Exeter-Milligan Update: Concordia Musical Arts Day

Four Exeter-Milligan students participated in the Concordia Musical Arts Day on Friday, November 7.  They played in the band, under the direction of Professor Andrew Schultz.  Participating were (L-R) Trystan Brandt, trumpet; Jordyn Brandt, flute; Samantha Horne, French Horn; and Hannah Horne, baritone saxophone.

Timberwolves Playing in Memorial Stadium Monday

The Exeter-Milligan Timberwolves will be playing in the D-2 Football Finals Monday morning at 10:15.  The game will be broadcast on KTMX 104.9 radio and also online at their website.  The game can also be seen on NETV Channel 12 and 29. Go Timberwolves!

Exeter-Milligan Update: Earth Science

8^th Grade Earth Science News by Matt Nicholas, E-M Science Instructor

This week in 8th Grade Earth Science, Students were given a very important task. They were given a bag of minerals and asked to identify them. The task of identifying mineral is a very tedious process. The students had to use patience and teamwork to accomplish their goal. They also had to use their knowledge of mineral properties to solve the puzzle. Their skills were put to the test as they measured the hardness of their unknown minerals. They were also challenged to identify several other properties such as: streak, luster, fracture, and cleavage. The students were able to use print and internet resources to analyze their data and come up with their final answers.

 

above - Mitchell Manning and Theron Odvody

below - Kate Jansky and Joel Klemm

Exeter-Milligan Update: Nebraska All State Band

Each year, approximately 3000 of the best high school musicians in the state audition for the Nebraska All-State Band, Chorus, Jazz Band and Orchestra which are sponsored by the Nebraska Music Educators Association.

Selection as a member of one of these groups is one of the highest music honors attainable in Nebraska. Mr. Nathan LeFeber, Chair of Band Affairs for the Nebraska Music Educators Association, is pleased to announce that Jordyn Brandt, flute; will be among the 155 students selected to be a part of the 2014 All-State Band. Jordyn attends Exeter-Milligan High School and is the daughter of Roger and Dianne Brandt.  

Guest conductor for the group will be Colleen Richardson, Coordinator of Bands and Director of the Wind Ensemble at Western University in London, Ontario, Canada. The band will rehearse Wednesday, November 19th through Friday, November 21st on the University of Nebraska Lincoln campus, the host site of the 2014 NMEA Conference/Clinic. A final public concert will be held on Friday, November 21st at the Lied Center for the Performing Arts on the University of Nebraska Lincoln campus.

Exeter Village Board Approves War Monument

The Exeter Village Board met on Wednesday, November 12^th covering a wide variety of topics.

After approving previous minutes and invoices the board moved right into the first item of business, an application for a liquor license from Greg’s Market.

Owner Greg Yound was present and noted that he was asking for the recommendation from the board for a class D license to sell beer and wine.  The board unanimously approved a recommendation for the license for Greg’s Market and noted that the application will now go to the State.

“Thank you for trying to improve your business,” board member Kathy Erdkamp expressed to Yound.

Brian Murphy, a member of the Exeter History Book Committee, was next on the agenda.  “It has been 10 years ago we did the history book and now with the profits from the book we would like to put up a five foot by three foot monument to honor veterans near the historical marker,” he explained.

“We would like to leave the (memorial) bench where it is now maybe put the monument in the same area (south of the fire hall on main street).”

After viewing a photo example of the monument and some possible placement options, chairman of the village board Alan Michl gave his approval, “This is in a main area where more people could see it.” 

The board gave verbal approval for the location and also for the size of the memorial.  Murphy thanked them and noted, “We will get the ball rolling and hopefully by Memorial Day of next year we will be able to have the monument dedicated.”

The board opened the sealed bids for excess equipment.  Up for bids were a dump truck, four-wheeler and pressure washer. The board approved Jason Oldehoeft’s bid for the dump truck and the bid from John Mueller for the four-wheeler.  

The bid for the pressure was lower than the board would accept, “It’s worth more than that in scrap,” noted Michl.

Village Maintenance Supervisor John Mueller reported that he had ordered new street signs.  He also noted that the toddler slide at the pool is losing it’s clear coat and will have to be refinished.  Mueller is exploring options for redoing the turtle.  He also informed the board the rest of the concrete work would be done in the spring.

Clerk Becky Erdkamp reported the total sales tax for August was $13,530.16 and keno receipts for September were $880.35. She noted that Elliot Erdkamp is making progress on creating a cement sidewalk around the brick sign at Gilbert’s Park as his Eagle Scout project. 

Erdkamp also related that Librarian Jessica Votipka has the library’s new computer up and running and has the electrical work done so that the public computer could be moved.  After setting the next board meeting for December 3^rd at 7 p.m. the board moved to adjourn.

Exeter-Milligan School Board Takes First Step Toward Building Project

The Exeter-Milligan School Board took another step closer toward a building project in their meeting Wednesday evening.

During the meeting the board approved Olsson and Associates as the firm to do a topographic site survey, the first phase towards an addition.

Superintendent Paul Sheffield noted that the survey should be done before the December meeting and they home to meet with Olsson and Associates soon after it is completed.  Further discussion on the building project show constructions estimates will take about 12 months once the plans are finalized.

Earlier in the meeting Sheffield updated the board on some new programs that the district will be involved with.  First on the list is the new physical education program called SPARK (Sports, Play and Active Recreation for Kids).  The P.E. department is implementing this program through a grant funded by the US Department of Education.  The program focuses on improving the health and fitness of children and has been shown to improve their standardized academic test scores.

Sheffield also noted that the school would be getting a weather station soon and would become the information hub for the Weather Bug app that is available online.  “We will be monitoring the weather station and the elementary can incorporate this project into their daily math meeting.”

The board briefly discussed contract negotiations and the committee decided to meet immediately after the board meeting.

Moving on to new business the board discussed offering several unnamed teachers a separation incentive program as an option.  Sheffield noted, “We didn’t offer any last year but we can look back at the packed we offered two years ago.  We usually get this done in January or February.”

Superintendent evaluations will be given in December.  Sheffield reported that his goals for this year were developed from the evaluation instrument from last year.

The next agenda item was the audit report which Sheffield informed the board was available both at Generations Bank in Exeter and also on the Exeter-Milligan website.

“Every year we get written up from one of the auditors.  There is one thing they would like to happen – one person that opens the bills, one that pays the bills and one double checks.  We do have a process Jackie opens and pays but I look at the bills and also a board member looks at the bills. So we still have that triple check in place just not how they see it,” explained Sheffield.

The board moved on to discuss the review of the junior high football coop with Friend.  Sheffield and Coach Brian Murphy met with the Friend Superintendent Moody and Coach Kraus.  “For the most part we thought it went well.  Friend would like to do a long term commitment four or eight years  I would be willing to do a two year,” reported Sheffield.

The board reviewed projected enrollment for both schools and noticed that Exeter-Milligan would not qualify to bring boys up from the sixth grade to play.  Murphy noted, “Friend was ok to come to practice in Exeter all the time.  Looking at a two year contract the practices would always be here but Friend would like some home games, too.”

Board member Jim Zeleny responded, “I think the season went well and I think two years is fine but I think if something ain’t broke don’t fix it.  They can come over here for practice but I think we need to play here, they are coming to us.”

Murphy added, “We need to look at our projections in a few years. We may need them in a few years. It worked great.  Instead of six kids knowing what’s going on we had nine or ten.”

Board secretary Annete Gloystein interjected, “If we are fair with them then they will be fair to us.”

Sheffield recommended the board postpone a decision. 

The board moved on to discuss some upcoming workshops and Sheffield congratulated newly elected and re-elected board members Adam Erdkamp, Kendra Jansky and Sharon Kuska.  On the election topic Sheffield noted his disappointed on the road bond failure.

The board excused member Tim Pribyl’s absence and set the next meeting for Monday, December 15 in Milligan at 7 p.m.