Red Raiders Utilizing Web Streaming to broadcast events

The following story appeared in the Kearney Hub, detailing LCPS's web streaming program.

http://kearneyhub.com/sports/local/article_dd40b14a-2dfd-11e1-9295-0019bb2963f4.html

LCPS Exceeds AYP Standard

The Nebraska Department of Education has released the 2010-11 Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) decisions for Nebraska Schools.  AYP is the minimum standard set for schools to meet the requirements of the federal No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). Each year the state AYP goal will increase, with all schools expected to reach 100% proficiency in reading and math by 2014. 

The Loup City Public Schools have exceeded AYP standards in reading and math for the 2010-11 school year. Since LCPS is considered a, “very small school, “(no tested class containing more than 30 students) our district-wide reading and math scores were used to determine AYP status. Scores included in AYP calculations:

Reading: The 2010-11 state goal was set at 67% of students testing at proficient or higher. LCPS students exceeded the state standard with 72.9% of students testing at proficient or higher in reading- an increase from 66.2% in 2009-10

Math: The 2010-11 state goal was set at 51% of students testing at proficient or higher. LCPS students exceeded the state standard with 79.3% of our students testing at proficient or higher in math. This was the first year for the NeSA math assessment.

Writing is not part of AYP and is listed listed under, “Other Academic Indicators.” LCPS students exceeded the state standard in writing- with 62% of students scoring proficient or higher in writing.

The progress that we have made in continuing to exceed AYP standards in reading and math, along with the upward trend of our  test scores are very encouraging.  It is especially noteworthy that, since we were classified as a, “very small school,” it took the efforts of all of our students and all of our classes to exceed AYP.  We are not where we want to be (100% proficient in all areas) but we are moving in the right direction. 

LCPS Adopts Lower 2011-12 Budget

Following a public hearing before their September meeting, the Loup City Board of education approved a 2011-12 budget calling for decreases in school spending and in tax levy.  The new budget totals just over $7.9m. – $1,334,749 less than the previous year’s budget. The district’s total tax levy decreased from $1.10 to $1.066 per. $100 of assessed valuation, a decrease of 2.92%. Assessed Valuations in the LCPS district increased over $21m or 7.29% from 2010-11 to 2011-12.

Several budget factors determined how we were able to do, “more with less,” in reducing the overall budget while still maintaining the current staff and programs:

• Reduced General Fund expenditures: The expenditures and transfers in our general fund budget have been reduced by $1,313,118. This reduction was due in large part by amending the budget last spring to move our unused budget authority into the 2010-11 budget.  Without the amended budget figures, the 2011-12 budget shows an actual spending decrease of $284,000 over the originally published 2010-11 budget.

This reduction in spending was made possible by our philosophy of zero-based budgeting in which every line items is scrutinized and justified as a need rather than a want, In the 2012 budget, all spending is considered guilty until rove innocent.

• Refinanced the Bond Fund: By refinancing the remaining five years on the bond fund, we will save over $130k in interest. This year’s bond levy was reduced a little over $.03 following a repayment of $124k to the general fund last year and a valuation increase this year  By locking in the low interest rate of the refinance agreement, we hope to maintain the bond levy at a consistent rate until the bond is retired

• Maintained a healthy Carryover Balance: Throughout last school year our staff worked very hard to conserve district resources. This effort resulted in a healthy beginning balance, and less need for new tax funding.

• Utilized some Cash Reserves: The maximum allowable cash reserve amount in the 2011-12 budget is $2,039,004 (45% of General Fund disbursements and transfers). We have built $1,948,078 in reserves into the budget with $1.3m in necessary cash reserves and $649k in the depreciation fund. We also have $1.1m in unused budget authority, which carries forward into future budget years. With proposed legislation to limit district’s budget authority, we will be working hard to preserve the cash reserves and budget authority that we have worked so hard over the years to build.

• Worked with the LCEA: During the process of salary negotiations, the LCEA was very responsive to our budget challenges and settled for a very modest 2% salary and benefits increase. This settlement helped us to maintain our present staffing level.

• Listened to District Shareholders: During a series of public forums last spring, district shareholders told us what programs and services were important to them, as well as the toll that tax burdens took on families and businesses. This public input helped us set budget priorities and plan for the future.

While our tax levy is one of the lowest in central Nebraska, our budget challenges will continue into the next year and beyond. By working together, we will be able to meet the challenge, and provide a world-class education for our students, maintain facilities that the community can share and take pride in, and continue to offer programs which will fuel future growth. No matter what the challenge, our guiding principal remains unchanged- to make sound decisions with the good of our students as our first priority.

The Results are In: NeSA Testing 2011

Imagine that back in 2002, a couple of entrepreneurs decided to start identical businesses. As a part of their business plans, they had to submit, to their shareholders earnings projections and goals over the life of their loans, which come due in 2014. The first business owner projects that by 2014, when his loan is due; his business will show an annual profit of $50,000.  The second owner projects a profit of $1million annually by the due date.

When 2014 rolls around, the first business owner happily announces that his business achieved its goal- a profit of $50,000. The second owner reports that his business fell short of projections- and turned a profit of $900,000-not the $1 million that he had set as his goal.

So, which entrepreneur was most successful: the one who had set a modest goal and made it -or the one who set a lofty goal and fell just short?

This story illustrates the two approaches to high-stakes (state) testing. Do we want to set high goals, such as 100% proficiency, and see how close we can come, or do we want to be satisfied with setting a modest goal and be happy to reach it?

Last year, 2010, Nebraska began state-wide testing in reading using the NeSA Reading Test as a common assessment- for the first time all Nebraska students took the same state test. This year, 2011, the NeSA Math Test has been added and all Nebraska students be tested by the same measures in both Reading and Math.  The state writing assessment has been revamped to allow for more in-depth scoring, so only writing scores in grades four and eight were reported.

In August of each year, schools report their results, and these results become a measuring stick for progress and a way for schools to be compared. So how did we do? Let’s stay with our business comparison and take a look at our annual report to our shareholders, which might look like this:

LCPS Results Reported in % of Students at “Proficient” or Higher
Grade	Reading			Math			Writing
	2010	2011	2012-Goal (AYP)	2010	2011	2012-Goal (AYP)
3	53%	74%	78%	Not Given	96%	67%
4	66%	75%	78%	Not Given	81%	67%	81%
5	60%	48%	78%	Not Given	89%	67%
6	67%	88%	80%	Not Given	76%	67%
7	67%	70%	80%	Not Given	85%	67%
8	79%	50%	80%	Not Given	42%	67%	67%
11	63%	71%	79%	Not Given	67%	61%

In 2010, we reported results that did not exactly thrill our shareholders, and that our board of directors (the School Board) found unacceptable.  Last year, we begin to develop methods to more closely align our district curriculum with the state standards that are being assessed by the NeSA tests.

Results in 2011 showed improvement in most classes in reading and very encouraging initial results in math and writing. Individual results will be sent home to parents during the last week in August. Teachers will review these results with parents at the fall parent-teacher conferences. These are, “snapshot,” measures indicating how our students performed on one test on one day. No one test tells the complete story, and the complete picture of learning can only be clarified by students, parents, and teachers working together in frequent close contact.

Any report to a group of shareholders must contain future goals and projections, and education, like business, often asks, “What have you done for me lately?” Here is our plan to make sure that we continue to achieve our improvement goals and are on target to be one of the schools to achieve 100% proficiency by 2014:

·       Continue  working to make sure that our reading and math curriculums are aligned to state standards

·       Modifying our language program in the elementary grades to introduce, teach, and reinforce key concepts on the state standards.

·       Utilizing the MAP assessment to monitor our progress, guide instruction, and target interventions

·       Providing interventions to student who need to catch up

To be sure, 100% proficiency is a lofty goal and achieving it will take a great effort from all of us. Is it achievable? I would never make the mistake of selling our students and teachers short. Consider the words of NASA astronaut Pete Conrad (the third man to set foot on the moon) who said, “Shoot for the moon and if you miss you will still be among the stars.”

LCPS District Newsletter Now Online

Beginning this month, the LCPS District Newsletter will be available on the district website at http://blog.loupcity.k12.ne.us/. Simply click on the District Newsletter link at the top of the LCPS website page for access to current or past newsletters.


Printed copies of the District Newsletter will be sent on request. As a cost-saving measure, printed copies of the newsletter will not be mailed unless a printed copy is requested. To request a printed copy of the LCPS District Newsletter please call our office at 308-745-0120.


Please feel free to contact the superintendent's office 308-745-0120 with any questions, concerns or suggestions. 

What We did on our Summer Vacation

By Tom Hinrichs LCPS Superintendent

  Traditionally, the first assignment of the new school is an essay titled, What I did on my Summer Vacation. It only seems fair that I start- so here is what members of the LCPS family did over the summer.

While juggling the responsibilities of families, farms and businesses, our dedicated Board Members:

·       Prepared for, attended and followed up on monthly BOE meetings

·       Attended planning meetings for each monthly BOE meeting

·       Met as members of  facilities, transpiration, personnel and negotiations committees

·       Attended workshops in school law, finance, and negotiations

·       Stayed informed of school business through weekly updates by the administrative team

·       Encouraged our work with visits phone, calls and emails.

The summer maintenance staff of Tim Piontkowski, Denise Kuligowski, Elsie Kieborz, Jody Horner, Bonnie Sekutera, Joy Hostetler, Karen Lonowski, and Ramona Kelly:

·       Prepared each classroom by waxing the floors, cleaning the desks and fixtures and making repairs where needed- making the buildings shine!

·       Shampooed carpets in all the buildings

·       Cut back the shrubs around the front of the building to provide an unobstructed view for increased safety

·       Painted hand railings in the school buildings

·       Cleaned the commons area

·       Washed windows

·       Replaced ceiling tiles and lights

·       Cleaned and disinfected restrooms and locker room areas

Our teachers have been busy spending the summer learning new skills, techniques, and methods to make them more effective instructors and to make sure our students receive the best education anywhere. This summer:

·       Several teachers took summer classes in a variety of programs and subjects.

·       Many of our teachers became licensed to drive our 15-passenger Red Raider Bus

·       Sara Paider and Amy Hostetler continued to work on their master's programs in educational administration. Mrs. Paider has been invited to instruct teachers in Texas in our reading program.

·       FACS Instructor, Tammy Nelson, accompanied a student to National FACS conference in California.

·       Music Instructor, Kyle Knaub, lead our annual band camp.

·       Coaches Sara Paider (volleyball), Nick Hodge, (football)  Josh Asche (Girls' basketball) Paul Henry (Boys' Basketball) Lindsay Gappa (cheerleading), Jamie Lewandowski and Lisa Harrington (Dance team) conducted summer camps for Red Raider athletes.

·       Several teachers attended Quantum Learning training in Kearney

·       Numerous staff members got a jump on our new MAP  assessment program by attending summer training.

·       Coaches Nick Hodge, Josh Asche, Lindsay Hartman, Wayne Klein, Paul Henry, and Larry Baker opened the weight room and supervised athletes every morning and evening.

Our office staff has been busy updating technology and getting ready for 24/7 Learning. This summer LCPS business manager Janelle Swanson, technology director Janet Kuscak  secretaries Jamie Lewandowski, Donna Mendyk, and Cathy Placzek :

·       Supervised the installation of new high speed copier/printers in the offices and workroom.

·       Updated the district's ADT mass notification program

·       Took delivery of the new laptops, mobile carts and computer cases.

·       Incorporated the new vans in to the district's fleet of vehicles

·       Received, inventories and distributed classroom supplies and materials

·       Updated student records and laid the ground work for the new school year

·       Completed state reporting and student-management duties

·       Worked with the new Google Applications that will be standard in the district this year.

Other summer projects, which were approved by the LCPS Board of Education, and supervised by Maintenance Director Tim Piontkowski Include:

·       Repainting of the walls, striping, logos, and lettering in the Junior-Senior High

·       Re-carpeting and painting in the band room

·       Removal of two trees, which created safety hazards, at the Primary School

·       Created loading zone at east side of Primary School

·       Upgraded drainage on the east side of the main building

·       Cleaned the exhaust hood in the wood shop

·       Refinished the South and North Gym floors

·       Replaced annex gutters and downspouts

·       Repairing concrete at the Primary School playground

With all of the summer projects, upgrades, and improvements that were completed this summer our Board members, administrative team, teachers, and staff members still managed to spend time with family and friends, attend many ball games, and get rejuvenated and ready for the coming school year.

Through the dedicated efforts and teamwork of members of the LCPS family; the buildings are shining like new facilities, cutting-edge technology is ready to support teaching and learning, and 24/7 learning is ready to launch. It's been quite a summer-all in preparation of a great year at LCPS.

LCPS Back-to-School Night

Please join us for back-to-school night on Thursday August 17^th. This event is an opportunity  for students to drop off school supplies, find their classroom, meet their teachers & bus drivers. The Loup City Booster Club will be providing hot dogs, chips, and a drinks for students, parents, and staff. Back-to-School Night activities include:

• 6 p.m. Elementary Parents Meeting. Mr. Hinrichs will meet with elementary parents to answer questions and to explain the 5^th and 6^th grade departmentalized instruction model that we will use this year.
• 7 p.m. 24/7 Learning Meeting. Mr. Hodge will meet with parents of grades 9-12 students for a mandatory orientation to our 1 to 1 laptop program.
• The Loup City Booster Club in addition to providing a hot dog meal will hold a membership drive and announce the results of the Drive One 4 Your School program.

All events will be held in the Junior-Senior High School commons.

2010-11 Year in Review

The 4th of July has passed and the back-to-school displays are up in the stores. Before you gear up for the 2011-12 school year, check out the many accomplishments of the 2010-11 school year at LCPS.

http://blog.loupcity.k12.ne.us/thinrichs/files/2010/08/2010-11-Year-in-Review.pdf

Leadership Rules

1. If you're not at the table; you're on the menu.
2. You never know what will walk through that door.
3. Never wrestle with a pig- you will get dirty and the pig likes it.
4. Today's pig is tomorrow's pork.
5. Scorpions do what scorpions do.
6. Nobody wants to hear about the labor pains; but everybody wants to see the baby.
7. You can't fix parents.
8. If everything is important, nothing is important.
9. The world is run by people who show up.
10. A horrible ending is better than horrors without end.
11. There is no mud on the high road.
12. It is easier to get forgiveness than permission.
13. Overkill is underrated.
14. If you don't have an M.D. in your pocket, don't give medical advice.
15. Down time is reading time.
16. Never argue with someone who buys ink by the barrel.
17. Once the local media attacks- you are finished.
18. It doesn't matter where you are on the food chain when the feeding frenzy starts.
19. Budgeting is a matter of priority; schools can have everything that they want- they just cannot have everything that they want.
20. Education is about evolution-not resolution; but you had better evolve fast.
21. You can't tap dance on the deck of a sinking ship.
22. The formula for insanity: Do the same thing and expect different results.
23. The recipe for failure is to acquire a larger piece of a shrinking market.
24. Nobody looks for a shark in their swimming pool.
25. A scheme beats a dream every time.
26. You can't counted in until you can be counted on.
27. A is A
28. Nature to be commanded must be obeyed.
29. You cannot have your cake and eat it too.
30. Function follows form.
31. Politics is the art of controlling your environment.
32. Pigs get fat- and hogs get slaughtered.
33. Paranoia will destroy ya.
34. Don't try to do the job of a Board Member until you are elected.
35. Show me the money.
36. Sometimes nothing is a real cool hand.
37. I do nothing- but everything gets done.
38. If you hand out cookies; you make cookie monsters.
39. The last word is expensive.
40. First thought wrong.
41. Good artists copy- great artists steal.
42. Drive for show- putt for dough.
43. When you put blood in the water- you will have to kill the sharks.
44. A lot of people have won one in a row.
45. If you've got no animals; you've got no zoo.
46. We don't just follow the rules we like.
47. Two people can keep a secret- if one of them is dead.
48. Don't let the bankers run your business.
49. Leave your parent hat at home.
50. Don't mess in the affairs of dragons if you are crunchy and taste good covered in ketchup.
51. Tough times do not build character- they reveal it.
52. Don't be nice in writing.
53. Everyone is going to tell you how smart you are, and how cleaver you are; and we both know you ain't.
54. Don't lose a game to prove a point.
55. I would rather win than lose, be ahead rather than behind, and have the ball rather than not have the ball.
56. Water the flowers and pull the weeds.
57. The circus don't stay in town all year.
58. Eliminate those who are not motivated.
59. How many trees do you need to see?
60. It's a big chair.
61. Clowns and leaders don't mix.
62. What you have the power to do; you have the power not to do.
63. Mind your business- keep your hands to yourself.
64. Unless the police laugh- It's not a joke.
65. It suffices.

Summer is in full swing at LCPS

Classes may not be in session, but there is a lot going on at LCPS this summer. Some of the major facilities projects that are in the works include:

• Re-carpeting the band room
• Painting the walls in the secondary wing 
• Re-finishing both gym floors
• Replacing annex gutters and down spouts
• Upgrading drainage on the west side of the elementary building
• Creating a pick-up and drop-off (no parking)  zone at the Primary School

We are currently waiting to take delivery on the new copiers and will be getting the new laptops ready for students as soon as the new computers arrive.

Many of our staff members will take part in various training this summer, and we are planning  for  MAP training for teachers in August.


The board of education will continue to work on its vision for the district and address district goals and priorities. As you can see, we'll be busy. Have a great summer!

Go Red Raiders

LCPS Moving to 24/7 Learning Model w. Increased Technology

The Loup City Public schools will partner with Computer Hardware and Lenovo Corporation to significantly upgrade district technology beginning in the fall of 2011.  The technology plan, approved by the Loup City Board at a Special May 19th meeting will feature the addition of  laptop carts (each containing 30 computers)  in the Primary (grades K-3), Elementary (grades 4-6), and Junior-High  (grades 7 & 8) grades. Students in grades 9-12 will be part of the district's 1 to 1 student laptops program.

The  24/7 Learning program, which has been more than a year in the making, has been developed by Junior-Senior High School Principal Nick Hodge. Mr. Hodge and the Jr.-Sr. High School faculty are developing curricular enhancements to take advantage of the enhanced potential of 1 to 1 student laptops. Administrative intern Sara Paider, is working with the elementary faculty to develop curricular, enrichment, and accelerated learning applications that will integrate the K-6 mobile laps into teaching and learning at the elementary school.

Earlier this year, the wireless capacity of the two district attendance centers was enhanced to handle the increased demands of a significant upgrade in district technology. Loup City Public Schools now features state-of-the art infrastructural and technology models to prepare K-12 students for 21st century learning.

With the addition of new mobile  labs and 1 to 1 student laptops, computer labs in the district are being phased out. The new technology model will also provide increased capacity to meet the demands of for district testing, specifically the NeSA and MAP assessments.

The Loup City Board of Education deserves special commendation for being foresighted and proactive in approving the technology plan in these uncertain economic times. The Board has set aside funds for technology upgrades for several years- making this project possible.

Work has already started to make sure that 24/7 learning is ready to roll out on day one of the 2011-12 school year.

Five LCPS Classes Achieve Reading Incentives

At the beginning of the school year,  LCPS classes were challenged with readings goals in either the DIBELS (grades K-2) or NeSA (grades 3-8, 11) reading assessments. Five classes achieved their goals and will be rewarded with an incentive, which was chosen by the students. Classes achieving their reading goals and the incentives that they earned are:

• 2nd Grade (Pizza and Movie)
• 3rd Grade (Pizza and Picnic)
• 4th Grade (Pizza and Bowling)
• 6th Grade Lock-in)
• 11th Grade (1/2 day off of School)

The bar will continue to be raised next year, when our students will be challenged with lofty goals in both both reading and math. Our district philosophy in assessment is to be successful by any measure- and we are proud of the effort put forth by our teachers and students in as we peruse high standards of achievement.

LB 235 Passes: Doing More with Less is the new Normal

It's Official, LB235 Calls for Huge Cuts in State Aid to Nebraska School Districts

The Loup City School District is losing over 90% of its state aid from 2010-11 to 2011-12 based upon the passage of LB235 by the Nebraska legislature. The new state aid law will fund state aid to education at a level of $822 million. State aid to schools this year totals $950 million. LCPS received $500,296.69 in aid for 2010-11 and is projected to receive $32,750 dollars in 2011-12.

The funding model published by the Nebraska Department of Education office includes specifics for Loup City and other schools across the state and is available at http://www.education.ne.gov/FOS/SchoolFinance/Downloads/LB235Model_Comparison.pdf

The district with input and support from the staff, students, and district patrons are working to ensure our budget will be able to withstand the cuts dealt to us and we will continue to provide top quality educational services to our students. No instructional programs or staff positions have been eliminated. However, there is no way to sugarcoat the loss in aid or to describe its impact as negligible. The cuts are more acutely painful because LCPS is one of the most efficiently managed districts in the state in terms of low general-fund levy and healthy cash reserve. Those practices of sound fiscal management now seem to be working against the district as state aid is calculated under the new formula.

Several measures are already in place to cover help lessen the impact of the loss of nearly $400,000 in state aid. Our staff has been very judicious in the use of district resources by doing such things as making fewer copies, conserving electricity, combining class field trips, and curtailing professional development activities. Currently we have reduced year-to-date spending over $60,000 compared to this time in 2009-10. Funds not spent from this year's budget will be carried over to the 2012-13 budget to help lessen the impact of our loss in state aid.

Operational efficiency measures have been instituted , but are not sufficient to make up drastic shortfalls since over 85% of district costs are directly attributable to personnel costs in salary, wages, and benefits.

The dilemma of dealing with cuts while contemplating increased property tax burdens will be before the Board when officially adopting the district budget in September of 2011 for the 11-12 year. Total district property valuation has increased by at least 5% over the last five years and over 7% on average the last three years.

The local general fund property tax levy currently sits at .96 and the last assessment from the County Treasurers had Loup City with $278 million in valuation. The general fund property tax can be set within a range from .95 to 1.05. The cut in state aid is so substantial that only by raising the general fund levy above $1.04 would lost state aid revenue be recouped. Our forecasting models for next year are based on a historical valuation increase of 5%, which would generate an additional $130,000 in general fund revenue at the current tax levy.

While the state aid cuts are now set in stone-official certification of state aid is scheduled for July- the work preparing for the shortfall is being accomplished through the strong collective efforts of the Board of Education, the leadership of administration and the input of the Loup City Education Association and of district patrons. The Loup City district has held community forums and Special Board meetings to gather input on the reduction process. The Board feels that collectively, they and administration have been left to do the difficult, disappointing work at the local level of enacting cuts handed down at state level.

Long-term prospects for the district remain excellent fueled by growing enrollment in the elementary grades healthy farm economy and well maintained cash reserves. However, the immediate future will continue to challenge us to be creative in how we use resources. The current provisions passed in LB235 stipulate levels of aid funding for 2012-13 that will basically flatline school budgets for the biennium of 11-12 and 12-13. The allowable growth restrictions in the new law mean the district will have to continue to incorporate efficiency measures in order to manage other costs that will be projected to increase for 12-13, such as food, fuel, utilities, and insurance premiums.

We have labeled our budget initiatives, “Doing More with Less.” The passage of LB235 will insure that doing more with less is now the new normal for schools.

(Thanks to Mr. John Skretta, Supt. Of the Norris School District for his consultation on this article-used by permission)

LCPS Budget Information Update

The budget  information that was presented at the 4-19-11 Special Board Meeting is available on the LCPS School Web Site.  Links are available for my entire budget presentation as well as the prioritized budget option list form the Special Meeting.

Please join the budget discussion on the LCPS Facebook page, just click on the "Discussions" link on the left side of the page to access current LCPS discussions.

Budget Forum Documents Posted

Documents from the recent LCPS budget forum have been posted on the district website.
http://blog.loupcity.k12.ne.us/

Posted documents include:

• Budget Notes (Mr. Hinrichs' presentation)
• Minutes from the Forum (Patron Comments, Questions, and Concerns)
• Master Budget Cut List
• Patron Feedback (Priorities Listed by Patrons)

Thanks to everyone who attended the Budget Forum- it was a great example of the Loup City family coming together.

LCPS Receives Fontanelle Grant

The Loup City Public Schools have been awarded a $2,500 grant from the Fontanelle Corporation for use in our driver's education program.  Driver's Ed. teacher, Jim Reeves applied for the grant, which will be used to purchase equipment to supplement the schools driver's education program.