BEATRICE – The Beatrice Board of Education has begun moving several policy revisions through the process of approval. One deals with having Naxolone, or Narcan, on hand at school buildings. "Narcan is a drug that counteracts the effects of an overdose."


Superintendent Jason Alexander says state law allows school districts to keep the substance in stock as long as its storage and implementation of its use complies with legal requirements through approved procedures and regulations.  "It's sad that in today's society, that we in schools have to have Narcan present in our buildings, but you never know what is going to happen....so we're better off prepared. We've had training for administrators, staff, nurses and everybody ...our SROs are trained in the use of this. We have provided training to make sure that....everybody knows where its located in the event it is needed."


The school board also heard the first reading of a policy on graduation requirements….including a history component, a semester of personal finance and one component yet to be finalized…..a new computer science requirement.  "We were required by state statute....legislative mandate a year ago...to implement this. We're supposed to have it ready to go for the coming school year, but right now there's a legislative bill to push that back for another year."


Other policies under an initial reading Monday night deal with academic content standards based on State of Nebraska updates….and a district policy on how to address seizures that students or staff may experience.  "Parents do report that to us, so once that's indicated in a student's record and the nurse is aware of that, it's necessary to provide that training. We do have students in our schools who are susceptible to seizures. We need to be prepared for that."


The District 15 Board also advanced procedures on school board meetings, barring use by board members of electronic devices to communicate with the public during open meetings…which is considered in violation of Nebraska Open Meetings law.


Next year’s calendar in the Beatrice Public Schools system has been approved by the board of education.  It calls for a school year that begins for 2023-2024 on August 5th….with a dismissal for the year after the third full week of May.  The new calendar also includes a teachers-only day on the Monday after the Thanksgiving Holiday weekend….and moves a staff development day from the month of February to April 26th.


Board member Janet Byars cast an opposition vote in the 5-1 approval of the new calendar…citing a complaint she consistently hears from parents…..that the calendar doesn’t address the issue of children being dismissed early and its effect on childcare.


The Beatrice School board named its employee of the month…..Heather Brown…a Stoddard Elementary staffer who began as a paraeducator for the district’s summer programs.

Stoddard School Staffer, Heather Brown
Stoddard School Staffer, Heather Brown  

 
Named as the Business Friend of the Month by the district is Nebraska Orthopaedic…a medical provider that has long assisted the district’s athletes and activities department with wellness, athletic training and injury consultation.  The business also does weekly follow-up with athletes and handles concussion monitoring for the district’s athletes.