The Blair Community Schools Board of Education “regretfully” accepted the resignation of Deerfield Primary School Principal Laura Jackson.
Jackson has served as a principal in the district for the last eight years, including at Deerfield and West primary schools and Arbor Park Intermediate School. She also served as assistant principal of Otte Blair Middle School.
The board thanked Jackson for her service to the district.
“Thank you. It's been an honor,” Jackson said.
The board also accepted the resignation of Otte Blair Middle School counselor Kyle Kruse.
The board approved the hiring of Karrisa Rogers as an occupational therapist. The district will share Rogers' contract with Fort Calhoun Community Schools.
The district received more than a $1.2 million grant from the American Rescue Plan.
By accepting the grant, the district must develop and maintain two plans to submit to the Nebraska Department of Education. The plans must include a plan for safe return and how the district will use the funds. The district must allocate at least 20% of the funds to address learning loss through the implementation of evidence-based interventions.
Supt. Randy Gilson said the district was approved for the grant and hopes to have a determination on how the funds will be used soon.
The funds must be used by Sept. 30, 2024.
The board approved a two-year contract for Supt. Randy Gilson with a salary set at $175,000.
“We thank Dr. Gilson for the tremendous leadership he has provided in this past year,” board president Kari Loseke said. “I think it's really shown through the pandemic. Your leadership has been a great strength this last year to get all of us through this year and to keep the schools open and to see the students succeeding.”
Gilson is at the end of year one of a two-year contract that expires June 30, 2022.
The newly renovated industrial arts center will have some new tools.
The board approved the purchase of equipment, machinery, tools and lockers totaling more than $100,000.
The district has also received nearly $490,000 in donations of equipment for the center.
Otte Blair Middle School will add a running club for the 2021-22 school year.
Carson Norine, district HAL coordinator, applied and received a cross country grant for $2,500 that will be used for any startup costs.
Currently, Blair is the only school that doesn't offer either cross country or a running club at the middle school level in the conference or the county.
Since it is a club and not a sport, parents will be responsible for transporting their student and handling any entry fees for events.
The district received $5,000 in donations to purchase new girls soccer uniforms.
Donations included $2,000 from Cargill and $1,000 each from Great Plains Communications and NatureWorks.
