By Marisa Dawson
The Bennington Public Schools Board of Education convened its regular meeting on November 10, 2025 in the District Board Room, led by President Allyson Slobotski. With five members present and one absent, the board swiftly approved the consent agenda, which included the October meeting minutes, November bills, and personnel updates. Notable hires included science teacher Brian Sass and special education teacher Camden White, alongside several paraprofessionals and support staff. The board also accepted resignations from certified and classified personnel. No public comments were received during the forum, and no items were pulled for separate discussion.
In new business, the board unanimously approved the purchase of a used bus from Truck Centers for $99,850 to support district transportation needs, following a recommendation from the Building/Finance Committee. The Curriculum Committee’s proposals for the 2026-27 school year were also greenlit, with 50 submissions reviewed and one recommendation advanced pending budget approval. Additionally, the board reviewed the clean 2024-25 audit report presented by Eide Bailly’s Justin Hope, highlighting the district’s strong financial standing.
A major highlight was the approval of a $98.4 million Guaranteed Maximum Price with Hausmann Construction for the second high school project, ensuring costs will not exceed this amount under the Construction Manager at Risk agreement initiated in 2022. The board entered executive session to discuss certificated staff negotiations after the Bennington Education Association presented its initial offer. Separately, the Curriculum Committee met earlier to review the Social Studies curriculum, confirming full compliance with Nebraska Revised Statute 79-724, with no public comments submitted.
Additional notes:
– Track repair at high school noted for $27,351 for an urgent fix
– Student Leadership Summit at UNO: 4–5 students per elementary school attended (sponsored via Region 2 partnership). Students returned “pumped” with new leadership skills and built relationships across metro schools
– 13 students selected for All-State Choir & Band (Lincoln, next weekend)
– One-Act Play: “Voices of the Titanic” — home performance Nov 18, 7:00 p.m. at Fine Arts Center (free admission, ~30 minutes)
– AQuEST Accountability (Nebraska): Ratings to be released Nov 26
– Tennis court windscreens up, lights being installed.
– New high school site: Groundbreaking progress- first on-site meeting took place November 11
– Spotlight: Athletic Trainers (Liz LaBombard & Alicia Simmons – Children’s Nebraska) discussed athletic safety for all high school sports
The meeting adjourned at 7:18 p.m., with the next regular board meeting scheduled for December 8 at 6:00 p.m.
