Teresa Schnoor, (Kearney Public Schools, Courtesy)
KEARNEY — Central Elementary’s principal, Teresa Schnoor, is set to retire at the end of the current school year after the Kearney school board approved her resignation at their meeting on Monday, Oct. 15.
Melissa Herrmann, KPS Human Resources, said that Schnoor has had 37 years of experience in education and that the district was grateful she gave advanced notice so a search could begin to find a new person for the position.
“At Central, we take pride in catering to a multitude of cultures and backgrounds, striving to ensure that our students depart with the essential skills and character needed to excel in their future pursuits, regardless of where their paths may lead,” Schnoor stated in a past release.
During the recognition portion of the board meeting, Amber Lewis, Principal at Horizon Middle School, was noted for being named the Region IV Principal of the Year and the Outstanding New Principal of the Year by the Nebraska Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP).
Lewis addressed the board and said that she was, “proud to have dedicated her life to education.”
There were three presentations during the board meeting, including one on the “Top Dog” program from Dustin Mitchell, Bryant Elementary Principal.
Mitchell said that the program helps to promote good behavior among their students by ensuring the students are recognized for their actions and get to earn different privileges.
Students can be named a “Top Dog,” after showing positive behaviors and gathering signatures from staff members who can confirm that they demonstrate these qualities.
Mitchell said students love to earn things, and one of the perks is a “Top Dog,” sticker being placed on their lockers.
The board also received a construction update regarding the projects at Horizon Middle School and Windy Hills Elementary.
At Horizon Middle School, the project is currently under budget and the roof membrane has been completed and the cap flashing is nearly 70 percent complete.
It was noted that there is additional work that will take place to repair the showers in both locker rooms and this should take around two weeks.
At Windy Hills Elementary, so far, the renovation and addition project are on schedule and under budget at the moment.
Work to the interior of the school has been extensive, but the framing has been completed except for a few hard lid ceilings areas. Drywall hanging and finishing is currently in progress.
Upcoming work at the building includes windows being installed in the addition, fire sprinkler piping to start in two weeks, pouring the back concrete at the front entrance and windows for classrooms will be installed in two weeks.
The last update was a K-12 financial literacy presentation. Per state statute, school districts must provide an annual financial literacy status report to their school boards.
For elementary schools, they must include financial literacy instruction in their curriculum and at KHS, this year, the students must complete a five-credit course in personal finance or financial literacy to graduate.
There was one hiring that was approved, Sharon Argueta-Gonzalez, math teacher at Kearney High School, pending certification, starting January 2025. Herman told the board that Argueta-Gonzalez has been student teaching with the district.
The board also approved the purchase of two Ford F-150 trucks as maintenance/facilities vehicles through a state purchasing contract for the cost of $84,720.
The board also approved the Option Enrollment Resolution for the 2025-2026 School Year.
At the end of the meeting, the board entered closed session for negotiation and strategy discussion with respect to the 2025-2026 collective bargaining. No action was taken after the session closed.
The next regular meeting of the Kearney Public Schools Board of Education will be held on Nov. 11, 2024, at 5:30 p.m. in the Staff Development Room in the Administration Building.
