The next regular Board of Education meeting will be on March 9, 2026, at 6:00 p.m., at the District Office. All meetings are open to the public. Regular meetings are streamed live through YouTube and viewable on the District website. Special meetings, where there are action items on the agenda, will also be streamed live. Agendas for Board of Education meetings are posted on the district website the Friday before each meeting. Click here to view agendas and minutes.

Throughout the meeting, building and district administrators presented reports and updates to the Board of Education. Click here to view the agenda with each presentation attached.

Reports included:

During each regular board meeting, Dr. Plas provides an update to the Board on various topics. You can view the full report online as an attachment to the meeting agenda. Click here to view the agenda.

This month's report included an update on:

Dr. Thoendel and Mr. Feeney provided an update on the curriculum and personnel proposals for the 2026-27 school year. The Curriculum Committee met on January 12th to continue the process of determining which curriculum and personnel proposals to recommend for the 2026-27 school year. There were 50 proposals this year for consideration.

At the previous meetings, the BOE approved five of the 50 proposals while utilizing fund reallocations and special education reimbursements. The Curriculum Committee has continued to review proposals that were highly prioritized by both the Curriculum/Proposal Committee and the Administrative/BOE Committee, including those with offsetting costs. The table below shows the proposals approved.

The Board approved the Negotiated Agreement for the 2026-2027 school year between the Board of Education and the Bennington Education Association. The Board and BEA Representatives have been working together to successfully complete the Certified Negotiated Agreement. Click here to read a joint statement from the Board of Education and BEA representatives.

The Board approved a transition from the current 7-point grading scale to a 10-point grading scale beginning in the 2026–27 school year. This decision follows a thorough review of grading practices in metro-area districts, college admissions expectations, and feedback from staff, students, and families. The review found that most area districts already use a 10-point scale, and research showed colleges primarily focus on GPA rather than grading scale differences.

This change is expected to improve student outcomes and competitiveness for college admission and scholarships while maintaining Bennington’s high academic standards. Curriculum expectations and rigor will not change. Grades earned before fall 2026 will remain on the 7-point scale, and weighted Advanced Placement courses and current recognition practices will continue. Additional information and guidance will be shared with students, families, and staff this spring to support a smooth transition.

During the meeting, the Board went into executive session to discuss and consider compensation for support and administrative staff. After the executive session, the Board unanimously voted to approve the proposed increase. To stay comparable to certified staff, compensation packages for support staff will increase by 4.04% and administrators will increase by 3.97%.

The Board approved the next set of construction bids for the second high school. Below are the thirty-six bids that were recommended for approval by the Building & Finance Committee. The combined total of these bids is $14,068,641, which is $333,192 under the preconstruction estimate for these items. With this approval, the project is completely bid out.

On January 22, 2026, Bennington Public Schools received bids for the Omaha Public Works (OPW) sanitary sewer construction work associated with the second high school project. This work will be completed with DLR Group providing construction administration, under the supervision of the City of Omaha, and in coordination with Bennington Public Schools. The Board approved the bid from Thompson Construction for $654,859, which is $2,772 under the preconstruction estimate for this item.

Congratulations to Bennington Middle School artists who were recognized in the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, one of the most prestigious programs honoring creative excellence among middle and high school students nationwide.

This year in Nebraska, more than 3,500 submissions were entered, making these awards highly competitive. Gold Key awards are the highest regional honor and qualify artwork for national judging, representing only a small percentage of submissions. Congratulations to all of our student artists for their creativity, dedication, and outstanding achievements! #WeAreBPS

The Community Resources page on the BPS website shares information about local programs available to help families with food sustainability and other essential needs. From food pantries and meal assistance to community outreach efforts, these resources are here to help families have access to what they need.

The Bennington Public School District does not discriminate on the basis of sex, disability, race, color, religion, veteran status, national or ethnic origin, age, marital status, sexual orientation, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical condition, or other protected status in its programs and activities and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. The following persons have been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies: Students: Mr. Dan Bombeck, Director of Student Services, 11620 North 156th Street, P.O. Box 309, Bennington, NE 68007 (402) 238-3044 (dbombeck@bennps.org). Employees and Others: Dr. Matt Blomenkamp, Assistant Superintendent 11620 North 156th Street, P.O. Box 309, Bennington, NE 68007 (402) 238-3044 (mblomenkamp@bennps.org). Complaints or concerns involving discrimination or needs for accommodation or access should be addressed to the appropriate Coordinator. For further information about anti-discrimination laws and regulations, or to file a complaint of discrimination with the Office for Civil Rights in the U.S. Department of Education (OCR), please contact the OCR at 601 East 12th Street, Room 353, Kansas City, MO 64106, (800) 368-1019 (voice), Fax (816) 426-3686, (800) 537-7697 (telecommunications device for the deaf), or ocr.kansascity@ed.gov.

The Bennington Public School District is committed to offering employment and educational opportunity to its employees and students in a climate free of discrimination. Accordingly, unlawful discrimination, harassment and retaliation of any kind by District employees, including, co-workers, non-employees (such as volunteers), third parties and others is strictly prohibited and will not be tolerated.