Claim settled for $350,000-BOE votes to replace high school bleachers

District 56 School Superintendent Tim Heckenlively reported that ALICAP, the school’s risk liability pool insurance carrier, settled a claim filed by Teresa Chandler Pfister for a lump sum payment of $350,000.
    Pfister brought the claim against the school district for an injury she suffered on school property in April of 2014. In related news, the BOE approved a bleacher replacement project at Falls City High’s McIntyre-Henderson Field House. The bleachers, which were installed when the gym was built in 1979, will be replaced in May-June of this spring. During the Jan. 9 regular meeting of the District 56 School BOE at the Central Office inside FC Middle School, Carroll Silva with Heartland Seating out of Shawnee, KS, presented information on the new bleachers, which will be electronically powered to open and close, an option not available when the current bleachers were installed nearly 38 years ago. Heartland Seating installed the new bleachers at Middle School, but the BOE, on Heckenlively’s recommendation, will wait to award a bid, as the superintendent said he expects another company to present a proposal in the near future.
    In other BOE news:
    —The Board accepted the resignation of longtime treasurer Eva Stark, who will retire May 31. Mrs. Stark worked for seven different superintendents in 35 years with FCPS and in August 2016 was named “Employee of the Year.” Heckenlively reported that he had received no other resignations or notices of retirement thus far in 2017.
    —Board members kept the hiring incentive rate for new teachers at $3,000.
    —Richard Malcolm was elected President of the Board for 2017, and June Bowers Vice President.
    —A 2015-2016 Teacher Vacancy Survey was conducted in the fall of 2015 by the Nebraska Department of Education. Shortages in Nebraska include the following areas: Ag education, math, art, school counselors, business, marketing and information technology, school psychologists, early childhood education, science, special education, family and consumer science, speech pathologists, health or physical education, world language, and industrial tech.
    “District 56 was fortunate to fill all vacancies in 2016-17 with fully qualified teachers,” Heckenlively said.  
    —The Superintendent annually prepares and distributes to the Board and the general public a written report which includes information required by Rule 10, Regulations and Procedures for the Legal Operations of Schools. The Annual Report will be made available to the community through distribution in the Falls City Journal.
    —The BOE extended Heckenlively’s contract for two years.