School board approves limited certified-staffing additions for 2025-26

The Papillion La Vista Community Schools board on Feb. 24 unanimously approved a staffing request that adds 1.4 FTE school psychologist positions for 2025-26, authorizes five additional growth FTEs to be used if enrollment requires them, and accepts five learning-community grant positions.

Board support gave the district budgetary authority for the positions rather than guaranteeing immediate hires. The staffing package passed on a motion by board member Mister Lotus and a second by board member Miss Wood and received a 6-0 roll-call vote.

District staff presented the request as a measured response to modest student growth and program needs. The district said the five grant-funded positions would be paid through the learning community grant and include roles such as an early childhood facilitator, an attendance intervention social worker and a support interventionist. District staff also said that the five growth FTEs are routinely requested for budgetary flexibility and are often not all filled; in recent years the district has rarely accessed those positions.

The presenter described the request as “a pretty minimal staffing request for 02/25–26” and said the district will only hire the additional growth positions if enrollment outpaces projections.

Board members asked for clarification and then approved the request by roll call. The vote recorded yes from Miss Witt, Mister Lotus, Miss Wood, Mr. Bailey, Miss Butler and Mister Madler.

The district will include the approved positions in the upcoming budget process; final hires and start dates will depend on enrollment, available grant funding and routine human-resources processes.