Norfolk Public Schools board approves extra elementary special-education teacher and a half-time ELL position; discusses preschool high‑needs classroom

The Norfolk Public Schools Board of Education approved the addition of one elementary special-education teacher and a half-time English-language-learner teacher for the 2025–26 school year and discussed creating a high‑needs preschool classroom, board members said.

Superintendent Dr. Thompson told the board that special-education and ELL enrollments have grown substantially in recent years and are mandated by state and federal law. The district has gained 271 special-education students since 2013 and 103 additional ELL students since 2019, Thompson said. From 2020 to 2024 the district added 226 special-education students; during that same span the district added eight special-education teachers and five ELL teachers, she said.

Board members approved the staffing additions during the meeting after the finance and facilities report. The board voted 5–0 to add one full-time elementary special-education teacher, which the district estimated would cost approximately $61,000. The board also voted 5–0 to add a 0.5 FTE ELL teacher for the junior high to address enrollment growth there; the estimated cost for that half-time position is approximately $32,000.

District special-education lead Mary Luehr (spelled in transcript variously) told the board the district’s elementary resource teacher caseload goal is about 20 students per teacher. At the time of the presentation, several elementary schools exceeded that target: Grant Elementary (1.5 teachers for 33 students), Lincoln Elementary (1 teacher for 27 students), Jefferson Elementary (1.5 teachers for 32 students) and Westside (1 teacher for 28 students). The additional elementary position is intended to lower those caseloads.

Melissa Jantz presented recommendations on preschool special-education services. She proposed establishing a high‑needs special-education classroom at Little Panthers Preschool to serve children birth to age 5 who require more intensive supports. To create space for the high‑needs classroom the district would close one 4‑year‑old classroom. Closing that classroom would reduce the number of full‑day 4‑year‑old slots for which the district receives TEOSA funding, a loss the district estimated at about $29,000.

Jantz and Thompson said the district is in discussions with its Head Start partner, which currently has about 50 students in the Little Panthers program, about increasing Head Start slots to about 60 to offset the lost TEOSA revenue; district staff said a Head Start leader on medical leave was expected back Feb. 6 and that final confirmation was pending. Jantz said current preschool special-education caseloads include about 118 children ages birth to 5 receiving services and about 18 evaluations in progress.

During finance and facilities reporting, Business Manager Eric Wilson presented claims on the consent agenda. The transcript lists totals by fund: General Fund $325,873.44; Nutrition Fund $242,612,612.45; Subsidiary Fund $3,286.51; Special Building Fund $123,618.81; Senior High Activity Fund $54,181.69; Junior High Activity Fund $2,127.50; Student Fee Fund $904.36. The finance and facilities committee reviewed those claims earlier, Wilson said.

The board approved the consent agenda (which included claims, hires and resignations) by a 5–0 vote. Hires noted on the consent agenda included Casey Payne (ELL teacher, from Columbus Middle School) and Sydney Raider (special-education life teacher at the junior high and high school head softball coach); resignations and retirements announced included Ben Bone (senior high math), Todd Cook (senior high band director), Lorraine Jones (Woodland Park 2nd grade) and Nancy Nissen (music teacher at Lincoln and Jefferson elementary schools).

Votes at a glance: - Motion to excuse board member Steve McNally’s absence (McNally notified the board by email that weather and flight delays on the East Coast prevented attendance). A motion and a second were recorded; the transcript does not include a recorded vote tally for that motion. - Consent agenda, including claims and personnel items: motion by Tom Stanton, second by Dr. Patty Goebbels; motion carried 5–0. - Addition of one elementary special-education teacher for 2025–26: motion by Cindy Booth, second by Dr. Patty Goebbels; motion carried 5–0. Estimated additional annual cost: $61,000. - Addition of a half-time (0.5 FTE) ELL teacher for 2025–26: motion by Terry Bauer, second by Dr. Patty Goebbels; motion carried 5–0. Estimated additional annual cost: $32,000.

Board members and district staff emphasized that special-education and ELL services are mandated by state and federal law and that staffing decisions respond to caseloads and student needs. Superintendent Thompson said the district has been holding some budgeted funds to cover upcoming hires and that the net budget impact likely will be managed within existing planning, though the preschool classroom change would reduce TEOSA funding unless offset by increased Head Start slots. The board set its next regular meeting for Monday, Feb. 10, 2025, at 5:30 p.m. at the central administration offices.