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06/14/2006: "Crofton High fills teaching, coaching vacancies; debates mascot use"

Supt. Randy Anderson presented a list of new teaching and extra-duty contracts to be approved by the Crofton board of education at the Monday, June 12, meeting.
Bill Schroeder, a Crofton alumnus, was approved as the new social science teacher as well as assistant football and track coaching positions.
Anderson recommended business teacher Ann Kramer for the position of activities director. She has been taking courses to qualify her for the position and Anderson feels she will do a good job. She was approved as well.

The district is still looking for a head volleyball coach but does have some options. Elementary teacher Susan Johnson would take the position. Alumnus Laura Wortmann, has been approached by the administration to take the assistant volleyball position but is waiting to see what her college schedule will be like this fall. Wortmann transferred to Mount Marty College in Yankton.
More changes in the coaching staff since activities director and social science teacher Gary Tmm’s resignation include: Rod Hegge was named head girls track coach and Tony Hoffman will be the head boys track coach. Justin Bossman will continue as an assistant track coach.
Newly hired elementary principal Susan Benak was present at the meeting. The board approved her
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as the No Child Left Behind/Title I representative. She just finished a week of workshops concerning online assessment at a workshop in Omaha and was corraled by Anderson after the meeting to consider carpet samples for a summer upgrade at the elementary building.
The board also discussed recognition of the girls track team for a successful season and a third consecutive state championship. The administration and Booster Club are organizing a formal ceremony to take place at the first home football team. It was difficult to decide when to hold the ceremony as summer activities are in full swing now but a public acknowledgement of their success will be set at the start of this fall’s school year.
The school census taker for the 2006-2007 school year will be Rita Wilken. The board also accepted the resignation of elementary custodian Don Riefenrath.
Secondary principal Todd Strom attended the same online assessment workshop as Benak. He noted that teachers in each subject area attended different days and they reviewed the reliability of the current testing methods in math, reading and writing. Social studies curriculum is just beginning to create their testing for online assessment.
Strom also noted curriculum development will be another new area for changes with the new state requirements. Currently, civics is taught to Crofton seniors but the state will require some teaching at the eighth grade level in the future.
While ain Omaha, Strom was able to meet with regional presidents of the state principals association. There are five regions and Strom is the president of Region III. All eyes will be on potential big changes in the Unicameral this upcoming year as 22 new senators will take office. The majority of the proposed new senators may be supporters of home schooling or parochial schools and keeping the demands of public education in the limelight will be more difficult.
The ESU services across the state are going under the microscope this year. With budgeting cuts needed everywhere, the need for ESUs will be considered and some reorganization and cuts may occur.
Strom reported the Union Pacific Railroad has expressed an interest in supporting education in Nebraska. They are considering the creation of educational programs using leadership and entreprenuership in the 27 Nebraska towns which still have tracks.
Summer school will begin next week with seven students in attendance. The session will last for four hours a day and two weeks.
Under administrative time, Anderson told the board the high school building has been sealed as proposed. The parking lot will be finished by the start of the fall semester. Carpeting in the elementary building will start soon. Some roofing repairs will be completed and the first chemical application on the grounds has been applied. Minor painting will also be finished.
Anderson and district business mananger Dana Wortmann will attend a budget seminar the first week of July. Anderson told the board he has started a preliminary budgeting process now the contracts have been decided and he has a better grasp of what monies are in the District coffers.
The last administrative item had the board consulting with school attorney Dale Riesberg concerning the school using an American Indian as the school mascot.
“I have always felt the school mascot, the Indian Warrior, is a proud symbol,” Anderson said. “A rugged inspired figurehead and held in high regard.”

[See related "From the hip" column in another entry on this site]

A total of 28 Nebraska schools have Native American mascots. The state board of education would like to change that by having the schools change their mascots.
“This is the type of interference in local matters by state organizations I wish would never begin to happen,” Anderson added. He said the Crofton district has received a letter encouraging the district to change the mascot. A letter containing the same recommendation was also sent to the Nebraska School Activities Association.
Anderson also was interviewed by the Norfolk Daily News along with other area schools who have Native American mascots.
“It is a negative thing they are asking us to do,” said Anderson of the demand. The Warrior mascot has been a part of the Crofton district since its inception with make-shift classrooms in 1906 and eventually a building in 1909. Anderson said it is a tradition and sacred symbol depicting school spirit.
The gym wall would have to be repainted. The attention-grabbing mural on the hallway in the classroom area would also be gone. Hundreds of clothing items would be obsolete.
Riesberg has been researching precedence in court records and have found mostly cases at the college level. He also proposed to open an informal dialogue with area Native Americans and determine their feelings on the subject.
“The Warrior head depicted on our uniforms and school has become a symbol, a sign which says the Crofton Warriors have the ability to get the job done,” said Anderson.
“I responded to the letter saying ‘we will not change, we will see you in court.’”