Fairbury School Board Hears Stakeholders Committee’s Exit Report

By Gordon Hopkins The Fairbury Public Schools Board of Education held a special meeting the evening of Wednesday, August 25, to hear the FPS Stakeholders Committee exit report. A steering committee held a series of four meetings in the spring and summer months of this year at the 1947 building in response to a variety of issues raised by a parents group. The parents group and several others spoke about their concerns at a meeting of the Fairbury Public Schools Board of Education in April, with over 130 people in attendance. This committee was formed for the purpose of providing input and planning assistance at the invitation of the FPS Board and administration. The committee is comprised of FPS staff, teachers and administrators, and a diverse range of community member stakeholders, many of whom are parents of current or former FPS students. The committee was facilitated by external consultants, Dr. Keith Rohwer of NCSA, Dr. Brian Maschmann of Norris Public Schools, and Dr. John Skretta, of ESU6. The meetings were not open to the public and the press was not allowed to attend. Trevor Steinmeyer of KUTT Radio and News Channel Nebraska was in attendance but only as a member of the committee and not in his capacity as a member of the news media. Dr. Skretta delivered the exit report, the purpose of which was to present the final results and recommendations of the committee to the Board. The committee identified four major areas that needed to be addressed and provided recommendations: Culture: The committee recommends, “Consider developing a goal around creating a shared belief or vision regarding the purpose of the Fairbury Public Schools.” Communication: The committee recommends, “Consider a goal around developing and implementing a district communications plan leveraging input and suggestions from committee members.” Trust: The committee recommends, “Consider a goal that promotes open communication, encourages relationship building, respects the input of others and transparency in district issues and decisions.” Support: The committee recommends, “Consider a goal that provides a recommitment to 'reviewing' the MTSS Process so that individual’s knowledge of MTSS is better defined and clarified.” MTSS is Multi-Tiered System of Supports, a systemic, continuous-improvement framework in which data-based problem solving and decision-making is practiced across all levels of the educational system for supporting students. Dr. Jill Timmons, FPS Psychologist, discussed MTSS with FJN during an interview in June, “And it's really just a way of saying that we have a plan for how we're going to help our students. That means academics, that means behavior, that means mental health, all of it.” The School Board will meet again on September to review the Stakeholder information and develop an action plan. Future meetings of the committee are scheduled for October 21 and March 10, 2022, to update the committee on progress. Further information will be available in next Wednesday's FJN.

City Will Repair Storm Damage To Power Plant

Related Articles

Scaled Down Tax Package Drops Sales Tax Hike

Legislature Considers Funding for Inheritance Tax Cut

Recall Effort Against Gage County Attorney Begins Gathering Signatures

First Responders Hold Pancake Feed and Raffle in Chester