judy reported a drop in free/reduced percentage from 67% to 64% (May data), Kid Culinary competitions and a new WasteWatch pilot that tracks meal waste by weight and estimated cost.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6487328,"Board approves consent agenda and several policy housekeeping items; votes at a glance",4403,35000,4438000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5671283-86764ad9448006290e73b9b5ca2da33f&start=35&end=4438","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5671283-86764ad9448006290e73b9b5ca2da33f/thumbnail_35000.jpg","/articles/6487328/Nebraska/Board-approves-consent-agenda-and-several-policy-housekeeping-items-votes-at-a-glance","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6487328-07dfd578fb6e585d52034de5c08c93a1/orig.mp4?Expires=1770496819&Signature=C9XlXTe3O8evuzzL822fjVv12nxvc6qfnbep57Rz7~ev4Qx~PEYV32R5DbvZcgx5yokNjhQT73~tskJ6GflA2QPg8GS8n0gJrkTmco-37veuLBRMiLDhFqzSn6z44dGlQtXxRdEguJHYoG94dtFoVKJIHZTFElqslR6paBoRJLG3x6j1fnNIZ-U9U-QnzwguqoPyOt6RAzk2vj3HHrn8yfZqljC~NTq3-iX4s0Ep-~3EsC3qIKeZkC2XWqFvALCowBnf83Frsdwol4qzJHciazeWm1TRHNmn8iMlu90LtzB89dInIX~TQp~aMTAmadblitRRuD-En4ayHQN0yDjVQQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Ralston Public Schools Board of Education approved routine and policy items during its Aug. 25 meeting. Several motions were taken and the board recorded votes aloud for the minutes.

What the board approved

- Consent agenda: A motion \"to approve the consent agenda items as presented,\" which included minutes from the Aug. 11 meeting and the Aug. 18 board retreat, passed on a roll call. The clerk called the vote; the transcript recorded affirmative votes from: \"Missus Kumar; Missus Hutt; Missus Willie; Missus Richards; Missus Krauss; Miss Rorty.\" The motion passed.

- Policy housekeeping (therapy dogs): The board approved a motion \"to remove approval of policy 50-61 (therapy dogs) as it is included in current policy 30-46.\" The motion was moved, seconded (second noted as Liz and Katie during the meeting) and passed with recorded \"ayes\" from board members in attendance.

- Policy change (time/reporting for exempt homeschools): The board approved a motion to update policy 50-50 (time change/reporting related to exempt homeschools). Meeting minutes indicate the motion passed after discussion; recorded votes were read aloud and the motion passed.

How the board recorded votes

The clerk asked board members to state their votes for motions; multiple roll-call affirmatives were read into the record and the meeting transcript captures the board stating \"Aye\" for each recorded member when called.

What did not happen

No controversial policy reversals or major program adoptions were taken at this meeting; the actions above were routine approvals and housekeeping.

Ending

Board members handled routine governance tasks early in the meeting so the agenda could move on to presentations and discussion items.","At its Aug. 25 meeting the Ralston board approved the consent agenda and voted to remove a duplicate therapy-dog policy and to update reporting related to exempt homeschools; recorded votes were read into the record.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6487332,"Ralston board reviews option-enrollment capacity numbers ahead of Sept. 15 window; formal resolution to return Sept. 8",102,932000,1034000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5671283-86764ad9448006290e73b9b5ca2da33f&start=932&end=1034","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5671283-86764ad9448006290e73b9b5ca2da33f/thumbnail_932000.jpg","/articles/6487332/Nebraska/Ralston-board-reviews-option-enrollment-capacity-numbers-ahead-of-Sept-15-window-formal-resolution-to-return-Sept-8","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6487332-ace1d2ba091bac28538db029bf553ffb/orig.mp4?Expires=1770496819&Signature=K8nIbj0itWf-Vij38NNDapBzc-yT7fnDwLFOFQ60KsjOcRuLGCzpfQKzLevjnGjXxcE8ZuJVYP3s4pnhObDBTJfEKpUsPONYEtDeeSLh1vxDMKRLXt7aVfvBOVGRRtWKn4wF6JIYLs6yXxJgI~pDG3Wmi6ydinROAPMiZHsUOzgWDqXcHdUKp70eo8ksQesABmhPEFwBKv8JDieTJDqjroyhZN-IBXsMQqPbpHoHhtXufFE~SpigZNClvAHxhbjAHVWWHXbJ1xpZUEifVw3y-ez1HJ4arUT5qEf7y8zparC0zI8vY6tlaiJ1565pMMH-Y20SgWTKmUO5C1EpELW2mg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Ralston Public Schools Board of Education discussed draft option-enrollment capacity limits at its Aug. 25 meeting and was told a resolution setting those capacities will be brought back for board approval on Sept. 8 ahead of the district\u0000\u0000option-enrollment window, which opens Sept. 15.

Why it matters: state law requires districts to set capacity and program limits used to accept or deny option-enrollment applications. Those caps affect how many nonresident students the district can accept in each grade or program.

What staff presented

- Numeric caps: Dr. Zabrowski Gates (district staff) told the board the district proposes the following numeric caps for option enrollment: kindergarten capped at 300; grades 1\u0000\u0000through\u0000\u00003 capped at 325; grades 4\u0000\u0000through\u0000\u00006 capped at 275; class sections capped at 25 students each; combined grades 7\u0000\u0000and\u0000\u00008 capped at 525 students; and grades 9\u0000\u0000through\u0000\u000012 capped at 1,050 students. She said special-education enrollments will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

- Resident students prioritized: Dr. Zabrowski Gates clarified, \"that doesn't mean that we would refuse to take our own residential students at that point. ... But we would not take an additional option enrollment at this point.\" In other words, the district will continue to enroll resident students even when at the stated capacity for option enrollment but will deny nonresident option-enrollment requests for grades/programs already at capacity.

Board discussion and next steps

Board members asked about whether the district should promote option enrollment publicly and whether census and trend data inform the caps. Staff said they use census forecasts but noted Ralston experiences higher mobility and turnover (staff quoted a 15\u0000\u0000to\u0000\u000018 percent annual student-change figure), which complicates forecasting.

The board did not adopt the resolution at the Aug. 25 meeting; staff said the resolution setting capacities will return on Sept. 8 for board approval ahead of the Sept. 15 option-enrollment window.

Ending

Staff asked board members to review the proposed capacities and bring questions before the Sept. 8 meeting, when the board will be asked to adopt a formal resolution setting option-enrollment capacities for 2025\u0000\u000026.","District staff presented option-enrollment capacity figures and said the board will consider a resolution setting capacities before the Sept. 15 option-enrollment window opens.",{"_33":113,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":114,"_41":115,"_43":116,"_45":117,"_47":118,"_49":119,"_51":120,"_53":121,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":122,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":123,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6487337,"Ralston board hears 2025–26 budget overview; district to use reserve and state apportionment rather than increase tax request",281,1274000,1555000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5671283-86764ad9448006290e73b9b5ca2da33f&start=1274&end=1555","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5671283-86764ad9448006290e73b9b5ca2da33f/thumbnail_1274000.jpg","/articles/6487337/Nebraska/Ralston-board-hears-202526-budget-overview-district-to-use-reserve-and-state-apportionment-rather-than-increase-tax-request","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6487337-a0be30e475f992f8c0f063a18c4fec2e/orig.mp4?Expires=1770496819&Signature=eNo3Q95nRqljpXfU72zjTI5o8~RQHaGpMrMgETXNtbNBA-~i5jkPKZ6gak4zwXt8uKQI~k7DZZyJQgGKo0vs1g7KDN0fLVCe180jf1d6VHR1jXEMJvdV2tN2g-PpfqozIS-L~2LOXt6N-T1duISlFTeerY1bwLchWWhPCgvFXG0pqz~TnX4z9u~NWrlSOxXipgt1g8Xq3s7rYzYUN~VtuNc09PE~~AaXvHok5f2nmS7Q3x9PnFUTU6ZOUU18XW2fYf7jD2-Jr5PIAveyLvua6m-9hBDL8rXoT05Q4FIyxt2sPzZmo91mABs1gkJ~pSNNYLtbxFp2~0wsq6pPTStMcQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Ralston Public Schools Board of Education heard a presentation on the district\u0000\u0000budget for 2025–26 on Aug. 25, where staff said the proposal relies in part on district reserves and a one-time increase in state apportionment rather than seeking additional property tax from local voters.

Board members were shown a line-item summary and an income sheet during the meeting. District staff told the board the district\u0000\u0000received a larger-than-expected state apportionment earlier this year and plans to draw a portion of that amount from its cash balance to smooth next year\u0000\u0000spending rather than increase the tax request to patrons.

Why it matters: the district\u0000\u0000budget determines staffing, programming and the tax request that appears on the annual taxpayer notice. Changes in local taxable valuation and state aid can materially change what the district can ask from local taxpayers.

Key points presented to the board

- Certified taxable valuation: staff reported Douglas County\u0000\u0000provided a certified taxable value that was about $30,000,000 lower than the county\u0000\u0000estimate the district had used in July. Staff said the lower valuation reduced the district\u0000\u0000\u0000real-growth percentage used for levy-setting.

- Use of cash balance and state apportionment: The presentation said the district will use part of the unexpected state apportionment payment and cash-balance funds as a temporary offset so it would not need to increase the tax request for 2025–26. As presented, the proposed levy is \"essentially the same\" as the current proposal, with staff characterizing it as remaining about \"4 cents less on the levy\" compared with a prior reference point.

- Insurance and indexing changes: The budget showed several reclassifications, including moving property insurance costs into building line items and newly budgeting some recurring software subscriptions that had previously been covered by grants.

- Bond promise and levy capacity: Staff reminded the board the district had pledged in a prior bond election not to exceed a certain dollar amount in levy (transcript wording: \"we would not exceed dollar 35\"). Staff said current projections keep the district well under that pledged level; staff noted the district was at about \"$1.19\" in a past year as a comparison (transcript phrasing preserved).

Board process and next steps

- Public hearings: The board was told Aaron (staff member) will present the required public hearings on the budget and the tax request at the board\u0000\u0000meeting on Sept. 8; those hearings will begin before the board\u0000\u0000regular start time (announced start times in the meeting were 5:30 and 5:45 p.m.).

- Staff follow-up: Staff said they will refine the levy sheets and return with the formal levy request for board action at a future meeting.

What board members asked and raised

Board members asked for clarification about the taxable valuation change, cash-balance use and whether the recommended language from policy services should be adopted in other sections (policy questions were handled later in the meeting). A board member acknowledged the many moving pieces staff had managed and praised the budget work.

Ending

District staff presented the budget as a work-in-progress and scheduled the statutory public hearing and formal levy discussion for the Sept. 8 meeting. The board did not take a final vote on the levy at the Aug. 25 meeting, but staff described the broad approach the administration plans to bring back for formal action.","Board finance staff presented the proposed 2025–26 budget, outlining use of cash balance and an unexpected state apportionment increase to avoid raising the district\u0000\u0000tax request; certified taxable valuation from Douglas County came in lower than earlier estimates.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Board debates subcommittee structure and reporting; considers rotations and expanded communications

Nutrition services reports lower free-and-reduced percentage, Kid Culinary participation and new waste-monitoring data

Board approves consent agenda and several policy housekeeping items; votes at a glance

Ralston board reviews option-enrollment capacity numbers ahead of Sept. 15 window; formal resolution to return Sept. 8

Ralston board hears 2025–26 budget overview; district to use reserve and state apportionment rather than increase tax request