Minutes of the Banner County School District
Board of Education Meeting
Monday, July 14, 2025
Call to Order
The Regular Meeting of the Banner County School District Board of Education is called to order at 7:12 PM, in
the school cafeteria.
The Nebraska Open Meetings Act is displayed in the cafeteria.
Notice of the meeting was published at the entrance to the school, the Banner County Court House, the
Harrisburg Post Office, Banner Capital Bank, and in the Western Nebraska Observer.
Roll Call/Welcome
Pledge of Allegiance
Approval of Agenda
Approve the agenda for the July 14th, 2025 Regular Meeting of the Banner County Board of Education.
Passed with a motion by Jake Knaub and a second by Laura Baker.
Laura Baker: Yea, John-Robert Faden: Yea, Ronald Johnson: Yea, Jake Knaub: Yea, Douglas Olsen: Yea,
Ryan Olsen: Yea
Approve BOE Officer and Bank Signature Cards
Approve to appoint Superintendent Chris Lecher as the Secretary of the BOE and Non-discrimination
Compliance Coordinator, and approve his name be placed on the bank signature cards for all district funds,
to be effective July 1, 2025 and remove Evelyn Browne effective June 30, 2025. Passed with a motion by
Laura Baker and a second by Jake Knaub.
Laura Baker: Yea, John-Robert Faden: Yea, Ronald Johnson: Yea, Jake Knaub: Yea, Douglas Olsen: Yea,
Ryan Olsen: Yea
Appoint Representative for Federal, State & Local Matters
Appoint Chris Lecher, Superintendent of Schools, as the authorized representative for all Local, State, and
Federal Programs, including Title I Programs, in the Banner County Schools, to be effective July 1, 2025,
Passed with a motion by Laura Baker and a second by Jake Knaub.
Laura Baker: Yea, John-Robert Faden: Yea, Ronald Johnson: Yea, Jake Knaub: Yea, Douglas Olsen: Yea,
Ryan Olsen: Yea
Comments from the Audience
Reports
Superintendent
• Good to finally get going! Everyone has been very welcoming
• Hail storm update
• Staffing update
o Cafeteria
• Budget work starting
o I will be communicating with all of you looking for a date for a budget
workshop (late August)
• Starting to plan staff preservice days prior to the start of school
o Open House - August 12th ??
• I will be attending Administrator Days’ in Kearney next week
o Transportation update
o Federal funding update
• It’s a GREAT day to be a Wildcat!!
Principal
Principal Report to the Board- July 14, 2025
In- House Professional Development
On July 8th, Sara Steer provided training in the Sonday program (primarily phonics)
On July 10th, Katie Armstrong provided training in Reading Mastery Transformations
Golf Fundraiser
The golf outing raised $7199.86 for the activity account.
Junior High BB Camp
Thank you to Coach Lemoine for offering this opportunity for junior high boys and incoming
freshmen for three nights (July7-9).
Board of Education
Discussed food and other details for the Open House at the start of the school year.
Consent Agenda
Motion to approve the consent agenda Passed with a motion by Laura Baker and a second by Jake Knaub.
Laura Baker: Yea, John-Robert Faden: Yea, Ronald Johnson: Yea, Jake Knaub: Yea, Douglas Olsen: Yea,
Ryan Olsen: Yea
Approve the Minutes of the June 9th, 2025 regular meeting.
Approve the payment of bills and salaries totaling $315,937.44 for the July 14th, 2025,
regular meeting.
Approve Audit Memorandum of Understanding
Approve NRCSA Membership
Committee Reports
Transportation and Grounds
Set time for a committee meeting on August 11th at 6:30 PM
American Civics, Curriculum, and Technology
No report.
Policy Review
Policy Committee met on June 25th to review 17 revised and 1 new policy.
Personnel and Negotiations
No report.
Approve new and revised policies, 1st reading
Approve 1st reading revisions to policies 201.02, 204.07, 204.12, 206.02, 402.03, 409.01, 502.02, 502.03,
503.04, 504.03, 504.06, 607.10, 611.02, 611.07, 802.05, 1003.00 and new policy 905.04 as presented
Passed with a motion by Laura Baker and a second by Ronald Johnson.
Laura Baker: Yea, John-Robert Faden: Yea, Ronald Johnson: Yea, Jake Knaub: Yea, Douglas Olsen: Yea,
Ryan Olsen: Yea
Approve accessing additional Property Tax Authority for the 2025-2026 budget
Approve accessing an additional Property Tax Authority of 7% ($268,401) for the 2025/26 school budget.
Passed with a motion by Laura Baker and a second by Jake Knaub.
Laura Baker: Yea, John-Robert Faden: Yea, Ronald Johnson: Yea, Jake Knaub: Yea, Douglas Olsen: Yea,
Ryan Olsen: Yea
Approve 1st Reading of new and revised policies
Approve 1st reading of new and revised policies: 502.01 Resident Students, 502.02 Nonresident
Students/Option Enrollment, 506.01 Student Activity, 506.10 Physicals, 604.16 Behavioral Intervention and
Classroom Management, Policy 604.17 Use of Artificial Intelligence in the School, Policy 1005.03 Parental and
Family Involvement in the Schools, Policy 1005.13 Parental Access to Library Materials Passed with a motion
by Laura Baker and a second by Ronald Johnson.
Laura Baker: Yea, John-Robert Faden: Yea, Ronald Johnson: Yea, Jake Knaub: Yea, Douglas Olsen: Yea,
Ryan Olsen: Yea
Approve 2nd reading of new and revised policies
Approve 2nd reading of revised policies 504.06, 504.12, 509.50 and new policy 507.05. Passed with a motion
by Ronald Johnson and a second by Laura Baker.
Laura Baker: Yea, John-Robert Faden: Yea, Ronald Johnson: Yea, Jake Knaub: Yea, Douglas Olsen: Yea,
Ryan Olsen: Yea
Comments from the Audience
Next Meeting
Transportation & Grounds Committee Meeting: August 11th, 2025, 6:30 PM
Regular Meeting: August 11th, 2025, 7:00 PM
Meeting Adjourned
Adjourn the meeting at 8:50 PM. Passed with a motion by Jake Knaub and a second by Laura Baker.
Laura Baker: Yea, John-Robert Faden: Yea, Ronald Johnson: Yea, Jake Knaub: Yea, Douglas Olsen: Yea,
Ryan Olsen: Yea
Banner County School Schedule of Bills/Claims
ACE HARDWARE $164.79; AGEDNET.COM $885.00; BLICK ART MATERIALS $49.56;
CDW GOVERNMENT $8,725.45; CENTURY LINK $227.64; CHRISTOPHER LECHER
$3,500.00; CONNECTING POINT $613.32; CROSSROADS MUSIC $121.63; DAS STATE
ACCTG $292.87; ESU 13 $12,865.74; FLOYD'S $9,813.23; FOLLETT SCHOOL
SOLUTIONS, LLC $1,822.36; GRAINGER $2,543.56; GREATAMERICA LEASING CORP
$227.29; HARRISBURG WATER SYSTEM $1,220.27; HIGH WEST ENERGY INC
$2,234.29; HOME DEPOT CREDIT SERVICES $1,013.25; KIMBALL AUTO PARTS LLC
$906.04; KSB SCHOOL LAW PC LLO $77.00; LAQUINTA INNS & SUITES $269.90;
MENARDS $630.64; MOTOR FUELS DIVISION $448.00; NCSA $75.00;
NEBRASKA/CENTRAL EQUIPMENT $128.29; NRCSA $850.00; PACK RAT DISPOSAL
$380.00; PEETZ FARMERS COOP $9.00; PINE BLUFFS SINCLAIR LLC $7,213.83; QUICK
CARE MEDICAL SERVICES $375.00; RAYMOND LEMOINE $55.00; REALLY GOOD
STUFF LLC $36.85; SCHOOL MATE $199.50; SHERWIN-WILLIAMS $238.27; SOAR
PEDIATRIC THERAPY LLC $1,087.05; STUDENT ASSURANCE SERVICES, INC. $500.00;
TROY HOLMBERG $1,177.75; VERIZON WIRELESS $161.10; WELLS FARGO CARD
SERVICES $222.91; WESTERN NEBRASKA OBSERVER $555.92; WIZNERD
DEVELOPMENT GROUP LLC $227.50; 125 CLEARING ACCOUNT $410.00; AFLAC
$912.88; BANNER COUNTY SCHOOL $915.00; BANNER COUNTY SCHOOL BLDG
FUND $1,690.00; BCBS $52,504.67; COLONIAL LIFE $177.34; FEDERAL TAX $37,523.72;
HORACE MANN $264.34; LEGALSHIELD $28.90; MG TRUST COMPANY $7,949.20; NE
DEPT OF REVENUE $5,372.30; NPERS $25,717.76; PRINCIPAL $854.02; VSP $402.54;
PAYROLL $119,069.97
Complete Minutes of the July 14 th , 2025 BOE Meeting at: