[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6475641,"mediaKeyId","5732241-ff02a9e3b0086c94cb95dc5900458d1f","parentId",5732241,"title","Board actions: consent agenda, policy changes, attendance proclamation and MOU approved","audioSeconds",5075,"startMs",1868000,"endMs",6943000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5732241-ff02a9e3b0086c94cb95dc5900458d1f&start=1868&end=6943","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5732241-ff02a9e3b0086c94cb95dc5900458d1f/thumbnail_1868000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6475641/Nebraska/Board-actions-consent-agenda-policy-changes-attendance-proclamation-and-MOU-approved","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6475641-284ba6103de41896f31f98b34dd8b134/orig.mp4?Expires=1775557347&Signature=ScIv7uzN0NB261wlaXJo8hGUzotsSoSLew-vxyQZ8iHqfmwgpRKDtD9sF0iUq74wbgg4cwqY0noCkby3c9gRUoQ0-PaHoGxecswBBDw3brH0nH9WSzV6~Jv942rLyCO6R6by6pwqEWo3-Nv6IO2DzVGCR98HbVOO2no3~~qLXIKFPW7VVZD8O1Y1jE56x8aN-S8qmB6~Z5t1UAhT15Op3v8Ir0jdIBkojxzP4Ou6~ibtQ2WiT42Y5N25RRWGrY1w9lTaB~dBsOyZXhKjQ7U1HmLVoIwvi8FKZLjIwgo1O51dljT3JJ~WgmyO~Qkm2NyyDg9~NEz5I3P8fetnh-ltPg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Ralston Public Schools, NE","date","2025-09-08T16:00:19Z","article","The Ralston Public Schools Board of Education took several formal actions at its Sept. 8 meeting, voting by roll call on consent items, a policy amendment, a proclamation supporting attendance efforts and a memorandum of understanding.

Votes at a glance
- Consent agenda approved: Motion to approve consent agenda items carried on a roll-call vote. Consent items included minutes (Aug. 25), the August 2025 financial report, and bills: $633,888.48 for the general fund and $69,379.12 for the special building fund. Roll-call votes recorded board members voting 'Aye'; minutes and vendor documentation were reviewed by board staff prior to the meeting.
- Policy amendment: Motion to amend policy 6012 (Flag display and patriotic observation) to align with the district’s policy-service provider passed by roll call.
- Proclamation on attendance: The board approved a proclamation recognizing the importance of regular school attendance and supporting district efforts to improve attendance; the motion passed on a roll-call vote.
- MOU approved with Avenue Scholars: The board approved an MOU with Avenue Scholars; staff noted a typographical error in the MOU that would be corrected before execution. The motion passed on roll call.
- Executive session: The board moved into executive session “for the purposes of discussing legal issues and contract negotiations”; the motion passed on roll call.

Roll-call detail (summary): Individual board members recorded votes during roll calls on each motion; meeting minutes contain the full roll-call record. The board chair called each vote; results were announced in the meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","RPS Board of Education Meeting - September 8, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","At the Sept. 8 meeting the Ralston Public Schools Board approved the consent agenda (including August bills), amended a flag-display policy, adopted an attendance proclamation and approved an MOU with Avenue Scholars; roll-call votes were recorded for each action.","taxTitle","RALSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS, School Districts, Nebraska","taxId",76452,"location","Nebraska","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6475646,"Ralston schools review response protocols, reunification and threat-assessment procedures",380,4187000,4567000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5732241-ff02a9e3b0086c94cb95dc5900458d1f&start=4187&end=4567","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5732241-ff02a9e3b0086c94cb95dc5900458d1f/thumbnail_4187000.jpg","/articles/6475646/Nebraska/Ralston-schools-review-response-protocols-reunification-and-threat-assessment-procedures","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6475646-601932e7ba860dac5294ad05d5975f87/orig.mp4?Expires=1775557347&Signature=Gwv0XC1Ytq6LxXPyRbJiYxnz2UeGEkX06BYhWtrx~VB0Y95niIXbA-caESTCUPOv68oBqwtK24x35lreVcGp189RS1CftVqkqaW8FntG-9ErYqUjyv7EDhjP6yZoRwZWurmS3LnneofS9v8291E3x5NmqYwp2LRZ0HtLOVeYm0FgpUT0sXcO-R6IMhGZKOwQ~6sBDGV4117nS2apot2R~0hcYo5d3M8OasKyG9dSiimmzI8AjtxCO7JqWabPpS0bU~kWG~00VzjBSP-vjNa7uZwyGF27tjEEPJPbX5MOBk2ZpCuloUfzz10pSsuWjAg9hMwYz01FXqFw6BYbQQp3Uw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Ralston Public Schools Board of Education received a detailed briefing Sept. 8 on school safety procedures, including the district’s standard response protocol (SRP) for holds, secures, lockdowns, evacuations and shelter-in-place, and on reunification and threat-assessment processes.

What the district described: Facilities and safety staff said SRP is widely used in Nebraska and provides short, consistent commands (hold, secure, lockdown, evacuate, shelter) so staff and students can quickly respond during an incident. Staff said most teachers and classified employees have received updated trainings and that each school posts response signage in classrooms in English and Spanish.

Reunification: District staff explained the reunification plan for evacuations that require off-site reunification. The district’s primary reunification site is the local arena under a memorandum of understanding; students would be bused there, seated by grade or classroom per pre-planned seating charts, and reunited with caregivers through a controlled check-out process.

Threat assessment: Administrators reviewed a formal threat-assessment process used when students make threats or present concerning behavior. The multidisciplinary team can include a principal, counselor, a school resource officer and an unbiased third party from another building. The team assesses capability (for example, whether the pupil has access to weapons), intent and imminence and then recommends interventions such as supervised check-ins, property searches with consent and graduated restrictions (e.g., no backpack in school) to reduce risk while maintaining options to reintegrate students into instruction when appropriate.

Drills and communication: Staff said drills are practiced at least once per semester and that the district has push-notification software that allows any staff member to initiate a response from a mobile device. For younger students and preschool families, staff have begun shared communications that describe what a drill looks like to reduce parental concern.

Ending: The superintendent and safety staff said the board will be asked to approve the district school-safety plan on the annual schedule at the next board meeting and that administrators will continue tabletop exercises and staff training.","Board members received an overview of the district’s standard response protocols, reunification plans with the arena as primary site, and the district’s approach to threat assessment and targeted interventions for safety incidents.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6475651,"Bond projects: pool filling, chillers arriving and punch-list work continues at Ralston schools",225,3640000,3865000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5732241-ff02a9e3b0086c94cb95dc5900458d1f&start=3640&end=3865","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5732241-ff02a9e3b0086c94cb95dc5900458d1f/thumbnail_3640000.jpg","/articles/6475651/Nebraska/Bond-projects-pool-filling-chillers-arriving-and-punch-list-work-continues-at-Ralston-schools","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6475651-2b5fdcecf2df2fd5adb635ebfe919fbb/orig.mp4?Expires=1775557348&Signature=RiBj2wFM0GKfwtKyf88hFQVv4LP6k2IlKjFq1MXk3UgIsBD6YCpkxbCNBqKJFHLIUXLeOENtCRNv2R9RPbqqZQfXmUJAAZMITfjPv4h5auob9qDTyYe~JrqRkyjFLH-1x0vRwxi2ZpdQNiBLFfWK0eGxzot0x0Eym2Z5DTQQe4qfukvKRn6fvcurB5BH282fJ~ji6y8LxMuDKK0N-Q2c5ruUb5cSdugyeOmeF8uQ1PuqgfsxlZo9Cx4AWwcHz-EKOyLkFufrsnPIDcKDd1wYJ2DDHEqoWov~UqkIPRVgFAPkpKdmcV3bZENs25VWMnAhaKFIDO4flWwBdrqCIFza6A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","District facilities staff updated the Ralston Public Schools Board of Education Sept. 8 on bond-funded construction and maintenance work across the district, saying several projects are near completion but punch-list work will continue into late fall.

What staff reported: The district said the high-school pool interior painting is finished and the pool is being filled; a new pool boiler must be brought up to operating temperature before regular use. Two new chillers were delivered to the site and will be installed when seasonal conditions allow — staff said mid-to-late October was a likely window for full HVAC installation. Card readers and intruder alarms are nearly complete; the intercom is functioning and school bells are restored.

Ongoing items and timing: Staff told the board they expect punch-list activity to continue through November and December. Bloomfield Elementary has a drain/backup repair and associated repair and drying work; the district is considering bringing a third-party contractor in to balance HVAC performance at that building because utility consumption is running higher than expected despite new units.

Money remaining and planning: As of Aug. 31, staff reported about $18.4 million in bond proceeds received and approximately $3.5 million in remaining committed funds. Administrators said they will provide a more detailed, itemized plan for remaining projects at the next meeting and separate projects into work the district can do internally (to save contractor markups) versus those needing competitive bids.

Arbitrage and longer-term planning: Staff explained an estimated arbitrage figure of about $1.5 million tied to bond proceeds, but said the final calculation depends on the timing of expenditures. The district is working with bond advisers to minimize any required arbitrage payments to the federal government by timing expenditures appropriately.

Roofs and future bidding: Staff said large roof tear-off and replacement projects (examples given: Wildwood and Meadows) will require careful timing and potentially multiple bid packages to avoid capacity shortages from single contractors; historically, contractors provide the most competitive bids in winter months when they plan next-year schedules.

Ending: Facilities staff emphasized the district is near the end of major building work but will continue targeted projects and monitoring, and that administrators will present an itemized list of proposed remaining work and funding use at a future meeting.","District staff reported Sept. 8 that the pool painting is finished and being filled, new chillers are on site for later installation, intruder alarms and intercoms are live at some sites, and about $3.5 million in committed bond funds remain for outstanding work and punch-list items.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6475657,"Ralston Public Schools presents 2025–26 budget with levy cut, state aid dip and planned use of reserves",829,88000,917000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5732241-ff02a9e3b0086c94cb95dc5900458d1f&start=88&end=917","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5732241-ff02a9e3b0086c94cb95dc5900458d1f/thumbnail_88000.jpg","/articles/6475657/Nebraska/Ralston-Public-Schools-presents-202526-budget-with-levy-cut-state-aid-dip-and-planned-use-of-reserves","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6475657-ab45959d070e4e8736ebfbbebb213cc3/orig.mp4?Expires=1775557348&Signature=JJwLLYVWJWNiYB~Zj94eYPRLj5hJbMZFVWOkqKTqLMu4t9u6JB~o1AU3Blhgwxc2ZPmcsug9XiVYYqySAPXtZYm~pJObb9~Z7pHQbbdtO9rsdymz2GLVcNIhJx-NFg~a0T4O90IMNlDLl8Ry0Em-5RqPQOPgbx0jJAClzJga8WfSsgAfXF71qo4UYz8te0~dYCHMyENpVfmysDFvTvYEkZSuqGaN87JIWdieowuZE4~cWp9TbbzaMp5Sea3d-dLtRCaJHu~FBfYYNKMsGYnahjxIqO9Lk2URnnkLwOQGV9G62jzfyTntKDPgdAHgQuLF3Bc5-ko4qp-KRrrz~3c4Jw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Ralston Public Schools Board of Education held a special budget hearing Sept. 8 to present the district’s proposed 2025–26 budget and tax request, during which district staff said they aim to reduce the overall levy while managing lower state aid and planned uses of reserves.

District finance staff said the proposed total levy is 1.1542 — a decrease of about four cents — and that the general fund levy sits near $0.92. Officials attributed the modest levy reduction to higher state payments this year and planned short-term draws from the district’s cash balance to temper tax increases for property owners.

Why it matters: The district told the board that certified state apportionment payments that fed the 2024–25 actuals were larger than typical and that the state-certified number for next year is about 11% lower than last year’s actuals. To avoid passing the full reduction to taxpayers, administrators proposed shifting some costs to the district’s cash balance and adjusting special-building and depreciation fund transfers.

Key points presented
- State apportionment: Staff said the district received nearly 317% of the anticipated state apportionment in a recent period and that 2025–26 state aid is certified but lower than last year. They warned state numbers, while certified, could be revised if the state faces budget changes.
- Levy and reserves: The total levy in the proposed tax request is 1.1542, down roughly four cents from the previous year. That decrease reflects a combination of valuation growth and planned use of cash balance to reduce the property-tax impact.
- Use of cash balance: Staff said the district is approaching a statewide limit for fund balance (about 25% of budget for a district their size) and that the proposal includes a modest draw from reserves (an income-from-cash-balance figure the presenters expect to use cautiously rather than as a recurring source).
- Bond and building funds: Upcoming bond payments were identified: staff said bond fund payments include roughly $3,800,000 due in December and about $1.7 million due in June. The special building fund will transition from bond proceeds use toward roof and building maintenance over time.
- Personnel and operating costs: The certified staff base received a $1,000 increase in the proposed budget; overall staff pay increases range by position, with some hourly roles seeing larger percentage increases. Insurance costs were cited at about a 5.5% increase. Food-service supply costs rose 18% year over year and salary costs in that area rose about 8%.
- Depreciation and capital: The district is preserving funds for technology and vehicle refreshes and noted a $500,000 deposit into a depreciation fund approved previously; the special building fund transfer proposed to support roof maintenance was shown as a $250,000 levy component.

Board discussion and public hearing: Presenters invited questions during the hearing. Board members asked for clarification on percentage columns, specifics of state-aid changes, the length of time the district could sustain drawing reserves, and the district’s five-year outlook. Staff said the revenue side is the harder part to project, citing uncertainties in property valuations and state commitments. Attendees were then invited to provide public comment; none offered substantive criticism at the hearing.

Next steps: Staff said the district will outline a final tax request and hold the district tax-request hearing as required by state statute. The formal tax request and any final levies will be considered in the next public meeting where the board is expected to vote.

Ending: Presenters framed the budget as conservative and positioned to protect district services despite an 11% certified decline in state apportionment relative to the prior year’s actual receipts. They recommended continuing voluntary separation options and preserving depreciation funds for recurring capital needs.

","At a Sept. 8 special meeting and public hearing, Ralston Public Schools staff reviewed the proposed 2025–26 budget, outlining a roughly 4-cent reduction in the overall levy, an 11% certified drop in state apportionment and planned draws from cash reserves to limit property-tax impact.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Board actions: consent agenda, policy changes, attendance proclamation and MOU approved

Ralston schools review response protocols, reunification and threat-assessment procedures

Bond projects: pool filling, chillers arriving and punch-list work continues at Ralston schools

Ralston Public Schools presents 2025–26 budget with levy cut, state aid dip and planned use of reserves