Superintendent Press Release February 14, 2025
Dear Cedar Bluffs Families,
As many of you are aware, Mrs. Chrisman will be assuming the role of superintendent at Scribner-Snyder Community Schools next year. Her departure will be keenly felt at Cedar Bluffs, where she has made a tremendous impact. She looks forward to this new opportunity, and I have assured her that my door is always open.
Regarding our district, we received 18 applications for the elementary principal position and selected four candidates for interviews last Saturday. After careful consideration, the interview team chose Curtis Carlson from Wahoo. Currently serving as an instructional facilitator at Wahoo Elementary School, Curtis is joined by his wife Lisa, who works as a paraeducator. They have three children; their youngest, Drew, while Kenzie will enter 4th grade, and Ellie will start 1st grade next year. We plan to organize a meet-and-greet for the Carlson family later in the year, possibly aligning it with a school event.
In other staff news, Mr. and Mrs. Brousek have decided to retire after an illustrious career spanning three decades at Cedar Bluffs. Greg joined in 1990, followed by Patty in 1991. Having served with them for the past 12 years I can attest to their dedication and love for our school community throughout the years. We will host a formal farewell party closer to the end of the year; please keep an eye out for details. Mr. Kiefer Kotrous will succeed Mr. Brousek in the high school social studies classroom, and Mrs. Ashley Callahan will take over as our new 3rd-grade teacher.
This year, significant federal changes have created uncertainty in public school funding. Recently, all schools were required to resubmit an original grant application for the 21st Century after-school program, which has historically provided approximately $100,000 annually to our school through Federal Title IV. Previously, a continuation grant was sufficient, but now we must reapply from scratch, raising concerns about eligibility.
To qualify, at least 40% of students must be eligible for free or reduced lunch, but our K-5 percentage declined from 44.63% in 2022-23 to 31% in 2023-24. When I inquired about the drastic shift, staff attribute this drop to challenges in obtaining completed applications from families. We have requested a waiver based on our program’s decade-long success, but no decision has been made.
Without this funding, introducing fees—similar to Fremont’s afterschool program—may become unavoidable, given declining federal and state support and new property tax caps. The latest State Aid formula Draft that was just released projects a nearly $400,000 loss for our school. If these limitations persist, covering the shortfall will be difficult. However, several legislative proposals at the state level could provide relief, though they face hurdles amid the state’s $432 million budget deficit.
Have a great weekend - Wildcat Pride!