Government and Leadership

Lewiston Consolidated Schools

Lewiston Consolidated Schools spans approximately 350 square miles and three counties on southeast Nebraska. There are five communities within our district boundaries, those communities are Lewiston, Virginia, Burchard, Liberty, and Crab Orchard. The communities include two elevators, two banks, one gas station, and three part-time post office locations.

The school district’s east and west borders are over 17 miles apart with the north and south boundaries reaching over 21 miles at the furthest point. Since the district is primarily rural, we are always searching for new ways to do what’s best for our students and surrounding communities, but at the same time working to be fiscally responsible for the estimated 515 patrons residing within the district.

The district’s student population of 174 students includes 24-PK students, 87-K-6 students, and 63-7-12 students. Fifty-six percent of students qualify for free and reduced meals and twenty percent qualify for special education services. The student population of 174 includes 84 students who have option enrolled into the district, 58 of those 84 are from the Beatrice district with 45 students optioning out of the district which represents a net option of 39 students. We believe the reasons these students option into our district include the desire for smaller class size, the individual attention and care a low teacher student ratio provides, and the vocational education opportunities the district provides in the areas of business, family consumer science, and agriculture.

It is safe to say the social economic status of our student population is low and we are always aware of the negative impact that poverty plays in the day to day lives of our students.

Lewiston has always taken pride in the programming we provide our mainstream students, however, with two outstanding veteran special education teachers, we believe we have one of the most outstanding special education programs in the area.

As superintendent of the district for the last 10 years, I personally believe our biggest challenges include parent involvement, student mobility, teacher retention, and low student participation in extracurricular activities. The district has been working to improve upon each of these challenges by providing family involvement activities, creating a comprehensive mentoring plan, and working to build relationships with students so we can eliminate the barriers that reduce participation.

Governance and Leadership

PROVIDE MEANINGFUL ROLES

Lewiston Consolidated School leaders provide stakeholders meaningful roles in the decision making process that promotes a culture of participation, responsibility, and ownership that facilitates exemplary performance from all staff and students. Providing meaningful roles and encouraging involvement in the decision making process is accomplished in a variety of ways.


Examples provided below:

  • Weekly administrative team meetings (with agenda)

  • All staff in-services (built into the master calendar)

  • Encourage and support site based management (daily bulletins)

  • Encourage and support certified staff professional development

  • Encourage and support non-certified staff professional development (project para)

  • Encourage and support input (surveys, focus groups, committees)

  • Encourage professionalism with clear expectations (policies and handbooks)

ADVOCATES FOR IMPROVEMENT

Lewiston Consolidated School has leaders who are advocates for the school district’s vision and improvement efforts. The district has created a school climate which utilizes the foundation of student achievement to review and revise its mission, vision, goals, school improvement process, and board policies.


Examples provided below:

  • Mission, vision, goals statements (poster)

  • Facilitate and promote school improvement process (professional development)

  • Directly or indirectly involved in school improvement efforts (committees)

  • Continued involvement in lifelong learning (see resources and support systems)

  • Parent Involvement (partnering with local organizations and support groups)

DIRECTION AND SUPPORT

Lewiston Consolidated School has leaders that provide direction, lend support, and systematically allocate resources for systemic and sustainable implementation of curricular and co-curricular programs that enable students to achieve expectations for their learning. This is accomplished by working with all work groups and students to identify learning activities that support the district’s mission.


Examples provided below:

  • Encourage, promote, and provide resources for professional development for support staff (see resources and support systems)

  • Encourage, promote, and provide resources for professional development for certified staff (see resources and support systems)

  • Encourage, promote, provide resources, and recognition for student development (see resources and support systems)

POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

The school district’s policies, procedures, and organizational conditions ensure equity of learning opportunities and support for innovation and are deeply embedded in the way the school district functions.


Examples provided below:

  • Board policies are reviewed and revised per state statute (see www.lewistonconsolidated.org )

  • Practices and procedures are reviewed and revise annually by all staff

  • Handbooks are in place for all work groups

  • Safety and security for all is ongoing (crisis manual)


Financial Responsibility

Levy Information 2020-2021.pdf