Beatrice Public Schools into first full week of new school year

BEATRICE – With a new school year underway, the Superintendent for Beatrice Public Schools says there are indications of a higher enrollment to start out the year.  Jason Alexander says there have been a couple of early looks that total enrollment will increase.

"Last year we ended our school year with 27 English Language learner students. As of today, our computer run showed that we have 50, but we know we have two more showing up. Good news in terms of student growth in that area. In special education, we had been a school of about 25-percent special ed population. We anticipate that will increase to about 27 or 28 percent this year."

Alexander called it a great start to the year….with the first full day for all grades this past Friday and the first full week underway. "Kids were excited to come back. Teachers were excited to see kids again, because they were tired of administrators talking to them. And, it looked like the parents were excited to have the kids go back, too. I would say, a great start to the 2023-2024 school year."

The fall kickoff activities event was held Friday. Beatrice has volleyball, softball and golf as the first athletics events of the year on Thursday. The Orangemen will host Elkhorn North in football, Friday night.

Monday night, the District 15 Board of Education finalized annual contracts for mental health and special education services….two of the agreements with Educational Service Units numbers four and five.  The board also approved an addition to the district’s bus transportation service contract…..enacting a three-percent increase in compensation.