BEATRICE – The Beatrice Board of Education has added the new student member of the board for this school year.

Senior Riley Schwisow was sworn in as the student member of the District 15 Board Monday night.   It is a non-voting position on the school board but helps provide updates to the board on school activities at all grade levels, and the student member can participate in discussion about issues before the board.

In other action Monday night, the district approved a purchase of a new kettle pot for the district’s food service operation at the high school, approving a bid of $33,730.   That replaces one of two units at the high school.

The school district will hold a groundbreaking at the new elementary school site on September 30th, 10 a.m., at the west side of the site.

Superintendent Jason Alexander says through employment of a grant writer, since last spring…District 15 has received a total of nearly $300,000 in grants for various purposes, with several applications for additional funding that are pending.

The school district named it’s employee of the month for September…Casey Zarybnicky….a licensed speech and language pathology assistant at Paddock Lane Elementary School. 

Named as Business Friend of the Month for August was Nicole Walker of Coca-Cola. The company has the current beverage contract with BPS.  Alexander says the company has donated over $15,000 the past four years to the district for various activities and helps the district with various products for special events.