No Four-Day School Week for CPS

Dear Chadron Public Schools Community,

It has come to our attention that there is a rumor circulating about Chadron Public Schools potentially moving to a four-day school week. We want to assure you that this rumor is not accurate. Currently, there are no plans or discussions about changing our school week from five days to four.

Our top priority is to provide a consistent, high-quality educational experience for our students, and maintaining our current five-day school week remains integral to that mission. Any significant changes to our school schedule would involve careful consideration and thorough analysis to ensure they align with the needs of our students and families.  Preliminary research shows that elementary-age students do not benefit from a four-day week and eventually they fall behind.

If there are any future discussions on this topic, we will communicate openly with you and keep you informed. We appreciate your support and understanding, and we encourage everyone to reach out to the school administration with any questions or concerns.

Thank you for your continued commitment to Chadron Public Schools.

Welcome 2024-25

Dear Chadron Public Schools Community,

Welcome back to another exciting school year at Chadron Public Schools! As we embark on the 2024-2025 academic year, we are thrilled to reunite with our dedicated students, supportive families, and exceptional staff.

This year, we focus on creating an enriching and dynamic learning environment where every student can thrive. Our commitment to excellence remains steadfast, and we are excited to introduce new initiatives, innovative programs, and continued improvements to enhance the educational experience for all.

To Our Students: We hope you have enjoyed a well-deserved summer break and are ready to embrace the opportunities and challenges of the new school year. Your enthusiasm and hard work are what make our school community so special. Whether you're stepping into a new grade or new to Chadron Public Schools, we are here to support you every step of the way. Let’s make this year our best yet!

To Our Parents and Guardians: Thank you for your unwavering support and partnership. Your involvement is crucial to our students' success, and we value the trust you place in us to provide a quality education. We encourage you to stay engaged and communicate with us openly. Together, we can ensure a positive and productive school year for your children.

To Our Staff: Your dedication and passion are the heart of Chadron Public Schools. We appreciate your hard work and commitment to fostering a supportive and inspiring educational environment. Let’s continue to work collaboratively to achieve our goals and make a meaningful impact on our students’ lives.

As we look forward to the year ahead, please keep an eye out for important updates and events. We are excited about the possibilities and are committed to making this a successful and memorable school year for everyone.

Thank you for being a part of our Chadron Public Schools family. Here’s to a fantastic 2024-2025 school year!

With sincere gratitude,

Ginger L. Meyer, Superintendent

School Improvement Visit

Chadron Public Schools participated in an Accreditation Engagement Review in November 2023. Overall the review was very positive and highlighted some of the wonderful things happening in the district. The review team found Chadron to exhibit strengths in fostering a positive learning environment, providing robust support systems, and utilizing data for improvement. Highlighted areas are as follows:

Culture of Learning

The Chadron Public Schools have cultivated and sustained a culture of caring that puts the well-being of learners at the center of its mission, purpose, and beliefs.

Leadership for Learning

Highly qualified district leaders and professional staff have developed a continuous school improvement process focused on organizational effectiveness and improved teaching and learning.

Engagement of Learning

The Chadron Public Schools have multiple programs in place to engage learners and enhance the academic and non-academic skills of learners. 

Growth in Learning

Chadron Public Schools is characterized by professional staff members who support and engage learners in the acquisition of academic and non-academic skills through the utilization of data from a variety of sources.

There were areas for improvement identified. These include the need for more structured professional development, streamlined communication methods, comprehensive curriculum review, full implementati

on of MTSS, formal data review processes, and enhanced engagement in digital learning. Addressing these areas could align the district's efforts more closely with its strengths, ensuring comprehensive excellence across all areas of operation and furthering its mission to provide quality education for all learners. 

More information can be found on the School Improvement Process website 

Thank a Board Member

Board of Education Members

I am writing to express my heartfelt gratitude and appreciation for our dedicated service as a member of the Chadron Public School Board. As we celebrate School Board Member Week, I want to recognize the invaluable contributions you have made to our community and educational system.

Your commitment to ensuring our students' success and well-being is commendable. Your tireless efforts in making informed decisions, fostering a positive learning environment, and addressing the diverse needs of our school community have not gone unnoticed.

I extend our sincerest thanks for the time, energy, and expertise you invest in shaping the future of Chadron Public Schools. Your selfless service is a cornerstone of our community's success, and we are fortunate to have such committed individuals guiding our educational endeavors.

During this School Board Member Week, we celebrate you and your fellow board members for the integral role you play in fostering a thriving educational environment. Your leadership is an inspiration to us all.

Thank you once again for your outstanding service. We look forward to continuing our collaborative efforts to improve Chadron Public Schools.

Ginger Meyer

Nebraska Department of Education Releases 2022-23 State Test and Classification Data

Chadron Public Schools has regularly conducted surveys to analyze stakeholder feedback and identify strengths and possible areas for growth. This past spring we conducted surveys as part of our accreditation process.  The survey results from this year provide valuable insights into various aspects of the school district.

Survey results for 2023 indicate a positive environment in the district. Students feel the school district has caring and qualified teachers who take an interest in their education. Educators feel encouraged in their roles and they strive for inclusivity and collaboration while making students feel safe and respected. Families feel respected by the school district and expressed positive perspectives on various aspects of their child's school experience. Surveys showed unity as a district strength and stakeholders felt like they were part of a community dedicated to helping all students succeed.

There were some opportunities for growth noted such as increasing personalized learning experiences, expanding the use of digital tools, and continuing to increase collaboration and feedback with stakeholders when possible.

You can read more about current and past surveys as part of our school improvement process on the district website under the district resources or by clicking the link below.

Chadron School Improvement Website

Budget Needs

As we head in to the joint hearing on September 26 here are some points to clarify some of the issues:

— Chadron Public Schools continues to be an academic leader across the state.  The staff, academics, class offerings, and activities have helped to keep CPS on top.  

– Chadron Public Schools have not overspent our budget or our spending authority.  We have and continue to be fiscally responsible.  We are staying levy neutral with this budget, meaning we are staying at the 1.05 spending lid that is imposed by the state.  The increase in property valuation has allowed the 1.05 to bring in more money.  We have stayed levy neutral for 20 years or more (I quit after looking after 20 years).

– Valuation is updated yearly by the county by using metrics based on state statutes.  Valuation is based upon market value.  Land and houses have been selling at inflated rates, thus the increase in valuation across the board.  Residential and commercial are 100%  and ag is 75% of the market.

–Our valuation went up dramatically.  Typically if valuation increases and the student population stays the same state aid will go down.  Valuation is a resource in the state funding formula.  With this in mind, we do not want to bounce the levy up and down.  

–35% of our school district is in the exempt land category.  Public lands include more than our recreation areas.  With that being said we do receive some in lieu money for Wilderness Protection and Games & Parks  ($143,231 for 2022) and Forestry ($51,000 for 2022). If we were to collect money on these properties then we would net $ 1,837,000.

–Our district has operated very frugally.  However, we continue to have facility needs, transportation needs, and payroll expenses, and prices have gone up around 20% across the board.  Special needs and services have increased.

–Over the past three years, we received Federal ESSER Funds (COVID Relief Funds); funds could only be used for specific things that were approved by NDE. This is not a funding source for 2022-2223 but has offset some payroll and facility costs.

–Over the past four years, we received Federal AWARE Funds (for mental health and trauma-informed schools); funds could only be used for specific things that were approved by NDE.  We head into the last year of this grant, with some of these programs not being sustainable.

— Nebraska has always relied heavily on property taxes to fund K-12 education.  

— A heavy reliance on property taxes and relatively low state support creates taxing inequities, which have driven much of the debate on how best to finance education.  

— The districts with the lowest property wealth also have, on average, the highest tax rates. So while per-pupil spending can vary for many reasons, the fact that those districts with the lowest spending and the lowest property wealth tend to have the highest tax levies warrants further discussion.

— Because the state aid formula relies so heavily on local property values to calculate the resources of schools, the result is that urban school districts need more state aid even though they tend to have higher property tax rates.

— At the same time, the rural districts are seeing a loss of state aid due to increasing agricultural land valuations. However, agricultural landowners are not seeing incomes rise as fast as land values, so more of their income is being taken up by increased property taxes.

— These dynamics have fueled the ongoing rift in the Legislature and pitted urban and rural school districts against each other in the fight for state funding.

— Standard practice is to have 4 to 6 months of expenses in cash reserves, we do not even have 2 months.

Major needs across the district:

Intermediate school

Window replacement 

Gym roof replacement (still old style) 

Hallway tile flooring replaced

Drainage issue east side building 

Broken concrete replaced the front of the school/stairs

Fenced in playground

Exterior doors replaced (back door, gym door,)

Bathrooms 1st and 2nd floor remodel 

Primary school 

Windows replaced 

The peaked roof entryway needs replaced

Bathrooms remodeled (all 4) 

Classroom carpet replace (computer lab)

Back door replaced 

Irrigation for lawn

Driveway/road front of school drop-off replaced

Middle school 

Front doors replaced

Side door replaced (east side hallway)

Bathrooms remodel (1st, 2nd, 3rd floors)

Windows gym replaced

Irrigation lawns

No AC in the gym 

Tuck and point brickwork 

High school 

HVAC phases 2-5

Gym floor sanding

Bleacher replacement 

Flooring commons, entryways

Area D flooring

Auditorium house lights changed 

Public restrooms (gym area) remodel

District-wide

Broken concrete sidewalk repairs 

Practice field automated irrigation 

Roof leak repairs

Cars and vans replace