2009-10 Annual Report

October 01, 2009

 

ANNUAL REPORT 2009-2010 

HemingfordPublic Schools

PO Box 217 - (308) 487-3328 - Fax: (308) 487-5215

  

 

Administration

Mr. Casper Ningen, School Superintendent

Mrs. Peggy Thayer, Secondary Principal

Mr. Ron Foster, Elementary Principal

Mrs. Mandy Plog, Director of Special Education

District Board of Education

Mrs. April Casey, Board President

Mrs. Trish Schumacher, Vice President

Mr. J.D. Sutphen, Secretary

Mrs. Joyce Klemke, Treasurer

Mr. Bob Haas, Member

Mr. Alan Roland, Member

Mr. Randy Wood, Member

SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS

The Hemingford Public Schools are governed by a six-member board of education. Each board member's term of office is four years, and members serve without compensation. 

The board of education meets regularly on the second Monday of each month at 7:00 PM. Meetings are held in the high school library, and patrons and other visitors are welcome to attend. A continually current agenda is located in the superintendent’s office for public view prior to meetings. Time is also reserved each meeting for "public comment", and allows patrons to ask questions of the board or to offer comments.

SCHOOL PROGRAM

Hemingford’s K-12 District consists of 1,177 square miles. The system now instructs 398 students in grades PreK-12.

Forty certified staff members and twenty-seven classified staff members help to meet or exceed requirements set forth by the Nebraska State Department of Education.

Educational Service Unit 13, headquartered in Scottsbluff, provides psychological testing, media services, material supply programs, and staff and school improvement inservices for Hemingford students and staff, as well as the rest of the panhandle.

 TECHNOLOGY

Hemingford has taken an active role in providing the very latest technology in computer hardware and software for its students and staff. Computer labs are located in the elementary and secondary schools, with all stations networked through the Internet. In the past few years, wireless laptop computer labs have also been added in the middle school and the high school.

The Bobcat Boosters have donated a $30,000 colored electronic signboard that is located on the highway in front of the high school. It has been utilized to congratulate students and to announce events. The entire community helped to contribute towards its cost. Mrs. Barb Jespersen spearheaded the drive.

A updated site is now provided on the World Wide Web, at http://www.hemingfordschools.org The school site features pages by each faculty member, photographs, and project information, in addition to activity and calendar information.

Students and staff are also in closer contact than ever before with the use of a computer-based phone contact system. It has been used many times this year, mostly for weather related late starts and snow days.

COMMUNITY

The Hemingford School District is home to a community made up of those in town as well as many families that live on farms and ranches. Some teachers also live in nearby communities outside the district.

Four churches are located in town, along with several community service organizations and youth groups. Parks, ball fields, and a nearby lake help to provide leisure time activities as well.

Local 4-H and church activities continue to involve youth and adults in cooperative ventures that keep the western, small town atmosphere alive and well. In addition, Hemingford is home to the annual Box Butte County Fair, an event that draws thousands of participants and fair goers each summer.

LEARNING CLIMATE ASSESSMENT

Previous surveys in the last several years were taken from community members, parents, and students.

Hemingford’s teachers were given high marks and commended for striving to meet student's individual needs, availability, and high expectations of student achievement.

The school was found to be very clean and well kept, and is available for public use. There was a sense of renewed pride in school activity programs, and good community support for the school. 

BUILDING and GROUNDS

Over the past several years, the board of education and administration has worked together to continually update the state of the buildings and grounds that comprise the district. A new locker room /weight room / wrestling room addition in 2002 has enhanced the school plant greatly. A new addition that houses the music room, front entrance, and long distance learning lab was completed prior to that in 2000. Continued efforts in maintenance, beautification and in up to date vehicles for students and staff transportation help maintain a safe, friendly atmosphere. A new connecting commons and remodeled bathrooms in the elementary and central office building are being explored at this time.

STUDENT ASSESSMENT

Student Assessment 2008-2009

The Hemingford Public Schools administers norm-referenced achievement tests to all students in grades two through eleven. Our students have been active in the statewide STARS assessments in grades three through eleven. District 10 consistently ranks as proficient in almost every area in all grades tested. In addition, students in grades four, eight, and eleven have consistently ranked among the leaders of the state in writing. Hemingford Public Schools has made AYP (Annual Yearly Progress) in all subjects that are required by the federal government since its implementation in 2002.

At Hemingford, most juniors and seniors take the Assessment for College Entrance, or ACT. Our individual composite scores for all students are listed below for the past five years. (Senior Class scores for each year)

ACT Composite  State          National         Hemingford

2000             22.7        22.0          22.7

2001             22.5        21.9          23.1

2002             22.6        21.8          22.1

2003             21.7        20. 2         21.8

2004             21.7        20.9          22.4

2005             21.8        20.9          21.4

2006             21.9        21.1          20.9

2007             22.1        21.2          20.2

2008             22.1        21.1          21.3

2009             22.1                          20.2

In most cases, those students taking a "core-student" class schedule fare better on the ACT, since their classes are more core specific in preparation. Even though Hemingford students’ consistently meet or exceed state and national averages in Core-Student areas, continual effort is made to prepare those students in non-core areas as well.

SCHOOL FINANCE

The 2009-2010 levy for the general fund has been set at $.0.9551 with an additional request of $0.0243 in the special building fund. The total is $0.9794 assessed per $100.00 of property valuation.

Listed below are figures from the last fifteen years, showing Valuation and levy amounts per $100 of property valuation.

Annual Levy  for Hemingford Public Schools

1994-95                              $1.1512

1995-96                              $1.0066

1996-97                              $1.0384

1997-98                              $1.1457

1998-99                              $1.0989

1999-00                              $1.0849

2000-01                              $1.1060

2001-02                              $1.0261

2002-03                              $1.0321

2003-04                              $1.0504

2004-05                              $1.0373

2005-06                              $0.9984

2006-07                              $0.9817

2007-08                               $0.9728

2008-09                               $0.9685

2009-10                               $0.9794

State Aid History for Hemingford Public Schools

1994-95                                $246,083

1995-96                                $456,076

1996-97                                 $482,735 

1997-98                                  $569,676

1998-99                                  $744,213

1999-00                                  $891,704

2000-01                                  $1,050726

2001-02                                  $1,421,241

2002-03                                  $1,406,847

2003-04                                  $1,257,775

2004-05                                  $1,002,923

2005-06                                  $1,024,888

2006-07                                  $   895,890

2007-08                                  $1,095,088

2008-09                                  $   987,968              

2009-10                                  $   909,834

 

This report is continually updated with new information. Additional assessment and testing results can be found in detail in the assessment portion of the district web page, at www.hemingfordschools.org