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NPPS Superintendent to Make Recommendation for New NPHS Principal

Posted on April 10, 2013April 10, 2013

North Platte Public Schools (NPPS) Superintendent Marty Bassett has made his selection for the new Principal at North Platte High School (NPHS).

Bassett will be recommending Mike Brownawell to be the new leader at NPHS to the NPPS Board of Education.

Brownawell is a graduate of Beatrice High School, and graduated from the University of Nebraska-Kearney with a Bachelors of Science with a Physical Science Field Endorsement. He has 22 years experience at the secondary level.

He was a science teacher in Mitchell, NE for 13 years, then served as the principal in Burns, WY for seven years before accepting the Assistant Principal position at Adams Middle School in 2011.

Brownawell has an Educational Administration Degree from Chadron State College.

His wife, Cari, is a math teacher at Madison Middle School and they have three daughters.

NPPS Human Resources Director Tami Eshleman said, “Mike is excited to lead the high school. He has high expectations for students and staff. During his tenure at Adams, he has gained the respect of students, staff and parents.”

Adams Middle School Principal, Jeff Steinbeck said in a letter of recommendation that, “The quality that I have seen in the past two years that has had the biggest effect on the students that Mr. Brownawell works with, is his ability to build a relationship with the students he encounters. Students know him a Mr. B and they know he is a man of character and a person they can trust.”

Candidates for the position were interviewed by staff, toured the high school and interviewed with students.

If approved by the Board of Education, Brownawell would begin his service starting in the 2013-2014 school year.

Big Changes May Be in Store for North Platte Middle Schools

Posted on April 10, 2013April 10, 2013

There may be major changes on the horizon at the two Middle Schools in North Platte.

North Platte Public Schools administrators are proposing that all sixth graders in the district attend Madison Middle School, while all seventh and eighth graders will attend Adams Middle School.

According to Superintendent Marty Bassett, the goal of the proposal is to improve academics at the middle school level.

Bassett says that students come to middle school from the district’s 10 elementary schools. The consolidation of sixth-graders would allow district officials to ensure that students are getting the support they need, and will also ensure that the curriculum is aligned for all students. He says the focus would be on the transition from sixth grade to seventh grade both socially and academically.

Administrators believe that keeping all sixth-graders together would be highly beneficial on a social level, and would allow for smaller class sizes and more student focused education.

Also, Bassett says this would allow seventh and eighth graders to be better prepared to enter high school.

School officials would like the public’s input on the proposed changes.

There will be two public meetings to allow comment. The first meeting will be held on Tuesday, April 16 at Madison Middle School starting at 6:30 p.m. The second meeting will take place on Thursday April 18 at 6:30 p.m. at Adams Middle School.

The Post has discussed this issue with many parents in North Platte, and nearly all of them have expressed concern about transporting their student to school. Administrators recognize that this will be an issue for many students and this is one of the issues that will surely be discussed at the public meetings.

Bassett says that, aside from transportation, no additional costs or staff reductions are expected with the proposed change.

The changes will, if enacted, will take place in the fall of 2014 at the earliest.

Outstanding Nebraska Volunteers to Be Recognized in Kearney

Posted on April 10, 2013

Outstanding volunteers who have made substantial contributions in Nebraska will be honored at a luncheon in Kearney.

Nebraska First Lady Sally Ganem will present 10 ServeNebraska community service awards to volunteers on Friday. The event will be held at Kearney Country Club.

Ganem is chair of ServeNebraska, Nebraska’s volunteering service commission.

Awardees are outstanding volunteers who make a difference in their Nebraska communities. Volunteer programs, groups and individual volunteers will be recognized.

Nebraska residents have high rates of volunteerism and community engagement. Nebraska residents volunteer more than 50 million hours of service every year, according to ServeNebraska.

NPPD Crime Log (4/5-4/8)

Posted on April 9, 2013

COURTESY OF THE NORTH PLATTE POLICE DEPARTMENT

04/05/2013